The Turkish and Rwandan foreign ministers on Tuesday signed memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the areas of sports, education and industry in a meeting that took place in the capital Ankara.
The agreements were signed following the Rwandan foreign minister’s visit to Turkey. Vincent Biruta paid his first official visit to Turkey at the invitation of Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.
After a joint news conference, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu is quoted to have said that there is room to improve bilateral economic relations, and that his Rwandan counterpart Vincent Biruta met Turkish businesspeople on the sidelines of his visit to Turkey.
“Our bilateral trade volume is around $81 million, an increase compared to 2019 despite the coronavirus pandemic, but still it’s not at the level that we desire,” said Çavuşoğlu. “Rwanda offers great opportunities to our companies and we see our businesses are taking that opportunity,” he noted.
Çavuşoğlu said they will work toward Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s visit to Ankara in the near future, adding that they also plan to hold a business forum during the potential visit.
In the fight against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, Çavuşoğlu thanked Rwanda for shutting down FETÖ-run schools in the country.
Preparations to reopen the schools under the management of Turkey’s Maarif Foundation are underway, he said.
Biruta thanked Turkey for its help during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic last year by sending protective equipment.
He said both countries are committed to working closely for a more peaceful and secure world.
