President Paul Kagame, who arrived in Cairo on Tuesday, September 23 for an official visit, has praised the ties between Rwanda and Egypt, describing the north African country as a strong partner with tangible and steadily expanding cooperation.
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Kagame was received by his host, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, and the two leaders presided over the signing of agreements in key sectors, including investment promotion, water resource management, reciprocal land allocation, and urbanisation and housing development.
Speaking at a joint press conference after a private meeting and extended discussions between their delegations, Kagame said the newly signed agreements represent another milestone in the partnership between the two nations.
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“Rwanda regards Egypt as a strong partner and our cooperation is tangible and steadily growing. The agreements signed today build on the strong foundation we have already established,” he noted.
Highlighting some of the impactful projects, Kagame noted ongoing collaboration in health.
“Together, we are building a modern heart care centre in Kigali, a landmark facility that will significantly enhance specialised cardiac treatment in Rwanda and beyond. This collaboration is reinforced by education and workforce development. Egypt continues to provide advanced training for Rwandan medical professionals.”
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The head of state also underscored Egypt’s role in strengthening Rwanda’s pharmaceutical sector.
“I wish to take this opportunity to thank you for Egypt’s support. When it comes to pharmaceuticals, Rwanda and Egypt have achieved mutual reliance and regulatory standards. In Rwanda, we have significantly expanded access to affordable and quality healthcare and initiated vaccine manufacturing together with partners,” Kagame said.
“Egyptian health and pharma firms are already excellent partners in this regard and we want to do even more. Indeed, we believe there are numerous opportunities that our two countries can explore to strengthen our economic relations generally. That is why our private sector leaders met during this visit.”
He added that Rwanda and Egypt share common priorities in emerging industries, noting their mutual interest in food processing, hospitality, and advanced technology, among other areas.
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“The reciprocal allocation of land by Rwanda and Egypt will be instrumental for our countries to gain access for wider regional markets. Our continent has the advantage of being richly endowed with natural resources, but to generate real returns, we must transform our own materials into high-value added products.”
Looking to the future, Kagame expressed his desire for continued cooperation between the two nations, emphasizing the importance of working ever more closely to address the many challenges they face together.
“We will continue building on this cooperation and good political understanding of the context in which our two countries live, not only on our continent but also on the whole world. Ultimately, what we both want is to create a system of development that is sustainable, pragmatic and brings prosperity to our people. Mr President, you have good momentum and I am confident that we will see even more tangible results very soon.”
Rwanda and Egypt enjoy longstanding bilateral relations, with cooperation spanning trade and investment, health, defence, infrastructure, and education.
As part of the visit, business leaders from both countries convened in Cairo yesterday for the inaugural Egypt-Rwanda Business Forum, which brought together investors and entrepreneurs from a wide range of sectors including real estate, construction, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and agriculture.
