Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, held a high-level meeting with Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, in Doha to strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations, on Tuesday, 4 November
According to Rwanda’s presidential office, discussions on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development focused on “excellent relations” and explored opportunities in aviation, infrastructure and investment.
Diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Qatar formally began in May 2017, and since then, cooperation has expanded markedly. In recent years the two countries have partnered across multiple sectors: notably, the Gulf state has taken a 60 % stake in the new Bugesera International Airport (southeast of Kigali) in a deal to build a modern regional hub in Rwanda.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has also strengthened its codeshare and cargo operations with Rwanda’s national carrier, RwandAir.
In 2023 trade between the two countries stood at just US $3.7 million, according to the International Trade Centre, and the leaders underscored the ambition to broaden economic ties beyond aviation and infrastructure into investment, technology and logistics.
In his remarks, President Kagame welcomed the mutual visa-waiver agreement that Qatar extended to Rwandan passport-holders earlier this year, a move designed to boost travel, tourism and business connectivity.
On his part, Emir Tamim reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to supporting Rwanda’s vision for regional growth and partnership.
The meeting also took place against a backdrop of both leaders participating in the United Nations-led summit in Doha, which seeks accelerated progress on the global Sustainable Development Goals amid mounting global inequalities.
For Rwanda, the alignment with Qatar signals a continuing shift toward strategic global partnerships that align with its long-term development and aviation-hub ambitions.
