President Paul Kagame travelled Wednesday, January 22, to Türkiye on a two-day official visit. During his visit, he was welcomed by his Turkish counterpart President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with a military honor guard, a symbol of ultimate respect and dignity. In Ankara, President Kagame, who traveled with First Lady Jeannette Kagame, visited the mausoleum of Atatürk, where a wreath-laying ceremony was performed to honor the founder of modern Turkey and the country’s first President, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Kagame and his Turkish counterpart held a tête-a-tête meeting at the Presidential Palace after which bilateral discussion was held. Key among other highlights of the visit was the signing of four cooperation agreements that cover everything from defense industries, media and communications, as well as civil aviation. These agreements set a foundation for which the two countries plan to strengthen their bilateral relations. These are not mere agreements, the signatures put on the papers could help elevate Rwanda and Türkiye relations to a new high. The two countries have already had good relations that dates decades back. But it wasn’t until 2013 and 2014 when the two countries opened embassies that they made another commitment to take their relations to another level. As a result, the relations that exist between Rwanda and Türkiye has meant that trade and investments across the two nations has not only thrived, but it has enabled the creation of thousands of employment opportunities. As Turkish President revealed, the total combined trade volume increased between Rwanda and Türkiye grew from worth just a million dollar in the year 2,000 to $500 million currently. These are not statistics. Anyone who’s traveled across Rwanda can testify that Turkish investors are flourishing. One among major milestones to celebrate is their investments in construction and infrastructure, including the renovation of Amahoro Stadium, and the construction of the Kigali Arena. Türkiye occupies a middle ground between developed and developing countries. It has accelerated its industrial development. The country has built capacity to produce high value goods, including drones, electric vehicles, and military equipment. Rwanda has a chance to partner with Türkiye as it accelerates its journey towards achieving economic transformation, and this visit only signifies renewed momentum.
