The President of the Republic of Rwanda, H.E. Paul Kagame met with former President Bill Clinton in New York, and former President George H. W. Bush in Houston, Texas last week.
President Kagame briefed Presidents Clinton and Bush about recent political and economic developments in Rwanda and the Great Lakes region as a whole, and highlighted the fact that today Rwanda is peaceful, stable and open for business and investment.
On the situation in the region, President Kagame gave a historical background to the conflicts and highlighted what is needed to realize permanent peace, stability and sustainable development.
President Kagame and Presidents Clinton and Bush also discussed the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), and the serious challenges affecting Africa, namely HIV/AIDS and poverty.
President Kagame is on a one-week official visit to the US, which reflects the warm and increasingly strong relationship between Rwanda and the US, based on a shared vision for peace, security and development in Rwanda and Africa as a whole. Bilateral relations between the two countries have in the recent past extended beyond traditionally important political ties to encompass trade and socio-economic development.
During his visit, President Kagame has highlighted the fact that only nine years after the genocide in which one million people died, Rwanda has undergone a political and economic transformation, and is today one of the best governed and fastest growing economies in Africa. He has also met business leaders from the US and Canada to stress that Rwanda is now open for business.
