King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of the Asante Kingdom in Ghana has expressed his desire to visit Rwanda “at the earliest opportunity.” He made the comments on Friday, April 19 during a courtesy visit paid to him by Rosemary Mbabazi, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Ghana at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi. Otumfuo presides over 78 paramouncies, making the Asante Kingdom the single biggest traditional jurisdiction in Ghana, with his subjects accounting for more than a third of Ghana’s estimated population of 33 million. He is also the Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) which has hosted many Rwandan students over the years who have pursued medical courses and other science disciplines. Currently, KNUST hosts over 20 Rwandan students. A statement from the Rwandan High Commission in Accra after the courtesy call, pointed out that the king “commended Rwanda’s leadership for the gains that the country has made especially under the leadership of President Paul Kagame and expressed his willingness to honour the High Commissioner’s invitation to visit Rwanda at the earliest opportunity.” He used the opportunity to encourage African countries to continue to unite and integrate their economies under the Africa Continental Free Trade agreement. ALSO READ: ACFTA: What are the top markets Rwandan producers are eyeing? The High Commissioner congratulated Otumfuo on the 25th anniversary of his enstoolment as the Asantehene and commended him on his leadership. “She recounted the existing fraternal relations between Rwanda and Ghana, which has continued to grow since 1994 when the Ghanaian contingent within the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) stayed and contributed to saving lives during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda despite an order by the UN Security Council to withdraw its UN Peacekeepers at Rwanda’s greatest hour of need,” reads a statement from the High Commission. During the visit, Mbabazi also informed the Asantehene of the activities that the High Commission of Rwanda in Ghana has planned for the 30th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi and extended an invitation to him to join Rwandans and friends of Rwanda in the activities. In collaboration with Rwandans in Ghana and various stakeholders, the Rwandan High Commission has planned a walk-to-Remember in memory of the over one million victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi, a Symposium on the Genocide, and an official commemoration ceremony, all of which are happening in May.
