The Mayor of the City of Kigali, Pudence Rubingisa, and his Paris counterpart Anne Hidalgo on Tuesday signed a cooperation agreement spelling out different areas of cooperation between the two capitals. The signing of the agreement was held on the sidelines of the ongoing 41st AIMF summit that is underway in Kigali. AIMF is the General Assembly of the Association Internationale de Maires Francophones (AIMF), a summit that brings together mayors from cities in French-speaking countries. Over 200 leaders are in physical attendance while the rest join virtually. According to information from the City of Kigali, the deals inked include agreements of cooperation between the two cities in the areas of innovation, culture and new technologies. On his part, Rubingisa said that the agreement will among others help to improve the city and improve the living conditions of the people. Similarly, Mayor Hidalgo welcomed the partnership, citing that the City of Paris will benefit from cooperation with Kigali, especially in the field of art and environmental protection. Earlier on Tuesday, Hidalgo took time off to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial – the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi. At the memorial centre, she laid wreath and honored the Genocide victims. Hidalgo also made a stop at the Nyandungu urban wetland Eco-tourism Park. The park being created on 121.89 Ha is set to provide an urban recreational space, restore the hydrological functioning of the wetland and increase biodiversity, according to officials. Rwanda and France mainly enjoy cooperation around areas of digital transformation and innovation, health, sport & culture as well as private sector investments in various areas.
