Rwanda and Antigua & Barbuda Lift Visa Restrictions for Citizens: Visa-Free Travel Agreement Announced, Rwanda and Antigua and Barbuda have agreed to abolish visa requirements for their citizens holding all types of passports, including ordinary and diplomatic, to better benefit from the opportunities in both countries. It is one of the three provisions of the agreement signed by the Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations, Martin Ngoga, and Walton Webson, Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States of America (USA).
The Rwandan Embassy to the UN said that other agreements signed relate to cooperation in the health sector, as well as others related to tourism. The agreements were signed with the aim of further expanding cooperation with Caribbean countries. Ambassador Martin Ngoga said that the agreements reinforce Rwanda’s vision of building a lasting partnership based on values and institutions that are prioritized for development.
Amb. Webson also said that the agreement underlines a significant step in creating and maintaining cooperation between Rwanda and his country, as they share a vision of development based on innovation, building resilience and international cooperation.
Antigua and Barbuda is a country made up of a group of islands, including Antigua, Barbuda, located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It is a country with an area of 440 square kilometers, including the area of all the islands, making it one of the smallest countries in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The country shares with Rwanda the fact that it is a member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations. This step comes at a time when Rwanda has consistently expressed its desire to further strengthen relations and cooperation with countries in the Caribbean region.
It is a program based on the countries’ shared history and shared strategies for sustainable development. As has been demonstrated on various occasions, President Paul Kagame has been a role model in the struggle to further strengthen Africa-Caribbean relations. The Head of State has reinforced this program through working visits to countries including Barbados, Bahamas, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.
President Kagame says that Caribbean countries need to further strengthen their relations with Africa through concrete programs that address the challenges facing developing countries.
