Paul Kagame: « With Burundi, we are on the right track

The Rwandan head of state, Paul Kagame, has declared that Rwanda and Burundi are in the process of normalising their relations. He made this known on Saturday during a meeting of the extended executive council of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi).

President Paul Kagame seized the opportunity of a meeting of the extended executive council of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, this Saturday, May 1, 2021, to cut short suspicions on the conflict between Rwanda and Burundi. « With Burundi, we are on the right track. Together, we are trying to solve the problems between us and get our relations back on track. Burundi has shown interest in doing so and we are doing the same, » he told participants at the two-day meeting.

Furthermore, in his communication, the Rwandan leader explained that Kigali will not give in to interference in its development process. « What Rwanda wants is peace and freedom to continue the work of transforming our country. We don’t want to hinder anyone and we don’t want anyone to stand in our way. Our aim is to continue to do the right thing and this protects us from those who wish us ill. What makes us special is that the solutions to our challenges have been unique, » he added, as reported by the Kigali Times.

Since 2015, Rwanda and Burundi have been at loggerheads. Bujumbura initially accused Kigali of being behind a movement of refugees, mostly from the Tutsi tribe, which aimed to overthrow the Nkurunziza regime. On the Rwandan side, the re-election of the late Pierre Nkurunziza was a bitter pill to swallow. The accession of Evariste Ndayishimiye to power in June 2020 did not change the deal, despite some exchanges between the Burundian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Albert Shingiro, and the Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Biruta.

Read: Burundi – Rwanda: towards a tug of war between Evariste ndayishimiye and Paul Kagame?