The Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, Guillaume Soro, has said that his country is inspired by Rwanda’s path to reconciliation and noted his intentions to ensure that they draw as many lessons from Rwanda as possible. Soro was in the country to attend the United Nations Post-Conflict Peace building conference that ended Wednesday.
The Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, Guillaume Soro, has said that his country is inspired by Rwanda’s path to reconciliation and noted his intentions to ensure that they draw as many lessons from Rwanda as possible.
Soro was in the country to attend the United Nations Post-Conflict Peace building conference that ended Wednesday.
"Rwanda has registered tremendous progress in the areas of unity and reconciliation. we, as a country that has just come out of a conflict, have a lot to learn from here,” said Soro.
He made the remarks after meeting his Rwandan counterpart, Pierre Damien Habumuremyi on Wednesday .
Towards the end of last year, Côte d’Ivoire was rocked by a post-elections conflict, after former President Laurent Gbagbo refused to acknowledge the outcome of the vote that brought in current leader Allasane Ouattara.
The ensuing violence between supporters of both parties left many dead.
He added that Rwanda put in place policies, commissions and various initiatives that paved way for quick recovery which his country intends to adopt.
"We have a similar commission of unity and reconciliation, but we have to empower it by borrowing the Rwandan experience,” said Soro.
He pointed out that top of his priorities will be to ensure that the Foreign Affairs ministers of both countries work out a cooperation framework.
Habumuremyi said that Rwanda is willing to offer any form of assistance to the west African country.
"We have a lot to offer; our experience of how we got out of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi is important for any country to learn from. We also have a lot of experience in reconciliation and how to build patriotism among the people,” said Habumuremyi.
He added that part of what Rwanda will offer to the Ivorian people is the establishment of a commission for demobilisation and reintegration.
"They have the urge and ability to prosper and we have the will to help them,” he said.
Part of Habumuremyi and Soro’s talks also dwelt on economic and developmental partnership.
Prior to his visit to the Prime Minister, Soro paid tribute to the over 250,000 victims of the Genocide buried at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
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