Doha, June 23 (QNA) - HE President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame expressed his country's desire to strengthen its relations and economic partnership with the State of Qatar, stressing that "Qatar's development trajectory is a huge example to others."
In an exclusive statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), His Excellency said that HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's visit to Rwanda will constitute as an opportunity to strengthen relations between the two countries and to discuss various areas of partnership. He added, "We will discuss how to further strengthen our cooperation and most importantly implement the projects and initiatives that are already under development."
HE President stated that there is a great opportunity to develop economic and trade cooperation between Qatar and his country, as it is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. "Rwanda presents a thriving and stable investment eco-system in industries like textiles, clothing, leather, agriculture, livestock, industry, tourism, ICT, and pharma. The services sector constitutes a large percentage of our GDP," His Excellency pointed out.
"Qatar is a strategic partner for Rwanda, and we want to continue to deepen the genuine relationship even further," HE President said.
His Excellency noted the pace of economic growth witnessed by Qatar and the positive roles played by Doha in all fields, saying, "many countries have resources, but investing them smartly and with tangible effects takes foresight, planning, and vision. This has allowed Qatar to not only secure the future of its own citizens, but to contribute to the wider global good in various ways."
Regarding his impressions after his visit to the State of Qatar, His Excellency said, "It is always a pleasure to visit Qatar to advance the bilateral agenda. We signed some important legal agreements to streamline investment and aviation cooperation, including a landmark Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA). RwandAir and Qatar Airways also signed an interline agreement under which travelers can access more than 160 destinations in the combined networks from their respective hubs in Kigali and Doha."
In his statement to QNA, HE President Kagame said, "There is no doubt in my mind that Qatar will host one of the best FIFA World Cups ever. With the state-of-the-art infrastructure along with solid management capacity, Qatar is able to deliver a successful tournament, despite the scale and complexity."
Regarding the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting to be held in Rwanda, His Excellency stressed that the meeting will be an appropriate opportunity for the Commonwealth countries to reaffirm shared values and priorities, particularly with regard to vital issues such as sustainable development, climate change, trade, and employment opportunities for youth, as well as focusing on recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
HE President Kagame pointed out that his country enjoys many attractive advantages for investment but it must rely on itself to achieve what it aspires to. "Development begins with a change of mindset and must be followed by action. We refused to remain hostages of our history," he said, stressing to work according to the available capabilities by taking advantage of strong companies and working with countries and organizations around the world to advance the country.
With regard to the agreement signed between Britain and Rwanda regarding the deportation of illegal immigrants from Britain to his country, His Excellency said, "Rwanda has been hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees, from different parts of the world, with the majority from Africa, for a long time. Most Rwandans have experienced being refugees at some point in their lives."
HE President added, "Prior to the partnership with the UK, Rwanda has been receiving vulnerable migrants evacuated from Libya by the UNHCR, and giving them safe haven. Our agreement with the UK is connected to that experience."
Concluding his statement to QNA, His Excellency said, "the global asylum system needs innovative solutions, and we are happy to contribute to that. For us it is about investing in the human capital of migrants and giving them a chance to reach their full potential, proving that Africa is also a place of immense opportunity." (QNA)
23 June 2022
President of Rwanda to QNA: Qatar's Development Trajectory is a Huge Example to Others
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