Guinea Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, together with his delegation, is on Tuesday toured the Kigali Special Economic Zone as part of his three-day visit to Rwanda. According to Stephanie Nyombayire, the Presidential Press Secretary, President Embalo would among others visit the Carnegie Mellon University campus, Africa Improved Foods and Volkswagen. “All of these are companies that were able to set up in Rwanda are looking to have partnerships with (Guinea) whether it is in exporting the cars that are locally manufactured, whether it is in bringing students from Guinea Bissau to study on the campus here, or in exporting some of the foods that Africa Improved Foods produces here,” Nyombayire told the media. The zone, she highlighted, was set up to facilitate commerce and trading between Rwanda and other countries “and Guinea Bissau could be one of them.” The visit will mark President Embalo’s second day in Rwanda since arriving on Monday. On the first day, he was received by President Paul Kagame at Village Urugwiro, where the two leaders witnessed the signing of three agreements. The agreements include a memorandum of understanding on economic and trade cooperation, another one on cooperation in the field of education while the third is in the area of cooperation in tourism, business and conservation. “As Rwanda has always done, we are working with our fellow Africans to advance the development of both of our countries,” she added, “We will be able to see more exchanges happening between Rwanda and Guinea Bissau that will benefit our people.” Air service agreement in the pipeline There are discussions ongoing that may lead to the signing of a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between Rwanda and Guinea Bissau, Nyombayire asserted. Much as it was not signed on the same day, she said that talks are being held between authorities in charge including the Ministry of Infrastructure and part of the delegation from Guinea Bissau. Once materialized, she pointed out, RwandAir, the national carrier will eventually fly to Guinea Bissau.
