President of Rwanda Paul Kagame landed in Jamaica on Wednesday afternoon for a three-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, according to Jamaican local media.
Kagame’s visit to the Caribbean island is his first official visit as he hopes to strengthen the bilateral ties between both countries.
President Kagame will be greeted with a 21-gun salute at Norman Manley International Airport before meeting with Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, and other government officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, according to the Jamaica Information Service.
The official visit comes only days after Jamaican Minister Kamina Johnson Smith revealed that she will run for Commonwealth Secretary-General against current Secretary-General Baroness Patricia Scotland, who is seeking re-election.
Patricia Scotland has been under fire from wealthy member countries after an internal audit in 2020 discovered that she gave a lucrative contract to a friend. She disputed the claims and stated that she followed the procurement policies of the company.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, has stated that he will not approach President Kagame about Minister Smith’s candidacy for Commonwealth Secretary-General.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be held in Rwanda in June. Prince Charles and his wife, Duchess Camilla, will attend the gathering, which will bring together delegates from 54 countries. At the meeting, a new Secretary-General will be chosen.