PM Modi to visit Rwanda during BRICS tour

New Delhi, July 20

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will next week visit Rwanda and Uganda before heading to South Africa to attend the BRICS Summit during which key global issues, including international peace and security, are expected to be discussed.

The PM, who will visit the three countries from July 23-27, will first stop in Rwanda for a two-day “historic” visit, the first by an Indian premier, TS Tirumurti, secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters at a briefing here. He will then head to Uganda on July 24 and from there to South Africa.

Modi will attend the 10^th addition of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg during which the grouping’s leaders are expected to deliberate on global hot-spot issues, international peace and security, global governance and trade issues among others, Tirumurti said.

Modi will be received by Rwandan President Paul Kagame when he arrives in country on the first leg of his three-nation tour. During the visit, he will hold delegation-level talks, pay homage at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, interact with a business forum, and also with the Indian community, Tirumurti said.  A defence cooperation agreement is also expected to be signed between India and Rwanda during the visit, he said.

India will also be opening a mission in Rwanda very soon, Tirumurti said. “During this visit, we expect to conclude two lines of credit — one of 100 million for development of industrial parks and Kigali special economic zone, and another one for $100 million for agriculture and irrigation,” he said. — PTI