Edmund Kagire
14 January 2009
Kigali — The Chinese Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi, will today officially open and handover to the Government of Rwanda, the multi-million dollar complex that will serve as the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MINAFFET).
Minaffet has revealed that the state-of-the-art building located at Kimihurura worth about $8.9m, is among various projects funded by China in Rwanda. The Chinese Minister will also inaugurate the new Chinese Embassy complex in the City Centre during his one day visit to Rwanda.
Jiechi who arrives in the county today will pay a courtesy call to President Paul Kagame at Urugwiro Village and will also hold bilateral talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rosemary Museminali to further discuss how China and Rwanda can strengthen their bilateral ties.
Museminali is quoted in a statement saying that the Chinese top diplomat's visit is "highly welcome and will be an opportunity to cement the good relationship which has prevailed for a long time between Rwanda and China."
Jiechi visit some of the projects his government has funded in Rwanda and also further discuss how China can continue to support development projects in the country.
China is one of Rwanda's major development partners, supporting several projects in different sectors of the economy, ranging from agriculture, industry, infrastructure to education.
Rwanda has also benefited from different arrangements under the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), an initiative by China to support African Economies develop and some of the special arrangements Rwanda has benefited from is the Special Preferential Tariff Treatment (SPT) programme which allows tax free entry of Rwandan products into China.
Jiechi who is visiting Rwanda and three other African countries including Uganda, Malawi and South Africa is on a traditional African tour taken by Chinese Foreign Ministers on invitation by the foreign ministers.
During his stay, Jiechi will visit some of the projects currently funded by China including several paved roads within the City of Kigali.
China is also funding the construction and operationlization of the cement factory (CIMERWA) at Bugarama, rice processing plants in Rwamagana and Nyagatare and the construction of Ngoma Hospital in Ngoma District in the Eastern Province.
Apart from the MINAFFET Complex, China funded different projects across the country valued at $7.8m in 2008 alone, the ministry revealed.
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