President Paul Kagame on Sunday received Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey
KIGALI — President Paul Kagame on Sunday received Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and European Union Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region Johan Borgstam in separate meetings at Urugwiro Village.
According to Village Urugwiro, the discussions focused on regional peace, international cooperation and upcoming diplomatic engagements.
Kagame’s meeting with Botchwey centered on strengthening cooperation between Rwanda and the Commonwealth Secretariat, as well as advancing shared priorities among Commonwealth member states.
The two leaders discussed issues including sustainable development, trade, investment, private sector growth, good governance and prosperity across the Commonwealth.
They also exchanged views on preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the organization’s premier gathering of heads of state and government.
Botchwey is on a working visit to Rwanda, her first since assuming office as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Rwanda joined the Commonwealth in 2009 and has since emerged as one of the bloc’s active members, hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali.
In a separate meeting, President Kagame held talks with Ambassador Johan Borgstam, the European Union’s Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region.
Their discussions focused on recent developments in the Great Lakes region and efforts aimed at addressing the root causes of conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The two leaders also discussed ongoing initiatives intended to advance a sustainable path toward peace and stability in the region, where insecurity in eastern Congo remains a major concern.
The meetings come as regional and international efforts to resolve the conflict in eastern DRC continue to gain momentum through diplomatic engagement and dialogue initiatives involving countries across the region and international partners.
