Kigali, 20 June 2012
President Kagame today received the Israel Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Orite Noked, who is in the country on a mission to strengthen cooperation in agriculture and rural development between Rwanda and Israel.
After the meeting, the Israel Minister told press that Israel believes cooperation with Rwanda, especially in the field of agriculture, should be expanded and strengthened:
“We now want to set up a concrete framework for cooperation in Agriculture, where Israel will provide assistance in areas of irrigation, share experience in increasing productivity technologies, processing and trade of agricultural produce. We are planning to create a Centre of Excellence in Rwanda and work will start in July.”
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Earnest Ruzindana said:
“The discussion between the President and the Minister dwelt mostly on Agricultural development which is the backbone of Rwanda’s economy and that cooperation should also expand to include other fields. We are now going to sign a cooperation agreement which will allow Israel to provide more assistance, especially in areas of irrigation and postharvest technologies, horticulture development, diagnostic technologies in animal diseases, animal feeds as well as Agriculture research. Israel is planning to start a Center of Excellence next month which will allow exchange of technologies and expertise where Israel experts will be able to stage demonstrations and offer training for Rwandan farmers.”
The Israel Minister is accompanied on this visit to Rwanda by Amir Maimon, Charge d’Affaires and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel Non Resident to the Republic of Rwanda and Burundi, Yossi Noked, Director General in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Uri Basson, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, Ofer Sachs, head of the Israel Center for International Agriculture Development Cooperation and Emmanuel Seri, Director of East Africa Department in the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.