Kenya and Rwanda on Tuesday signed an agreement in ten strategic areas of cooperation to enhance bilateral relations.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will establish mechanisms for effective cooperation in Education, ICT, Gender and Child Development, Youth and Capacity Development for the Public Service.
Other areas of cooperation agreed upon are in Correctional Services, Health, Diplomatic Training, Agriculture and Cooperatives.
Addressing a press conference in Kigali, Kenyan President William Ruto and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame said the two countries had agreed to work together for the benefit of the people. They said Kenya and Rwanda will expand trade and investment as well as help the region in terms of peace and security.
President Ruto asked Rwanda to make use of the more efficient Port of Mombasa. He said the facility has also been expanded and modernized to handle more cargo. He said the Port also offers cargo owners the option to collect goods at the Naivasha Inland Container Depot.
“This will help to save on time and cost, hence enhance trade between the two countries,” the Kenyan leader noted.
Ruto reiterated that Kenya was committed to working with Rwanda in advancing peace and security, trade and investment and the implementation of Agenda 2063.
The two leaders also agreed that the instability in South Sudan, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo require constant attention.
“We must take advantage of the existing mechanisms to entrench peace as the foundation of the stability that guarantees shared prosperity,” Ruto said.
President Kagame pointed out that the new areas of cooperation will bring closer Nairobi and Kigali. He saluted the “big Kenyan community” that has invested immensely in Rwanda.