Kigali, 01 April, 2011
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, H.E. Jean Asselborn, has commended President Kagame for his position on international intervention in Libya.
He said Rwanda is a living example of what happens when the international community fails to act:
“I think it’s an international obligation to see to it that the people of Libya are not killed by troops of their own state. There is an identity of views between Luxembourg, the European Union and Rwanda”.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that Luxembourg has been present in Rwanda since the latter’s independence and has had cooperation with Rwanda in health and agriculture.
He said he wishes to see the cooperation expanded: “This has been my first time in this country and I am quite excited. Our aim is to see further cooperation at the political and economic level”.
Speaking to the Press, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo, said the visit by the Deputy Prime Minister is part of the country’s efforts to renew cooperation with African countries:
“We already have cooperation agreements with Luxembourg in several areas, including fighting HIV/AIDS and irrigation, and these were discussed by the Deputy Prime Minister and President Kagame. The discussions also touched on pertinent issues prevailing in Africa and the world, like the crisis in Libya and Ivory Coast. We share the view that no innocent civilian should be killed by their own government”.
The country channels the support through LUX Development which has an office in Kigali. It provides support to the Rwanda Health Strategic Plan with a € 6 million project and a € 8.5 million project to enhance irrigation systems in Bugesera. Both projects are scheduled to end in 2013.