Mozambique’s President Daniel Francisco Chapo is expected in Rwanda this Wednesday, August 27, for a two-day working visit at the invitation of President Paul Kagame.
According to a statement from the Mozambican Presidency, the two Heads of State will hold official talks focused on strengthening friendship and cooperation between their countries, with emphasis on areas of common interest.
President Chapo is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes Defence Minister Cristóvão Chume, Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Maria dos Santos Lucas, Finance Minister Carla Loveira, Planning and Development Minister Salimo Valá, and Ricardo Xavier Sengo, Minister in the Presidency for Civil Affairs, along with other senior officials.
The visit comes after a series of bilateral engagements between Rwanda and Mozambique.
On August 26, senior officials from the two countries’ foreign ministries met in Kigali for a Ministerial Session of the Consultation Meeting, co-chaired by Rwanda’s Minister of State for Regional Cooperation, Gen. (Rtd) James Kabarebe, and Mozambican Foreign Minister Maria Manuela dos Santos Lucas. The meeting reviewed existing cooperation and explored new areas to deepen bilateral ties.
Earlier, technical sessions led by Rwanda’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Clementine Mukeka, and Mozambique’s Secretary of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries, Momade Juizo, also outlined opportunities to expand collaboration.
Defence cooperation has been a key highlight of Rwanda-Mozambique relations. On August 23, Mozambique’s Defence Minister Cristóvão Chume met with his Rwandan counterpart, Juvenal Marizamunda, in Kigali. The discussions focused on enhancing joint efforts against terrorism in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, where Rwandan troops have been deployed since mid-2021 to support Mozambican forces in combating Islamist insurgents.
This marks President Chapo’s first official visit to Rwanda since his election in October 2024. He last met President Kagame in February this year on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, where the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
Mozambique and Rwanda maintain close cooperation in areas including defence, security, and development, with both countries emphasizing the importance of collective efforts in addressing regional peace and stability challenges.
Prince Ruzigana / The Kaminuza Star