The UK minister for Africa in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Tobias Ellwood, is expected in Rwanda Wednesday afternoon.

Ellwood will be arriving en-route from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, the UK High Commission in Kigali said in a brief statement.

Ellwood will meet Government officials and lay a wreath at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, it added.

The United Kingdom, which last year voted to leave the European Union, is one of Rwanda’s major development partners.

Ellwood, 51, a British-American soldier-turned politician, was appointed minister for Africa in July last year.

Following his appointment, he said "the UK remains well placed to work with Africa to maximize its economic potential and the opportunities for prosperity it offers”. He added: "In order to boost Africa’s economies it is also crucial to improve stability and security across the continent, particularly in East Africa. We will continue to work with the African Union (AU) and through our role on the UN Security Council (UNSC) on these important issues”.

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