Polish President Andrzej Duda and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda, on February 6, arrived in Rwanda on a state visit that seeks to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries. ALSO READ: Bilateral relations: Unpacking Rwanda-Poland ties This is part of his international mission to build a relationship with African countries. He comes to Rwanda after departing from Kenya and is expected to head to Tanzania on February 8. While in Rwanda, Duda is expected to hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Paul Kagame and preside over the signing of cooperation agreements between both countries, after which the two heads-of-state will hold a media briefing. Additionally, He will attend a Rwanda-Polish business forum along with other delegates, and visit LuNa smelter –the largest Polish investment in Rwanda’s mining sector –as well as visit Kigali Genocide Memorial. As part of his itinerary, he will also visit Our Lady of Kibeho and the Educational Institute for Blind Children in Kibeho which was established in collaboration with the Polish government. Rwanda and Poland have, over the past years, cemented bilateral relations in various fields of higher education, defense, agriculture, trade, and investment, among others. Currently, there are more than 1,500 Rwandan students in Poland, which is the largest number of international students from one country. Rwanda opened an embassy in Poland’s capital, Warsaw, in 2021. Later, in December 2022, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Rwanda was established in Kigali, adding more impetus to the two countries’ fast-developing cooperation. ALSO READ: Rwanda, Poland to establish Rwandan Diplomatic Academy In July 2023, the two countries signed a tax solidarity agreement aimed at improving efficiency of Rwanda’s tax system by reducing the tax gap, combating tax avoidance, tax evasion and digitalizing tax administration. The MoU provided a solid ground for sharing knowledge, information and best practices regarding tax management.
