As rotating AU chair, Rwanda to focus more on African integration: president

KIGALI, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame said on Tuesday Rwanda will be more focused on African integration than ever before as it is expected to take over the rotating chair of the African Union (AU).

"We look forward to working closely with our brothers and sisters across the continent to make progress," Kagame said at a annual luncheon with envoys accredited to Rwanda in Kigali, the capital.

He said this will enable Africans to do business with each other, invest and partner with the rest of the world.

Kagame pointed to Rwanda's new visa on arrival policy as one of the initiatives to foster integration. Rwanda has opened its border to visitors from every nation in the world who are now eligible for visas on arrival, he said.

Meanwhile, he pointed out that opening up will require the country to be more vigilant and to establish systems that are efficient and effective so that nothing undesirable takes advantage of it.

Kagame, who leads the AU institutional reforms process, also said the institutional and financial reforms of AU is on track.

In 2016, African leaders decided that Institutional Reforms of AU were urgent and necessary given the role the AU is expected to play in driving and achieving Africa's Agenda 2063 vision of inclusive economic growth and development.

The reforms aim to transform Africa's continental organization and accelerate, reinforce and ensure service delivery to the African citizenry, with a special emphasis on pan-African values of unity, solidarity, freedom and equality.

"The changes being implemented are critical for Africa's future. One of the outcomes of the reform will be stronger, more productive partnerships between Africa and other continents," said the president at the luncheon.

He also wished the diplomats success in their work in Rwanda. Enditem