Foreign Minister of Finland to visit Rwanda on 21-22 Nov

The Joint Assembly of the Members of the European Parliament and parliamentarians of the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP countries) is an advisory body that convenes twice a year.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto will visit Rwanda on 21–22 November. He will give a statement and answer questions on behalf of the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini at the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda on 21 November. Minister Haavisto will also have bilateral meetings during the visit.

The Joint Assembly of the Members of the European Parliament and parliamentarians of the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP countries) is an advisory body that convenes twice a year. The purpose of the Assembly is to promote democratic processes and enhance mutual understanding between citizens of the EU and ACP countries.

The Assembly will be held in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, on 17–21 November. Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Pekka Haavisto will lead the EU delegation on behalf of the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini.

“The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly provides a forum for the Members of Parliament from this group of more than 100 countries to discuss topical issues. The items on the agenda range from supporting the political participation of young people to social innovation and digitalization,” Foreign Minister Haavisto says. 

During the visit, Minister Haavisto will also have bilateral meetings with the Rwandan state leaders. The topics to be discussed include opportunities to strengthen the relations between the two countries and topical regional and international issues concerning development, peace, and security in Africa.

“Rwanda has been active in many international issues, including peacekeeping and the environment. I hope that we will be able to continue our cooperation with Rwanda in these sectors,” Minister Haavisto says.

Minister Haavisto will also visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial to commemorate the more than one million Rwandans who died in 1994. There, the minister will lay a wreath on the grave, which is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the genocide.

(With Inputs from APO)