The Countess of Wessex has continued her visit to the African continent, with engagements in Rwanda on 5 October.
Upon arrival, Sophie met with Rwanda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Nshuti Manasseh, and the Minister for Gender and Family Promotion, Professor Jeannette Bayisenge, in Kigali.
During their meeting, Sophie and the government ministers spoke about women’s and girls’ empowerment initiatives before heading to a meeting with non-governmental organisations to discuss gender-based violence within the country.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Twitter, Sophie’s government meetings discussed “strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Rwanda and UK, promoting women’s rights, eradicating Gender-based Violence and supporting people with disabilities.”
Sophie’s final engagement on Wednesday was a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre to pay her respects to the victims of the Rwandan genocide in 1994. As she viewed the exhibitions and tributes to the victims of genocide, Sophie also laid a wreath of white roses and signed the book of condolences.
Sophie’s message read: “A very moving and fitting tribute to those who were lost, but with hope for the future,” and was signed simply, ‘Sophie.’
Her visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre follows the visit by now-King Charles and Queen Camilla, who were in the country in June for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings.
Sophie arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Monday, becoming the first member of the British Royal Family to visit the country as she carried out an official visit on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Her visit aimed to focus on “addressing the devastating impact of sexual and gender-based violence in conflict while supporting and empowering survivors and tackling the stigma they face,” according to Buckingham Palace.
On Monday and Tuesday, Sophie performed engagements in the province of Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Her visit to the Congo and Rwanda come ahead of the International Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Conference in London next month, which she will also attend.
