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Andrew Mitchell visits Rwanda

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell saw how British aid is helping to save lives when he visited a health centre in Rwanda last week

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell saw how British aid is helping to save lives when he visited a health centre in Rwanda last week, meeting mothers who had safely delivered their babies, and touring upgraded facilities for treating people with malaria. Mr Mitchell also met with the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame and pledged the UK’s continued support to helping Rwandans to lift themselves out of poverty. 

A regular visitor to Rwanda, this was Mr Mitchell’s first official trip to the country since he was appointed Secretary of State for International Development in May. Speaking from Rwanda, he said: 

“Rwanda has made remarkable progress in tackling poverty over the past decade - progress which is all the more impressive considering the horrors of the genocide that took place here just sixteen years ago. People in Britain can be proud that our support to Rwanda has helped thousands more children to go to school, provided safety for mothers in childbirth, and given families the bed nets they need to protect themselves against malaria.”

Published 21 December 2010