Sochi, 24 October 2019 - President Kagame joined other African Heads of State and Government for the first ever Russia-Africa Summit co-hosted by President Vladimir Putin of Russia together with Egyptian President and serving African Union Chair Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. He led a Rwandan delegation that includes Soraya Hakuziyaremye - Minister of Trade and Commerce, Amb. Claver Gatete - Minister of infrastructure, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe - Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Francis Gatare - the CEO of Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) and Claudette Irere - Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.

The two-day Summit focused on the current state and prospects of Russia's relations with African countries and to the expansion of the political, economic, technical and cultural cooperation. In his remarks, President Kagame said: ‘’Trade between Russia and Africa has the potential for significant growth in the years ahead. To speed up this trend, we expect to see more frequent contact between our respective business communities, and other institutions, going forward. For our part, it is essential to maintain a conducive and predictable overall governance environment, with equal rights and opportunities for all players. Our focus should be on deriving practical results from our cooperation efforts, with clear mutual benefit. Doing so would indeed represent an important contribution to building an equitable international order and a brighter future for all our peoples.”

President Kagame held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit. In his remarks, President of Russia Vladimir Putin said that it was a good opportunity to discuss the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation as well as to exchange opinions on topical African and international issues, including in the context of Rwanda’s current chairmanship in the East African Community. ‘’Last year we marked the 55th anniversary of our diplomatic ties. Last year our trade grew by one third. The absolute numbers are not that big, but the trend is positive. It was adjusted in the first six months of this year, so, of course, additional efforts are needed to normalize the situation. The participation of Rwandan representatives in the Russia-Africa Economic Forum should boost this process. We have renewed, stepped up our relations in an entire range of promising areas’’ said President Putin.

Apart from the fruitful bilateral meeting between Presidents Putin and Kagame, two important agreements were also signed: an intergovernmental agreement for the establishment of a Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali and a Mining and Hydrocarbon Cooperation Agreement in undertaking geological surveys, conducting exploration and providing equipment and services in the mining, oil and gas sectors.

President Paul Kagame also met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit.

The Russia–Africa Summit and Economic Forum took place on 23–24 October in Sochi. The events were organized by the Roscongress Foundation, and the co-organizers of the Russia–Africa Economic Forum are Russian Export Center and Afreximbank.

End.