Zambia President Edgar Lungu is expected in the country today for a two-day state visit. President Lungu’s visit to Rwanda follows a two-day visit to Zambia by President Paul Kagame in June last year. Besides holding talks with his host, President Kagame, President Lungu is expected to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre to lay a wreath in honour of the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and the Kigali Special Economic Zone, according to presidency. President Kagame is also set to host a state banquet in honour of his visiting counterpart at the Kigali Convention Centre later today. Prior to his arrival today, a commission for the ministerial cooperation of the two countries has been holding meetings and sessions in Kigali for the last two days to discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. The two countries have a number of bilateral agreements, including an air services agreement, a memorandum of understanding on defence and security cooperation, and an extradition treaty. The cooperation also covers aviation enabling flights between Kigali and Lusaka with the National Carrier RwandAir flying to Zambia seven times a week. Trade between the two countries has been on an upward trend in recent years, with imports from Zambia growing from $2.8 million in 2015 to $11.6 million last year, according to information from the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Both countries are members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), a trading bloc, as well as the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), a platform that seeks to advance peace and security in the region. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
