{Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation organized a Diplomatic Up country excursion for Heads of Mission accredited to Rwanda. The visit targeted the South and Western Provinces from 31 October to 2nd November 2014.}
The Foreign diplomats got an opportunity to visit different sites and projects in the two Provinces of Rwanda.
Shortly after concluding the visit, IGIHE exclusively met Mr. Leo Vinovezky, Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia who elaborated many issues ranging from politics, cooperation as well as some of the challenges Israel undergoes in the Middle East and how it deals with them with the backups of friends’ countries like Rwanda.
Below is the full interview…
{{IGIHE}}: {{Welcome to Rwanda Mr Leo…}}
Thank you so much for having me here. We have a very good reason for being here in Rwanda because we are kindly invited by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to do a diplomatic excursion in the South West provinces which I found very good and interesting. So I remain speechless because of your hospitality. You have a beautiful country and a beautiful people.
{{IGIHE}}: {{Talking about the excursion, would you comment briefly on the country you have just visited?}}
Yes, basically we were taken to the south, to the west, in which we had opportunities to meet people, to meet the business enterprises there and entrepreneurs as well.
For me as an Israel citizen and diplomat, to come here and to see very beautiful, interesting and encouraging common enterprises between three countries it is absolutely inspiring.
We are trying to do the same in the Middle East, with some of our neighbors, with some of them we have signed peace agreements which means with Egypt and Jordan, so hopefully one day we can do the same with more and more neighbors. We used to build a beautiful cooperation also with the Palestinians but it is not easy due to the terror attacks.
{{IGIHE}}:{{ Is there any other areas apart from agriculture that captured your attention? }}
We saw many things. And every one of my colleagues as well had chance while travelling to think and to elaborate a little bit the thoughts and the chances. First of all I saw here the potential in terms of agriculture as you mentioned but not only that, I think it is a green country, I think not as an expert but everything you put into the ground will flourish. So Yes absolutely I think that our challenge will be next time to bring those Israel companies and match Rwandan companies not only to Kigali but also to the South also to the West to promote dialogue, to promote B2B and cooperation as well even we are talking about not only business but also cooperation for development in which Israel is very much committed. This is our trademark since 1958, since MASHAV started operations.
When I talk about cooperation for development I am talking necessarily about technical knowledge, capacity building so all of this Israel knows how to do, knows how to share with its friends, so this is one reason that I am here. As you may know many students and professionals from Rwanda are coming to Israel on weekly basis but not only in agriculture but also in other fields as well. So yes we saw many interesting projects related to energy, relate to cement as well I think that there is a huge potential here. So we need to start working on this.
{{IGIHE}}: {{Israel is known as a country that uses advanced technologies in Agriculture; would you comment on Rwanda’s agriculture sector to let concerned authorities know where need more emphasis?}}
Well, as I say I am not an expert in Agriculture but all I can say is that recently some months ago Ambassador William Kayonga from NAEB recently visited Israel. We are searching together the way to create here and establish a centre of Excellence which means to expose the Rwandan farmers and businessman to our best practices in Agriculture and our best knowledge. So we signed an agreement with the former Minister of Agriculture last June. It’s promising the fact that Ambassador Kayonga visited Israel recently, the fact that some 150 students of agriculture from Rwanda are in Israel nowadays, these are steps that are promoting and creating and building this kind of partnership. So the last step that we did is to bring about sixty Israeli businesses to Kigali last June together with Minister Liberman, some of them are actually dealing with agriculture, so we believe in this PPP in which we can match not only businesses but also development. So whenever you see PPP for sure you will find an Israeli trying to promote that. Israel is a kind of big ntework not only in development efforts but also in private sector efforts. Also our Diaspora has a key role on this progress. Israeli has a very good name when it comes to development, when it comes to agriculture, when it comes to the promotion of businesses.
{{IGIHE}}: {{Is there anything, may be, that Israel can learn from Rwanda? }}
Absolutely, I mean when you talk about politics international politics and international diplomacy, I think you will agree with me that there is no one country in the world that can do it by itself. We are talking about cooperation, we are talking about joining hands to work together for a better future, for a better place, you know the future for our kids, our families; you deserve it, we deserve it and our neighbors deserve that and I think that the world suffered enough, and enough is enough. So I think that should be another way and this is the way that Israel believes in, that although the difficulties or the challenges or obstacles but I think we can learn a lot from Rwanda and a way that Rwanda is going for the last 20 years. Building a nation thru reconciliation.
I want to stress the point about your hospitality and generosity. Your attitude is encouraging and inspiring. So Israel and other countries will absolutely learn from that. Of course when I see around Kigali how the city becomes very clean, everything is on place, everything is beautiful and colorful so I think that not only Israel but more countries would love to imitate Rwanda.
The fact that a foreigner can establish a business in few days here in Rwanda, so when it comes to promote development and progress, absolutely Israel can learn from Rwanda and Rwanda can learn from Israel and we are friends not only because of specific interests but I think that we share a common vision, a common approach. We are two peoples that had suffered a lot and from this suffering we are trying to recover, we are trying to rebuild our nations and our peoples which is a very difficult task. But you are doing well, we are doing well and beyond that of course we found common interest in the international arena consolidating this friendship.
I can tell you that the recent visits to Israel of President Paul Kagame and Minister of Foreign Affairs are so remarkable. Israel respects your brave leadership and your strong people. So we see all the time officials from the government of Rwanda visiting Israel and the government of Israel and also officials from the parliament of Israel (Knesset) coming to Rwanda to strengthen the links between the two countries and the two peoples, that’s why I am here also to promote culture, Israel music, Israeli literature that has been translated into French and English as well we would like to screen documentary films from Israel made by Israel Filmmakers telling specific stories. So we are very similar in a way. I would like to share that with you as well and of course in the future we can establish cooperation in the culture arena which is to strengthen the links between the two peoples.
{{ IGIHE:}} {{What do you say about big countries interfering within other countries’ domestic politics? }}
It’s a good point but a country is not supposed to get involved in other’s domestic politics. Domestic politics is domestic politics. It is in the domain of the people and the society in the government of these specific countries. However of course we hold consultations with friends. Having said that, we both know that the world woke up late both during the Holocaust and the Genocide. We have very good friends, Rwanda is one of the best friends that Israel has, so absolutely we do consultations, we check our mutual approaches on a fixed basis.
For example at the UN, Israel sends its word out and if there is something that should be said should be said very clear and on time. Israel has a very clear position on this particular matter.
So if it’s Israel has to say something or specific issue in the world we are going to address that and this is basically our position in United Nations. You will find our Ambassador there who is dealing almost alone but with the strong backup of some of our best friends in the UN like Rwanda. We are facing a challenge by certain coalitions of countries. We are there because we believe in that. Because of our history.
When it comes to human rights, when it comes to promoting progress, when it comes to promoting the involvement of women and development Israel will be there.
{{IGIHE}}:{{ If I understand well you don’t agree with the Western countries’ ways of interfering in African domestic politics?}}
You know it’s not a matter of agree, not agree or disagree, if I may, recently during the campaign to Gaza from which Israel was fired thousands of rockets. I remember some countries criticizing Israel and I think they were criticizing Israel because they are involved in our conflict because of political reasons only. So I was talking to some of my colleagues representing those countries who actually very hardly criticized Israel and even removed their ambassadors temporarily from Israel as a “diplomatic” way to manifest complains, I told them “Look it is not a bilateral issue between the specific country and Israel”. Actually if you want to be involved in a diplomatic track, the last thing that you will want to do is to call your ambassador for consultations in your capital. To be involved in a process requires the capability and the ability to bring the sides in conflict closer each other. Israel has a challenge with the Palestinian terror. Look what is going today in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Every day we get a terror attack. We do not have any problem with the Palestinians. The problem is with the Palestinian terrorists. And nobody asks them to stop. So when it comes to this conflict, we have a concrete conflict with them, it is not the bilateral issue with those countries who actually keep criticizing Israel. The terror attacks, so Israel has to defend itself.
Our uniqueness is that we are one into a politicized international arena. But yesterday colleagues of mine from an African country asked me what Israel is doing to establish embassies in Arab countries? If it’s up to us, tomorrow morning there will be there, no question about that. For that to happen it should be some change in the Arab League but if tomorrow morning they are going to recognize us as a state, the day after tomorrow you will find an Israeli ambassador there. This is our way. Many years the world believed that the key to solve the international problems is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Look what is going on in the Arab countries and between them. We think that if the Arab countries will solve their own domestic problems, the so-called Arab Spring, then the conflict with the Palestinians will come to an end. A happy end.
{{IGIHE}}: {{If you were investor in which sector would you put your money in this country?}}
First of all I think Tea and Coffee. Not only because I like Tea and coffee but because I think that you are already doing well in these areas. But let me explain: I would say also investment in terms of civil society. This kind of investment will bring progress. It could sound a paradox or controversy to invest because when people talk about investment they necessarily think about business, about doing money, which is fine and legitimate. But I think it is great to invest in other things. I mean countries like Rwanda or like Israel could benefit from investment in those social areas which we need to improve and promote which is the future generations. In Israeli we have the concept of “Matnas” (culture, social and sport centre). Every neighborhood has a Matnas in which you will see that the young kids and teenagers have all the facilities to develop their imagination, their creativity, their leadership skills, they are involved in positive things. Also important are the Youth Movements based on human values.
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