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01:38 - Our relations with Rwanda are very, very extensive,
01:48 actually, so I should say something about Malta
01:51 to place it into context.
01:52 Malta is the smallest member of the European Union.
01:57 Despite being the smallest member,
01:59 we have quite a big presence,
02:02 both within the European Union,
02:04 but also on the international level
02:05 because we're members of the UN Security Council.
02:09 So despite our size, we have a big voice
02:12 and we wish to amplify that voice
02:17 in partnership with Rwanda.
02:19 So in January, 2021,
02:20 Malta launched the Strategy for Africa,
02:23 where we identified the countries
02:25 that we would really like to work in partnership,
02:28 and Rwanda is on that list very distinctly.
02:31 Why did we choose Rwanda?
02:32 Because we are both relatively small countries
02:36 with a big voice.
02:37 We're also countries that are members of the Commonwealth,
02:41 and we're also countries that look to the future.
02:43 So when I talk to wonderful organizations
02:48 like Rwanda Development Board,
02:51 we're on exactly the same level
02:53 talking about future industries,
02:55 talking about biotechnology,
02:57 talking about artificial intelligence.
03:00 So the answer why Rwanda is very simple.
03:04 We're on the same page.
03:06 The priority is to create trade,
03:08 trade on a partnership basis,
03:11 trade where we jointly bring capital to the table,
03:14 and we look beyond our countries, in fact.
03:17 The world is a big place.
03:18 So we already, I'm pleased to say that
03:22 in the last 12 months,
03:24 two Maltese companies are operating successfully here.
03:28 Companies that have created 130 jobs.
03:32 Companies working, the two companies are working
03:34 in logistics and in artificial intelligence.
03:37 These are really valid areas.
03:40 But the ambition, and I speak very plainly about this,
03:44 the ambition is to go beyond that.
03:45 So we have two more companies looking at
03:49 quite significant investments perhaps in tourism
03:52 where we wish to see Malta and Rwanda
03:55 not just working in each other's countries,
03:58 but together in our respective continents.
04:00 So the ambition is high.
04:02 You could say, well, how realistic is the ambition?
04:06 And my answer would be, well, look, in 12 months,
04:09 we have created two companies.
04:12 And to have a vision for two more companies
04:14 in the next 18 months does not seem unrealistic
04:17 to at least try.
04:18 - Today we have presented my credential
04:21 to His Excellency, President of the Republic of Rwanda,
04:25 His Excellency Paul Kagame,
04:28 and Ethiopia and Rwanda really do have
04:30 long-standing bilateral relations.
04:36 It's historical, and so especially Ethiopia
04:41 value a lot the relations that we have with Rwanda
04:46 because since 1994, our troops has come here,
04:53 have come to as a peacekeeping mission in Rwanda.
04:58 And after that, we have had strong relations
05:01 in political, in economic, and also cultural ties.
05:06 Really, we have had a mechanism,
05:11 we have established our embassy in 2017 here,
05:15 but our diplomatic relations boxed down to 20.
05:19 In 1978, Rwanda opened its embassy in Addis.
05:23 So our diplomatic relation is so strong.
05:26 And still in 2012, we have established a partner.
05:31 In 2010, we have signed a strategic partnership agreement,
05:38 and we have had two joint ministerial meetings,
05:42 and we are expecting now the third to be taken
05:45 in the coming months, before the end of 2023,
05:50 we hope to make.
05:51 So I hope we will have a lot of things to do
05:56 to improve and cement our bilateral relation
06:01 with Rwanda in the coming years.
06:03 Our priorities are, we have signed a lot of memorandum
06:08 of understanding and agreements with Rwanda,
06:13 so we will revisit all these agreements
06:18 and memorandum of understanding
06:19 where there is status of labor,
06:21 and really activate some of them,
06:25 and we will find new areas of cooperation
06:28 where we can exchange the best practice
06:31 of Rwanda and Ethiopia.
06:33 So this, we will try to increase the volume of trade
06:38 that we have had in the past,
06:40 so to cement the relationship and to strengthen,
06:44 we should have to increase some type of people-to-people
06:47 relation and other sorts of partnership
06:50 with different sorts of fields, economic fields.
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08:21 I came here two months ago,
08:26 and I, as the Korean ambassador to Rwanda,
08:31 have been attracted by the charm of Rwanda
08:38 and the Rwandan people.
08:39 And you know, Korea was a very poor and recipient country,
08:50 but within one generation, we became provider country
08:55 when it comes to development of corporations.
08:58 Rwanda is, Rwanda has become an example
09:03 of development of corporation.
09:09 So with very effective and transparent
09:14 and very efficient government
09:20 and visionary leader as well.
09:23 So as an ambassador, I'm very, very pleased
09:28 to be supportive of Rwanda's journey of growth
09:34 in areas of corporations,
09:42 and especially, you know, ICT and agriculture and education,
09:48 many, many areas.
09:50 I just had the honor to present my letter of credence
09:54 to his excellency, the president, who was very kind
09:59 and talked in very nice words about the bilateral relations.
10:03 And of course, I'm committed to work hard
10:07 on strengthening the bilateral relations
10:10 between Rwanda and Germany.
10:13 There's a multitude and a real wealth of connections
10:17 between Rwanda and Germany, people to people contacts,
10:21 institutions, companies.
10:23 So I'm discovering what's going on,
10:26 and I'm looking forward to seeing everything
10:30 in this beautiful country.
10:32 And yeah, it's a real pleasure to be here.
10:36 And I've been here for two weeks.
10:39 The start was really easy.
10:41 So it's quite a country to get settled in.
10:44 I'm extremely grateful to all Rwandan partners
10:48 who are supporting me,
10:49 and to my colleagues in the embassy, of course.
10:52 - The top point is that we want to connect
10:55 Rwandan tea exporters direct to Pakistan,
11:00 because Pakistan is importing 70% of Rwandan tea, 70%.
11:05 So it's a huge number, but it goes through other channels.
11:09 So now we want that Pakistani importers
11:12 should buy Rwandan tea directly.
11:17 Second, we have already signed two agreements
11:19 on memorandum of understanding
11:21 in the areas of health and defense.
11:24 So we would like to improve our relations
11:27 in the areas of health.
11:29 We want to train Rwandan nurses and doctors in Pakistan,
11:34 and also we want to learn from the health experiences
11:37 in Rwanda for Pakistan.
11:39 Similarly, Pakistan is a country of 240 million people.
11:44 So it is a huge market for Rwandan market, Rwandan products,
11:48 and also Pakistani products have a huge market here,
11:53 because we need each other.
11:56 For example, Rwanda has tea, we don't have tea.
11:59 And we are a tea-drinking nation.
12:02 We take tea five times a day.
12:04 So that's why we need your tea.
12:06 And you don't have textile, you don't have cotton.
12:09 So we want to give you-- because Pakistan
12:12 is almost number one in the world in textile,
12:15 in cotton, and other areas.
12:18 So we want to export our cotton to you, and we want to buy.
12:21 Similarly, Pakistan is producing high quality, world-class
12:25 quality surgical instruments for the hospitals,
12:29 for the surgeries, for the operations,
12:30 for the health sector.
12:32 So we want to export our surgical instruments to Rwanda.
12:35 Similarly, Pakistan has basmati rice.
12:39 And I would love to invite you sometime
12:41 to see how basmati rice-- and Rwanda is a rice-eating nation.
12:46 You have your own rice, but you also import rice.
12:49 So we want to-- basmati is a rice which is aromatic.
12:53 It is not only a taste, but it is also
12:55 an aroma, which is also a fragrance, which
12:57 comes from basmati.
12:58 So we want to export basmati rice to Rwanda.
13:01 Similarly, we want to cooperate and collaborate
13:04 with Rwanda in avocado.
13:05 We don't have avocado in Pakistan.
13:07 We don't cultivate our own avocado because of the climate,
13:11 because of the weather, because of the soil.
13:13 So we want to see the complementarity, where Rwanda
13:17 needs us and where we need Rwanda,
13:19 so that we match each other's needs and requirements.
13:22 And people-to-people contact, that is highly essential.
13:26 Rwanda offers one of the top tourism opportunities.
13:30 You have wonderful, beautiful scenes
13:33 and beautiful natural sceneries, and also animals
13:37 and other areas, flora and fauna.
13:39 Pakistan also has one of the tallest mountains,
13:43 Himalayas, K2.
13:45 So we want that Rwandans, they go
13:47 to see the mountains of Pakistan.
13:49 And Pakistanis should come and see the valleys of Rwanda,
13:53 as it is the country of 1,000 hills,
13:55 and it is the country of eternal spring.
13:58 So we have in Pakistan areas where we have snow.
14:01 And at the same time, we have areas
14:02 where it is like 50 centigrade hot.
14:06 So for us, the spring of Rwanda, the climate, the geography,
14:10 the topography, all these are attractions.
14:12 I'd like to announce that one of the Pakistani firms,
14:15 they want to establish free industrial zone, free trade
14:21 zone in Rwanda.
14:23 We are already talking to the government
14:25 to collaborate with us, to give us
14:28 land, which then Pakistani businesspersons and investors,
14:32 they will come, and they will invest,
14:35 and they will open that free trade zone.
14:39 And there, Rwandans and Pakistanis,
14:41 they will work together.
14:43 Another thing which I am promoting,
14:46 to present Rwanda as a launching pad, not only for Rwanda,
14:50 but also for the region-- East Africa and South
14:54 Africa and Central Africa.
14:56 For this region, we want that Kigali, Rwanda,
14:59 should be the launching pad.
15:01 Pakistani businessperson, they should come.
15:03 They should enjoy the ease to do business in Rwanda.
15:06 They can establish their businesses.
15:08 They can open their companies.
15:10 They can start doing business in Rwanda.
15:13 And from here, later on, with the rules and regulations
15:16 of Rwanda, with collaborating with Rwandan authorities,
15:19 they can re-export their products to other countries.
15:22 So it's not only Rwanda, but also the region
15:25 that we are focusing, that from Rwanda,
15:27 we will be focusing the whole region.
15:29 I'm more than privileged to be here.
15:32 Israel and Rwanda has, as you know,
15:34 specific, very unique relations.
15:38 Our history, our future, our present,
15:42 I think there are no other country in the world that
15:45 shares the same value as Israel shares with Rwanda.
15:49 I'm honored to see our countries go further together,
15:54 to do more beautiful things together.
15:56 So as you're probably aware of, a lot is going on already.
15:59 Agriculture, education, innovation.
16:03 We just recently had the cybertech conference here
16:07 in Kigali.
16:08 And I think that I see, in the fields of education and health,
16:14 a lot to be done to share values, ideas, collaboration,
16:19 trade, commerce.
16:21 I can go on.
16:22 Cyber.
16:23 Cyber is massive.
16:24 It is huge.
16:25 I want to make this conference an annual thing.
16:27 I hope it will work.
16:29 And I hope to do many, many things together.
16:33 I want to express my gratitude that from the time
16:37 that we came here, we were well-received.
16:41 So we really thank the government, and probably
16:46 the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the staff
16:50 for the hospitality that we have been given.
16:53 Indeed, I've got a lot of work.
16:56 As you may be aware, the president of Rwanda
17:03 visited Zambia twice.
17:05 And vice versa, his counterpart, also His Excellency Dr. Haka
17:10 Ndehichirema, was recently here.
17:13 So these visits, they not only symbolize
17:19 the bilateral relationship that is there between the two
17:23 countries, but also reaffirms the commitment
17:29 to really enhance the cooperation
17:33 and the deep understanding of the two countries.
17:37 Those visits resulted in two signing of the MOUs.
17:44 About seven of them were signed.
17:47 And these are areas of trade, investment, healthy,
17:55 agriculture, and also the areas of technology.
18:00 So these are issues that probably now
18:04 remain up to us, the conveyor belts between the two
18:08 countries, to ensure that they are implemented.
18:12 As you are aware, that there are a lot of programs
18:16 that we have in common between Rwanda and Zambia.
18:20 So I'm here really to represent Zambia in Rwanda.
18:28 Though I'm a resident in Dar es Salaam,
18:31 but I'm sure I'll manage.
18:33 Probably when you talk about health is paramount,
18:36 because you know that a healthy nation, healthy people
18:41 is a healthy nation.
18:42 So we have to prioritize when it comes to the health sectors
18:47 in the two countries.
18:49 There are a lot that we can exchange
18:50 in terms of the technology on how best diseases can
18:56 be treated.
18:58 And it's high time that we begin to think
19:01 of managing certain diseases, outbreak within our countries.
19:07 And I'm spending a lot of money abroad
19:10 to send the patients for treatment.
19:12 The two governments are spending a lot of money.
19:15 The other area probably of concern
19:17 is agriculture, that East Africa is in dire need of food.
19:23 We are talking about other countries that had a drought.
19:27 And really, there's demand for food.
19:29 And therefore, any movement that will be made,
19:33 or any steps made towards agriculture
19:37 is welcome in the two countries.
19:40 Because when you look at Rwanda, it
19:43 receives probably good rainfall.
19:46 And we've got rivers, we've got lakes,
19:49 meaning we can do farming all year round,
19:52 so that we produce enough food for the local people here,
19:56 and also to help our neighbors.
19:59 Because the problems in the neighboring countries
20:01 will be the problems here.
20:03 So that is what we are looking at.
20:05 This is my second country.
20:10 And having presented my letters of credence to His Excellency,
20:15 in earnest, it marks the beginning
20:18 of my tenure of office officially
20:21 in your beautiful country.
20:23 In my tenure of office, not only will I
20:25 be the natural bridge between the two brotherly states,
20:30 but I'll ensure that cooperation, including trade
20:36 matters and all other matters of mutual benefit to the two
20:41 friendly states, are improved.
20:46 In fact, we have cordial relation with Rwanda.
20:51 But in my tenure of office, it's to ensure
20:55 that it becomes excellent from being good.
20:58 It's my pleasure today.
20:59 I presented my credential letter to His Excellency, President
21:03 Kagame.
21:06 There are different aspects and possibilities
21:09 for cooperation between Rwanda and Iran.
21:14 I have talked to Mr. President that it
21:18 is good if we can establish joint economic cooperation
21:20 with each other.
21:23 Also, in areas of human rights, because we
21:28 are supporting each other, we have good contacts
21:31 with our friends in Rwanda.
21:34 The Rwandans vote in UN is in benefit to our country.
21:41 Of course, it is not negative vote now.
21:44 But hopefully, it will become negative and in benefit
21:50 of our country.
21:53 I know that sometimes countries like Rwanda
21:56 are under pressure.
21:57 But this vote is good for us.
22:02 You know, there are different new technologies
22:05 and know-hows in Iran.
22:06 Some say we call it as knowledge-based technologies.
22:12 In this type of industries, there
22:15 are great possibilities between Iran and Uganda
22:17 to develop our cooperation and relations.
22:23 And that's it.
22:24 I hope during my tenure as ambassador accredited
22:30 to Rwanda and Kigali, we can help
22:34 and we can do our best possibilities and endures
22:41 to expand the relation between Iran and Uganda.
22:45 By joint economic cooperation, establishment
22:48 of the joint economic cooperation,
22:51 we will try to exchange in advance some draft documents
22:57 of MOUs or agreements, and then to finalize it and sign it,
23:01 and hopefully try to implement the MOUs or agreements
23:07 to try to expand the relation between our two
23:11 countries in different areas.
23:14 We are in good contacts with our friends in UN, in Geneva,
23:19 and also in New York.
23:21 And this vote, abstain votes of Rwanda
23:27 regarding human rights in benefit of country,
23:31 which I hope it would become negative, is important.
23:35 And our friends and our colleagues
23:38 are in contact together.
23:41 And as far as Rwanda is trying to have a good share for peace
23:47 and security in the region, we hope
23:49 to be helpful in this areas of possibilities for cooperation
23:53 between the two nations.
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