Qatar and Rwanda: A model for partnership and expanding ties

Qatar pursues the policy of openness, co-operation, and engagement with
many sisterly and friendly countries and people, primarily the African nations which have close strategic ties with the state based on co-operation and solidarity towards global and continental issues. Qatar also strives to upgrade its investment programmes to serve the mutual interests with several nations.
Notwithstanding the modernity of the Qatar-Rwanda relations, the shared visits at the level of the leaderships of the two nations did not stop, but rather witnessed a remarkable increase in the recent years.
In line with this remarkable increase and in the context of the robust and outstanding relationships between the friendly countries and people comes the visit of Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Doha, who was welcomed by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at his Lusail Palace office yesterday.
The meeting discussed bilateral relations and avenues for enhancing them in multiple areas of co-operation, in addition to regional and global issues of common concern, especially the developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Qatar is a strategic partner for Rwanda, as the relations between them have been steadily growing since the establishment of the diplomatic ties in 2017. Since then, the leaders of the two countries have been holding meetings regularly. The high-level shared visits between the two sides have given impetus to co-operation in numerous critical fields and shored up partnership between the two nations.
In this context, His Highness the Amir visited Rwanda in April 2019 and June 2022 to participate in the 26th Commonwealth heads of government meeting held in Kigali, while the Rwandan president paid visits to Doha in March 2023, February 2022, October 2021, October 2019, December 2019 and November 2018.
Qatar and Rwanda have ambitious and promising relations that underscore their resolve to reinforce and upgrade them for the sake of the two countries and friendly peoples, as the two nations constantly work to forge a model partnership and co-operate in numerous matters to serve their interests, as well as the interests of others.
President Kagame had emphasised the importance of the strategic partnership between his country and Qatar, especially that the Gulf region is booming and abounds with numerous vital opportunities, noting the significance of investing the economic growth.
During a panel discussion within the Qatar Economic Forum 2023, powered by Bloomberg, he said there is no country capable of achieving economic growth alone, especially a small country like Rwanda, highlighting the need to build partnerships with market leaders. He pointed out that negotiations have been completed and moved to the stage of achieving what was agreed upon with Qatar, noting that the country continues to build partnerships with Qatar Airways, with work underway to build Kigali Airport.
The two nations have an array of agreements and memorandums of understanding that cover political, diplomatic, economic, trade, agricultural, cultural and sports fields, in addition to investment and co-operation sectors in aviation and double taxation avoidance.
The two countries signed an agreement to acquire 60% of the share of the Rwandan Bugesera International Airport, and Qatar Airways signed two agreements with the Rwandan tourism air transport company and one agreement with the Aviation, Travel and Logistics Holding Limited in Rwanda, along with a memorandum of understanding for defence co-operation.
In November 2023, Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT), signed a memorandum of understanding in communications and information technology with Rwanda. The memorandum was signed during an official visit made by a delegation from MoCIT to Kigali within Qatar’s efforts to boost co-operation in communication and information technology with Africa.
On the sidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN2023) that took place in Riyadh last December, the civil aviation authorities of Qatar and Rwanda held bilateral talks that culminated in the signing of an MoU that allows the concerned airlines of both countries to enter into commercial co-operation agreements.
Considered as Qatar’s investment arm in food and agribusiness sectors, Hassad Food signed an MoU with the government of Rwanda on enhancing bilateral food and agricultural co-operation and investment.
Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), a leading onshore financial and business centre in the region, signed an MoU with Rwanda Finance Limited (RFL) to facilitate initiatives that will promote the international development of both QFC and Kigali International Financial Centre.
Moreover, RwandAir and Qatar Airways have signed a comprehensive codeshare agreement to offer travellers more choice, enhanced service, and greater connectivity to more than 65 destinations across Africa and the rest of the world.
President Kagame had expressed his country’s interest in strengthen its relations and economic partnership with Qatar, citing Qatar’s development model as being exemplary and Rwanda as being one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. He highlighted Rwanda’s possession of a prosperous and stable investment environment in industries such as: textiles, clothing, leather, agriculture, livestock, industry, tourism, information and communications technology, pharmaceuticals, and the services sector.
Located south of the equator in the Great Lakes region of central Africa, Rwanda is a landlocked country that connects to the outer world through its neighbours, especially via the ports of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Mombasa in Kenya. The country has a population of about 12mn.
In the early 1990s, Rwanda witnessed one of the bloodiest ethnic clashes in history. Despite that, it was able to make a comeback as united, prosperous, and globally competitive state.
Rwanda’s success story is deemed as a case-study example for transformation and advancement.