As a result of a signed agreement, Rwandans with diplomatic and official passports may soon travel to Brazil without a visa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stated as much in a statement on October 6.
According to a news release, on October 5 and 6, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Vincent Biruta, traveled to Brazil on an official visit. It stated that this was the first official high-level visit between the two nations.
The ministry noted that reinforcing bilateral cooperation and boosting trade between Rwanda and Brazil is the primary objective of the visit. It stated that Biruta held productive meetings with senior officials from the Brazilian Federal Government, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira.
During the sessions, they signed two significant documents: a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at exempting holders of diplomatic and official passports from the need to get visas, and another pertaining to the transfer of convicted individuals.
Speaking with his colleague, Minister Biruta emphasized the significant potential for collaboration in areas of shared interest, particularly in the fields of agriculture, commerce, investment, and aviation services.
“We have also agreed that a Rwandan business mission will visit Brazil in the near future. This visit will serve as a significant step towards deepening economic relations and fostering greater understanding between our nations,” he told members of the press in Brasilia.
In the meantime, Minister Biruta expressed his congratulations to Brazil for holding the presidency of the UN Security Council during the month of October and they also discussed current concerns about peace and security, particularly in the African Great Lakes region. They understood that coordinated measures were required to solve security issues and to collaborate for the region’s peace and prosperity.
They also talked about the important subject of climate change and its far-reaching effects. Both countries are deeply concerned about how climate change will affect their respective regions and are determined to work together to find solutions.
The fifth-biggest by area and seventh-most populous nation in the globe, Brazil is the largest nation in both South and Latin America. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that as of April 2023, it has a gross domestic output of more than $2 trillion.
In 1981, Rwanda and Brazil established diplomatic ties. Both nations have recently demonstrated a shared interest in looking into measures to improve bilateral ties and cooperation.