Pretoria, 17 June 2026 – Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, paid a visit to the Republic of South Africa, where he held bilateral talks with Hon. Ronald O. Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa.

The visit marked a significant milestone in the ongoing process of normalising and strengthening bilateral relations between Rwanda and South Africa, following renewed high-level political engagement between the two countries.

The two Ministers reviewed progress achieved through recent diplomatic consultations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to fostering a stronger partnership based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation.

A key outcome of the visit was the agreement to revive the Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC), with Rwanda set to host the next session in 2027.

The Ministers also agreed to accelerate cooperation across areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, tourism, education, and people-to-people exchanges.

Recognising the importance of facilitating mobility and strengthening ties between their peoples, the two sides agreed to resume the issuance of visas to holders of ordinary Rwandan passports within the next twelve months. 

Minister Nduhungirehe welcomed the progress made during the visit.

“Thank you, my brother Ronald, for the warm hospitality and the constructive discussion we had today in Pretoria, aimed at normalising Rwanda-South Africa relations and exchanging views on the security situation on our continent. We are particularly pleased with the concrete outcomes of our meeting, mainly the resumption of visas for Rwandan nationals within twelve months and the relaunching of the Joint Commission on Cooperation, to be convened at the first quarter of 2027 in Kigali. We express our gratitude to our respective Heads of State, H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa and H.E. Paul Kagame, for initiating this process, which will benefit our two peoples and the African continent as a whole.” 

During his visit, Minister Nduhungirehe, accompanied by Rwanda's High Commissioner to South Africa, Amb. Emmanuel Hategeka, also visited the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Soweto, honouring the courage of South Africa’s youth who stood against injustice and helped shape the country's journey to freedom. 

“Today, I honour, on behalf of the Government and People of Rwanda, Hector Pieterson and all the young heroes of the Soweto Uprising. May their sacrifice advance the cause of peace, resilience and freedom in Africa and around the world.”

While in Cape Town, Minister Nduhungirehe participated in the launch of the Rwanda Energy Compact at the Africa Energy Forum.

In his remarks, he highlighted Rwanda’s remarkable energy journey from just 43MW and 1% electricity access in 1994 to over 84% access today. He also reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to achieving universal energy access by 2030 through a fully costed $3 billion plan to double generation capacity and mobilize $1 billion in private investment.

The official visit reflects the shared determination of Rwanda and South Africa to open a new chapter in their bilateral relations, anchored in dialogue, mutual respect, and a common vision for peace, prosperity, and African integration.