President Paul Kagame arrived in Paris, on Wednesday, May 7, and held talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders discussed global issues and cooperation between both countries, according to the Office of the President. Kagame and Macron last met in October 2024, on the sidelines of the Francophonie Summit, where their discussions centered around issues of mutual interest, including the productive bilateral cooperation in key sectors. ALSO READ: Kagame, Macron reiterate need to address root causes of insecurity in region Before then, the French President commended Kagame for his efforts in promoting the sports industry and infrastructure investments, urging the international community to be financiers for infrastructure development in Africa. This was in July during the Sports for Sustainable Development Summit held in Paris prior to the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games. A month earlier, both Heads of State held a tête-à-tête meeting over dinner at the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the President of France in Paris. Kagame was attending the Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation, co-hosted by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in partnership with France and the African Union (AU). On the other hand, the two Heads of State held a call in April where they discussed areas of collaboration as well as regional matters, among which they reiterated the need for a political solution to address the conflict in eastern DR Congo. The latest development in that area is ongoing expert discussions on the first draft of a peace agreement between Rwanda and DR Congo, which will culminate into a peace agreement that is expected to be signed by President Felix Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame in June, in Washington in the presence of President Donald Trump. In addition to the peace deal, the two countries are expected to sign separate bilateral economic agreements with the US government. A monitoring committee, including representatives from the U.S., Qatar, France, and Togo will oversee the implementation of conditions which will be determined in the peace deal. Negotiations previously conducted under the EAC-SADC framework have now been formally placed under the leadership of the African Union, with Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe taking the lead in facilitating the process. Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers signed the Declaration of Principles in Washington DC on April 25, marking the beginning of a peace process aimed at restoring stability not only to eastern DR Congo but also to the broader Great Lakes region, which has long suffered from the spill-over of the conflict.
