Rwanda and Benin have signed nine bilateral cooperation agreements aimed at deepening the already cordial relations between both nations. The agreements were signed on April 15 in Cotonou, during President Paul Kagame's two-day state visit to the West African nation. ALSO READ: Rwandan named boss of Benin’s identification agency Among the agreements signed were those related to avoidance of double taxation, agriculture, digital, local governance, sustainable development, military cooperation, commercial and industrial cooperation, tourism, and investment promotion. Discussions also centered on the terrorist threat in the Sahel and its expansion to the coastal countries of West Africa. Host President Patrice Talon received President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame, after which both leaders held a tete-a-tete before presiding over the signing ceremony. The two Heads of State also welcomed the existence between the two countries of a mechanism for technical cooperation and exchanges of specialized executives which has already enabled experts from each country to be deployed in the other, due to their expertise and know-how. ALSO READ: Kagame, Benin President discuss bilateral ties At the continental level, President Talon and his host also exchanged views on the opportunities offered to African countries within the framework of the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). They stressed the regularity of political consultations between the two countries as well as the richness of their strategic partnership, particularly in the fields of security and defense, the economy and research, and reaffirmed their firm will to work towards its reinforcement for the benefit of the two peoples. President Kagame on Saturday visited the facilities of the Development Agency of Sèmè-City, interested in establishing partnerships with similar Rwandan institutions, during which he spoke to young entrepreneurs, students, and start-up managers on the leadership of African youth and the future of the Continent.
