Kigali — Rwanda is pleased to welcome U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit next week. We look forward to further strengthening the bilateral relationship between Rwanda and the United States, and discussing our partnership in areas
including peacekeeping, global health (notably the upcoming Global Fund replenishment), global food and energy security, trade and investment,counterterrorism, and climate action.

Addressing security challenges in the Great Lakes region is a key priority, and Rwanda remains committed to the various regional mechanisms in place to find durable solutions.

Rwanda looks forward to a robust exchange of views on governance and human rights, as has always been the case in the Rwanda-U.S. bilateral relationship. On the case of Rwandan citizen Paul Rusesabagina, on which we had engaged
the United States for more than a decade, Rwanda welcomes the opportunity to once again make clear that his arrest and conviction for serious crimes against Rwandan citizens (alongside 20 other accomplices in the same trial), while residing
in the United States, were lawful under both Rwandan and international law.