My first visit to Rwanda last week left many impressions – the cleanliness of Kigali city, the commitment to democratic values and decentralisation, to the haunting memory of the Kigali memorial.
It was great to see the enthusiasm for the Commonwealth and for local government, and the keenness to share their experiences and learn from others.
Rwanda was admitted as a member of the Commonwealth at the Heads of Government meeting last November.  Though formal approval is still required, we hope to welcome the Rwanda Ministry of Local Government and the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities as  members of CLGF where they will be able to form links with other countries, and get involved in CLGF projects and events to support good governance and service delivery at the local level. 
Decentralisation started in 2000 and the country has already come a long way in developing democratic values and good governance: the decentralisation programme is now well underway, with local government structures and legal frameworks now in place. Rwanda is an amazing example of how a country can turn things around and how local government can help to bring progress and peace.
That is not to deny the past: while in Kigali, I visited the Kigali genocide memorial, provided by the city council on the site of mass graves for some 250,000 people and I laid a wreath on behalf of CLGF. This experience was incredibly moving – entire walls full of the stories of children from a few weeks old to 15 years, as continuing flowers placed to the memory of the hundreds of thousands of others who lost their lives in the genocide.
We look forward to working with the country. I hope that CLGF will be able to support Rwanda’s continuing development through strengthening local government and democratic values to deliver a safe and prosperous society and that Rwanda will contribute to shaping CLGF’s policies and priorities and become an influential member of our international network.