DR Congo, Rwanda sign three agreements on bilateral cooperation

President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi (R) and Rwandan President Paul Kagame at a joint press conference after their meeting in Goma, North Kivu province, DR Congo, June 26, 2021. /Xinhua

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed on Saturday three agreements on bilateral cooperation after a meeting between the two heads of state in Goma, the capital of northeastern DR Congo's North Kivu province.

The agreements were signed during the visit of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who met with his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi in Goma on Saturday.

The first agreement signed concerns the promotion and protection of investments, while the second one relates to the avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion between the two countries. The third is a memorandum on gold mining cooperation.

At a joint press conference at the end of the meeting that led to these agreements, the two heads of state appreciated the good collaboration that has existed for several years between the two countries and their people.

According to Tshisekedi, it is time for the bilateral relations to become friendly and fraternal.

"We have wasted so many years being antagonistic towards each other, living in tension and in a war situation, but also sharing hatred, now that's enough," he said.

On Friday, the two presidents had a two-hour meeting in Rubavu, Rwanda, during which they discussed several issues, including security in the region, the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano in May, and in particular Kinshasa's integration into the East African Community.

The two presidents have held many meetings in recent months, particularly during international summits. Before the Rubavu meeting, the two leaders met face-to-face on May 17 in Paris, on the sidelines of the international summit for the financing of African economies.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency