New York: Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H E Olivier Nduhungirehe (pictured) expressed his appreciation for the strong ties between his country and the State of Qatar, describing Qatar as a key partner and a neutral, reliable mediator with an important role in supporting peace negotiations in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In remarks to QNA on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he said that Rwanda maintains continuous cooperation with Qatar to strengthen bilateral relations and explore new areas of partnership, noting that this cooperation brings tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries.
He highlighted that the relationship spans a long history of friendship, trade exchange, and Qatari investments in Rwanda.
The minister pointed to the State of Qatar’s prominent role as an important partner and neutral mediator in regional conflicts, stressing its efforts to support peace talks between the DRC government and the Congo River/M23 Movement alliance. He noted that these efforts led to the signing of a Declaration of Principles in Doha last July, backing a US-led process toward a comprehensive peace agreement in eastern DRC.
He said that the Doha negotiations aim to bring all concerned parties to the dialogue table, which is essential for achieving regional stability.
He added that these efforts complement another agreement signed in Washington between Rwanda and the DRC to address security issues, particularly those related to the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
The Rwandan foreign minister emphasized the importance of continuing work on both the Washington and Doha tracks and expressed confidence that these parallel processes would contribute effectively to achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.
