
A government delegation led by Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev visited the Republic of Rwanda, Report informs.
During the visit, the delegation met with Rwanda’s State Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Mutesi Rusagara, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Marc Cyubahiro Bagabe, Minister of Information Technology and Innovation Paula Ingabire, as well as heads of the Rwanda Development Board and Mining, Oil and Gas Board.
The delegation also got familiarized with the activities of Rwanda’s Entrepreneurship Incubation Center.
During the meetings, gratitude was expressed for new cooperation opportunities between the two countries, created during Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s reception of Rwandan President Paul Kagame at the COP29 Leaders Summit in Baku, as well as for educational and cultural projects implemented in Rwanda with support from the Heydar Aliyev Foundation since Vice President Leyla Aliyeva’s visit to Rwanda in December 2024.
Discussions highlighted broad opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, mining, oil and gas, agriculture, education, and other areas. Agreements were reached to establish joint working groups and conduct mutual business missions in areas of mutual interest. Rwanda’s interest in creating citizen service centers based on the ASAN xidmət concept – Azerbaijan’s successful project in this field – was highly appreciated.
The visit also included the first political consultations meeting at the deputy ministers level between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda.
During political consultations, bilateral political and economic issues were discussed, along with prospects for future cooperation within the UN, Non-Aligned Movement, and other international organizations. Emphasizing the importance of political consultations for developing and coordinating bilateral relations, it was decided to hold meetings regularly.
During the visit, Yalchin Rafiyev visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, laid a wreath in memory of the mass killing victims, and signed the memorial book.
The government mission included representatives from Azerbaijan’s Ministries of Economy and Agriculture, the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of Azerbaijan, AZPROMO, and Azerbaijan Investment Holding.