President Kagame receives DRC Senate President

Kigali, 7 May 2013,

President Kagame today received visiting Democratic Republic of Congo Senate President, Leon Kengo wa Dondo, who is leading a delegation of Congolese Senators who are in the country in the framework of parliamentary diplomacy whereby Parliaments complement Government’s action in addressing different issues related to foreign relations.

Speaking to the press after meeting President Kagame, Kengo wa Dondo pointed out that there is need to increase cooperation between Rwanda and Congo:

“It is time for us to open our border for the free circulation of people, goods and investments. The Rwandan people have the expertise in agriculture, farming and in the service sector and we can all learn from each other.”

On the ongoing crisis in the East of his country, the Senate President said:
“We appreciated President Kagame’s vision of the DRC crisis as one that calls for a political and not a military solution.”

The Rwanda Senate President, Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo said cooperation between the two Parliaments will help solve arising issues effectively before they get out of control.

“As people who speak on behalf of the people of the two countries, we will be able to explain issues and make them understood by the people. The consensus between the two Parliaments is that political problems need political solutions, not military ones because we all understand that if you defeat one military group, another one may sprout from somewhere else. The people of Congo need peace”

The Parliamentary Committees from both countries for foreign affairs are going to discuss the existing working relations between the two Parliaments, and the kind of partnership that could be put in place in order for the two committees to contribute to peace, development and stability in the region. The meeting which will be concluded by a number of resolutions is expected to discuss the CEPGL Summit that will be convened by President Kabila to discuss regional issues and the Kampala talks initiated by regional countries.