resident Paul Kagame meeting with the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Doha, Qatar – President Paul Kagame of Rwanda held a pivotal bilateral meeting with the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, today on the sidelines of the *Second World Summit for Social Development* in Doha.
The high-level discussions focused on further strengthening the robust strategic relations between the two nations and accelerating opportunities for bilateral cooperation across key sectors.
The meeting underscores the mutually beneficial and rapidly expanding partnership between Kigali and Doha, which spans investment, infrastructure, finance, and regional diplomacy.
Focus on Economic & Infrastructure Acceleration:
While the Social Development Summit centers on global efforts to combat poverty and inequality, the leaders’ agenda was firmly rooted in economic partnership. Key areas of discussion are understood to have included:
Aviation Investment: Reviewing the progress of the $1.3 billion Bugesera International Airport project in Kigali, where Qatar Airways holds a 60% stake. This flagship project aims to establish Rwanda as a regional hub for air transport and logistics.
Financial Cooperation: Advancing the collaboration between the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) and the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) to boost cross-border investment and create a regional gateway for financial services.
Sectoral Partnerships: Exploring new avenues for Qatari investment in Rwanda’s high-growth sectors, including technology, energy, and agriculture, building on previous agreements with Qatar’s state-owned food company, Hassad Food.
Qatar’s Mediation Role and Regional Stability:
A significant element of the talks involved regional security and Qatar’s increasing diplomatic footprint in Central and East Africa.
The leaders exchanged views on the latest developments in the Great Lakes Region, particularly the ongoing peace process between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the implementation of peace agreements, notably the Washington Accord, which aims to establish a joint security coordination mechanism and a regional economic integration framework.
Qatar has played an invaluable and crucial mediation role in facilitating dialogue towards lasting peace in the region. Qatar serves as a key guarantor and observer of this process, often hosting rounds of talks.
The meeting, held at the Amiri Diwan, reaffirmed the shared commitment of President Kagame and Emir Al Thani to multilateralism, sustainable development, and leveraging strong partnerships to drive economic transformation.
It sets a clear path for enhanced strategic alignment between an ambitious African economy and a major global financial and diplomatic power in the Middle East.
