The City of Kigali and Kobe, the sixth-largest city in Japan, are set to work out a fundamental partnership after a high-level delegation arrived in Kigali over the weekend.

A 20-man delegation led by Kizo Hisamoto, the mayor of the city of Kobe, toured Kigali on Sunday and continued with more visits and discussions at City Hall on Monday.

Earlier, Martin Sibomana, the City of Kigali Media and Communications Officer, confirmed that the Mayor of Kobe and Mayor of Kigali will "hold discussions to initiate relations and explore twinning possibilities which would make Kigali the first African sister city to Kobe city.”

Sibomana said: "Kobe wants to promote people- to-people relations with Rwanda through relations with Kigali City which will be explored during this visit, with the possibility of creating formalised relations through twinning.”

During the Kobe delegation’s week-long visit, a memorandum of understanding – which is still being drafted – will be signed by both parties to cement their special relationship.

"It’s about twinning. The city of Kobe is already partnering with some Rwandan institutions, including the ICT Chamber and, a number of Rwandan students are benefiting from masters’ degree scholarships in Kobe,” Sibomana said.