Rwanda and Turkey on Thursday, January 12 signed three cooperation agreements to further enhance the 'good’ bilateral ties between both countries. The agreements were signed by Vincent Biruta, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu who is in Rwanda on a working visit. ALSO READ: Turkey and Rwanda enjoy good bilateral relations Prior to the signing ceremony, the Turkish minister visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial site and paid tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. He also held a tête-à-tête with Minister Biruta flanked by delegations from both sides. The agreements include general cooperation, culture, as well as science, technology and innovation. Biruta said the partnerships between both countries are vibrant and they are exploring ways of signing more. “We also discussed increasing trade and investment between our countries...and very soon, we will sign a host country agreement for the Turkish Maarif Foundation which will invest in TVET training in Rwanda,” he added. Çavuşoğlu noted that the annual business forum between both countries organised by the private sector is a major driver of increased trade volumes and Turkish companies are very much interested in infrastructure projects in Rwanda. Turkish firms have been part of the construction of different projects such as the Kigali Convention Centre, BK Arena, and the ongoing renovation of Amahoro Stadium. “The current level we have reached in trade is not satisfactory. Yes, five times increase in three years but the potential is huge and we should set new targets by $1 billion trade for the future,” he said. According to available data, Rwanda's exports to Turkey have increased from $31million in 2019 to $178 million in 2022. On the other hand, Rwanda has attracted Turkish investors in the recent past with the Turkish tycoon, Ferit Şahenk promising that his multinational’s operations in Rwanda will “do something very good for the country.” This can be traced by a step taken by his company, Doğuş Group, to invest in Rwanda’s hospitality sector by setting up at least three luxury resort hotels as announced in September last year. The hotels are expected to be constructed in Kigali, Karongi, and around Lake Kivu belt. Doğuş Group is one of the largest private conglomerates in Turkey. It has a portfolio of 250 companies in seven industries, including high-end car dealerships, retail stores, restaurants, cafes, construction companies, radio stations, and media and tourism businesses. Africa benefits from Black Sea Grain Initiative The Turkish Minister also said that Africa is set to benefit from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, an agreement between Russia and Ukraine made with Turkey and the United Nations during the 2022 Russian-Ukraine crisis to safely transport grain and foodstuffs from Ukrainian ports. “We intend to expand the volume of grain products in Africa by processing them in Turkey. We also want to expedite the export of fertilizers which is also important for the agricultural growth and productivity of Africa,” he noted.
