President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame arrived in Benin on Saturday 15th April for two-day state visit aimed at reinforcing existing bilateral ties.

On the first day, they visited at Les Jardins de Mathieu in Cotonou where they paid tribute to the fallen heroes.

According to Rwanda’s Presidency, the President and First Lady also toured the Esplanade de l’Amazone square, home to a 30-metre-high statue of a warrior woman, La Statue de l’Amazone, symbolizing the courage, bravery, and patriotism of Beninese women past and present.

Les Jardins de Mathieu and Esplanade de l’Amazone holding history Beninese history were inaugurated by President Patrice Talon in July 2022.

Les Jardins de Mathieu was given the name of Gen Mathieu Kérékou, former Beninese President.

He led the country at different times between 1972-1991 and 1996-2006. Gen Mathieu died in 2015.

The fight against terrorism is among issues that were discussed between President Kagame and his counterpart of Benin, Patrice Talon during the visit.

As the addressed members of the press, both heads of state affirmed their commitment to enhancing security cooperation and agreed that a joint permanent commission meeting would be held in Cotonou before the end of 2023.

President Kagame emphasized the need for African countries to collaborate and work together to address the security challenges they face.

He cited examples of Rwanda’s cooperation with other countries, including Mozambique and the Central African Republic.

"We are ready to work with Benin to prevent anything that may happen around its borders. There will be no limit in what will be accomplished together for security challenges," President Kagame said during a joint press conference.

President Talon commended Kagame for his efforts in advancing African-led solutions to African problems and his contributions to the African Union reforms and other continental initiatives.