Within the solid and distinguished relations that bond Qatar to Rwanda and their friendly peoples, comes the visit of Rwanda President Paul Kagame to Doha. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani welcomed him to a meeting where they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them in various fields of co-operation, especially in the economic and investment fields.The visit is seen as a good sign of the strength of relations between Doha and Kigali, reflecting the aspiration and keenness of the leadership in both countries to boost, strengthen, and develop them in all fields to serve the interests of both countries and their peoples. The visit and the talks that will take place will form a chance to strengthen the bonds between the two sides, discuss various partnership aspects, and contribute to boosting bilateral co-operation in all fields, especially trade, economic, financial, and investment aspects.Qatar is seen as a strategic partner to Rwanda and the relations between the two countries have witnessed steady growth since establishing the diplomatic relations in 2017. Since then, the leaders of the two countries have met regularly, and the exchanged high-level visits between the two sides have contributed to boosting joint co-operation in various vital fields and enhancing the partnership between the two countries. In this regard, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani visited Rwanda in April 2019 and made another visit in June 2022 to participate in the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali. Meanwhile, the Rwanda president paid several visits to Doha in February 2022, October 2021, October 2019, December 2019, and November 2018.Despite the novelty of the relations between Qatar and Rwanda, it can be described as ambitious and promising and reflects the determination of both sides to strengthen and enhance them in a way that serves the interests of the two friendly countries and peoples. The two countries are continuously working on building exemplary partnerships between them and cooperating on many issues to serve their interests and those of others.Relations between the two countries are regulated by agreements and memoranda of understanding that cover several fields, such as politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, agriculture, culture, sport, investment, aviation co-operation, and avoidance of double taxation. The two countries also signed an agreement to acquire 60 percent of the shares of Bugesera International Airport in Rwanda, and Qatar Airways signed two agreements with the Rwandan tourism air transport company and an agreement with the Rwanda civil aviation authority. There is also a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for defence co-operation between the two countries. Qatar's Hassad Food Company, which invests in the food sector, signed an MoU with the Rwandan government aimed at opening opportunities for co-operation between the two sides and studying investment opportunities in the agricultural and food fields.The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) also signed an MoU with the Rwanda Finance Limited to launch joint initiatives that contribute to promoting the growth and international expansion of the business of QFC and the Kigali International Financial Center, in addition to the partnership between Qatar Airways and Rwanda's flag carrier, RwandAir, which enables travelers to reach 160 destinations in the combined networks of both airlines.In previous statements, President Kagame expressed his country's aspiration to enhance its relation and economic partnership with Qatar, stressing that Qatar's development path is exemplary and that there is a great opportunity to develop economic and trade co-operation between Qatar and his country as one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.Rwanda offers a thriving and stable investment system in industries such as textiles, clothing, leather, agriculture, livestock, industry, tourism, information and communication technology, and pharmaceuticals, in addition to the services sector's provision of a significant contribution to the gross domestic product, he added, affirming that his country enjoys many advantages for investment, but it must rely on itself to achieve what it aspires to, by working hard and persistently.Rwanda is located in the middle of the African continent to the south of the equatorial circle within the range of the Plateau of Lakes, and it is an inland country that has no coasts, connected to the outside world through its neighbouring countries, especially through the ports of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Mombasa in Kenya. Rwanda's area exceeds 26,000 sq km, and its population is estimated at 12mn, 83% of whom live in rural areas.In the early 1990s, the country witnessed one of the bloodiest ethnic clashes in history, but was able to rise and stand on its feet again to build a prosperous unified country, full of hope, success and competitiveness at the regional and global levels. The story of Rwanda's success is one of brightest examples of the human ability to change and transform, as this small and poor country in Africa was able to achieve great accomplishments in several areas, starting from achieving political and security stability, to transforming its economy from traditional agriculture to a technology-based knowledge economy service, in addition to encouraging foreign investments, easing restrictions on them, allocating incentives for foreign investors and opening all sectors to them.In regard to this track, President Kagame said that Rwanda united its ranks, dealt with its differences, invested in the human element through education, provided an environment conductive to foreign investment, and developed a 2000-2021 vision, as well as another for the next 30 years. Rwanda also achieved integration in the field of energy, dealt with regional issues while building partnerships and relations with Africa and the outside world, made efforts to extract the largest number of lessons, and build on the gains and achievements, he added, pointing out that this is why Rwanda has grown and aspires to become a middle-income country during the next 30 days.Visitors of Rwanda -- the land of a thousand hills, will notice the features of the economic boom in this country, as it attracts tourist from all around the globe because of its rare and picturesque natural and wild life.
March 21, 2023 | 10:50 PM