Kigali, 23 May 2013
President Kagame today receivedUN Secretary General,Ban Ki-Moon and the President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim who are in Rwanda as part of a joint regional mission to Mozambique, DRC, Uganda and Ethiopia to support efforts to build peace, stability and development particularly in the Great Lakes Region.
UN Secretary General and the World Bank President visited and toured a project of the Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission, laid wreaths at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre and laid a foundation stone for a new Centre for Excellence to fight violence against girls and women in conflict situations at the headquarters of the Rwanda National Police.
At official talks held at Urugwiro Village, where they were joined by senior Rwandan Government officials, President Kagame thanked Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon for creating the partnership that Rwanda fully supported and for creating the peace framework which forms the basis of renewed commitment and efforts toward stability and progress. He also thanked the World Bank President for being a partner in creating peace, security development saying that this joint visit meant a lot to Rwanda and the region.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed admiration for President Kagame’s leadership and strong commitment not only in the region but to development and prosperity in Rwanda, especially in meeting the Millennium Development Goals:
“President Kagame has been working and leading as co-chair of MDGs together with the Prime Minister of Australia. I hope many African nations will emulate what Rwanda is doing. I highly commend you, Mr. President for gender empowerment. Rwanda has demonstrated the best example with 56% of female representation in government – the highest level in the whole world.”
Dr Jim Kim commended Rwanda’s demobilisation program in particular the housing project for former combatants with disabilities which he toured shortly after arrival in Kigali. He also described the Isange One-Stop Centre for women victims of gender-based violence as unique and exemplary. Dr Kim said that the World Bank sought to invest in joint economic development in the region particularly in the areas of energy, agriculture and cross-border trade as these would impact significantly on the people of the Great Lakes Region.
“We are concerned about finding ways to peace and security. That is why we are coming in now and not waiting – we were in Goma in spite of the fighting – this is the time to give people hope.” Said Dr Jim Kim