With the aim of strengthening its cooperation with the country, and taking into account the large number of its nationals living there, Gabon is considering opening a diplomatic representation in Rwanda. Instructions relating to this were given by the President of the Transition to the Minister of Foreign Affairs according to the online newspaper Gabonreview.com.
Continuing his so-called friendship and working visits to the Central African sub-region, the President of the Transition in Gabon visited Rwanda on Monday October 16. The exchanges between General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and Paul Kagame “mainly focused on the ongoing transition process in Gabon, on the security situation in Africa and in the ECCAS region, as well as on opportunities for collaboration between Gabon and Rwanda,” reports the Presidential Communication. The two men indeed spoke of their common desire to intensify cooperation between their two countries.
However, to this day, neither has an embassy in their respective countries. A situation that should soon change. This is, in any case, the wish of the Gabonese authorities, and precisely that of the President of the Transition who was questioned on the issue by his compatriots whom he met following his interview with his counterpart. In response to their concerns, General Oligui Nguema instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Michel Régis Onanga Ndiaye, to look into the project of opening a Gabonese embassy in Kigali, as soon as possible.
This project is justified in particular by the administrative hassles faced by Gabonese wishing to go to Rwanda and those already living there. The number of compatriots present in this country, estimated at 1,500, is the other main reason.
