Emir of Qatar in Rwanda

His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, has arrived in Kigali as he begins a two-day Official Visit to Rwanda. He was welcomed by President Paul Kagame at Kigali International Airport on Thursday, November 2025, Igor Marara Kayinamura, the Ambassador of Rwanda to the State of Qatar, affirmed that the visit of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is clear evidence of the strength of the deep-rooted and growing strategic partnership between the two countries. In a statement to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), His Excellency explained that this visit—the third by His Highness the Emir to Rwanda—reflects a continuous and high-level commitment and embodies the strength of bilateral relations based on friendship and mutual trust between the leadership of the two countries. He added that the reciprocal visits between His Highness and His Excellency President Paul Kagame further demonstrate this strong relationship. He noted that high-level dialogues between the two sides have helped translate their shared vision into tangible cooperation across various fields. He expressed confidence that the visit will provide further momentum to strengthen the existing alliance, elevate economic and developmental partnerships, and open new horizons for cooperation, ultimately fostering shared prosperity for the Qatari and Rwandan peoples. Rwanda and Qatar have developed a strong bilateral relationship characterized by cooperation across multiple sectors and the signing of several key agreements. In February 2025, the Government of Qatar approved a draft agreement on a mutual visa waiver, allowing free entry for holders of ordinary Rwandan passports. In October 2024, Rwanda and Qatar enhanced their cooperation in internal security through an MoU between the Rwanda National Police and Qatar’s Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya). The agreement focuses on capacity building and underscores both nations’ commitment to security collaboration. In November 2018, the two countries signed agreements on air services and on the reciprocal promotion and protection of investments, along with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on economic, commercial, and technical cooperation. These agreements aim to enhance economic collaboration and facilitate investment opportunities. To further strengthen economic ties, Rwanda and Qatar also signed an agreement to prevent double taxation and financial evasion. This deal seeks to remove tax-related barriers, encourage trade, and attract investment. In December 2019, the Government of Rwanda and Qatar Airways entered into an investment partnership to develop Rwanda’s new airport in Bugesera District. Qatar Airways acquired a 60% stake in the project, valued at approximately $1.3 billion. The airport is expected to accommodate seven million passengers annually in its initial phase, with plans to expand its capacity to 14 million passengers per year by 2032. In November 2023, Rwanda and Qatar signed an MoU to collaborate on information and communications technology (ICT). The agreement covers public key infrastructure, ICT policy development, artificial intelligence research, digital transformation, e-commerce, smart cities, and cross-border data flows.