The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a visit to Kigali said that he held discussions with President Paul Kagame and other top officials on regional peace and security, human rights, good governance, and Paul Rusesabagina.
“Thank you for welcoming me to Kigali for discussions on regional peace and security, human rights, good governance, and Paul Rusesabagina,” said Secretary Blinken in a departing tweet.
Blinken who met President Kagame earlier in the day said that Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi had agreed to engage in direct talks to address the fighting in eastern Congo.
The U.S top diplomat visited Rwanda from Kinshasa where he had held discussion with senior officials on the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda has been accused by its neighbor of supporting M23 rebel group to which accusations are denied by Kigali.
The Rwandan government has also disputed the U.N. findings that say it has evidence that Rwanda was directly involved in supporting the rebel group. The M23 has also denied receiving support from Rwanda.
Rwanda’s foreign affairs minister Vincent Biruta said that, ”We agreed on the need to eradicate all irregular armed groups operating in the eastern DRC including the FDLR and its factions.”
While in Kigali, Blinken had a number of engagements including meeting the President, top government officials, civil society, the media, the US embassy staff and family. He also visited Kigali Genocide Memorial and paid tribute to victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
