Rwanda: CHOGM 2020 Debate

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Lord Anderson of Swansea

Main Page: Lord Anderson of Swansea (Labour - Life peer)

Rwanda: CHOGM 2020

Lord Anderson of Swansea Excerpts
Wednesday 12th June 2019

(5 years, 4 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Goldie Portrait Baroness Goldie
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Yes, I do. I thank and acknowledge my noble friend for his excellent work as the Prime Minister’s trade envoy to Rwanda and Uganda. Rwanda is one of Africa’s fastest growing economies; it achieved a growth rate of 8.6% in 2018. It is an important trading partner for the United Kingdom. The UK is the second-largest investor in Rwanda and we are committed to sustaining this partnership.

Lord Anderson of Swansea Portrait Lord Anderson of Swansea (Lab)
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My Lords, Rwanda straddles Anglophone and Francophone Africa—the Commonwealth and La Francophonie. Is not this CHOGM a good opportunity to bring the two organisations more closely together? Will the Government use their best endeavours to encourage the organisers to do just that?

Baroness Goldie Portrait Baroness Goldie
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The noble Lord makes an interesting point. There is a desire that the next CHOGM should reflect the success of last year’s in the United Kingdom. I am sure that all efforts to bring in interested parties and move relationships forward will be a very positive development.