President Paul Kagame and his Beninese counterpart, Romuald Wadagni, took an evening walk at Nyarutarama Green Carpet in Kigali on Wednesday, following talks aimed at strengthening cooperation between Rwanda and Benin.
The two leaders walked through the recreational area on September 16 after meeting at Urugwiro Village, where they discussed bilateral relations and opportunities to deepen cooperation between the two countries.
Images released by the Office of the President showed Kagame and Wadagni walking through the Nyarutarama Green Carpet, a public space used by residents for walking, running and other outdoor activities.
The walk followed discussions in which officials from both countries were urged to strengthen existing areas of cooperation and identify new opportunities for joint initiatives.
During his visit, Wadagni also toured the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where he paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
He was taken through exhibitions documenting the history of the genocide and Rwanda’s journey of reconstruction and recovery in its aftermath.
Wadagni is in Rwanda for a two-day official visit focused on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between the two countries.
Rwanda and Benin cooperate in areas including trade and investment, technology, agriculture, urban planning, public services and security.
The two countries signed 10 cooperation agreements during Kagame’s visit to Benin in 2023, including an agreement aimed at preventing double taxation.
Wadagni, 50, was elected president of Benin on April 12, 2026, winning more than 94 percent of the vote. He was sworn in on May 24, succeeding Patrice Talon, who completed the two constitutional terms allowed to him.
Before becoming president, Wadagni served as Benin’s minister of economy and finance for 10 years. He previously visited Rwanda in September 2023 as a special envoy of then-President Talon.
