Cablegate: Chinese Delegation to Attend Rwanda Agriculture

VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0785 3281657
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241657Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6445
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0315

UNCLAS KIGALI 000785

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID EAGR RW
SUBJECT: CHINESE DELEGATION TO ATTEND RWANDA AGRICULTURE
MEETING DEC. 7-8

1. (SBU) During a November 24 meeting with USAID econoff,
Chinese Embassy economic counselor Wang Qin said a delegation
consisting of agriculture experts and Chinese Export-Import
Bank representatives would attend the Comprehensive Africa
Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) conference scheduled
for December 7-8 in Kigali. Wan said that part of the recent
China-Africa summit in Egypt dealt with agriculture, but that
the Chinese government does not have plans to support
agriculture in Rwanda as much as it does in other countries
because Rwanda's hilly terrain makes farming very difficult.
Chinese aid is accordingly modest, and includes rice
demonstration plots and research, as well as assistance with
bamboo handicraft production.

3. (SBU) COMMENT: Although President Kagame has made it clear
he seeks closer economic ties with China as part of Rwanda's
overall development strategy, Chinese-Rwandan cooperation on
agriculture remains quite limited. END COMMENT
SYMINGTON

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