Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Tuesday held talks with his Central African Republic (C.A.R.) counterpart Faustin-Archange Touadéra in Bangui, after which various agreements were signed, focusing on defence, mining and oil, investment promotion, and a Bilateral Investment Treaty.

President Kagame was in the C.A.R. for a one-day visit at the invitation of President Touadéra.

"This occasion marks a new chapter in the bilateral relationship, between Rwanda and the Central African Republic," President Kagame said after the meeting.

"Both our countries have endured difficult histories. There is no doubt about it. However, no nation is forever hostage to its past."

This is President Kagame's first visit to C.A.R. since President Touadéra took office in 2016.

C.A.R. is still emerging from years of destruction from a civil war that rocked the country for years.

Rwanda has been a part of the C.A.R.'s quest for lasting peace by deploying troops for a peacekeeping mission.

In his address on Tuesday, President Kagame pledged even stronger cooperation between the two countries in the future.

"Today, we signed a number of important agreements which put our joint endeavours on solid footing. And this is just the beginning. These agreements should be diligently implemented, so we can build on them to achieve even more together, in the years ahead," he said.