Kagame Calls for Fair Partnerships at Global Gateway Forum in Brussels

The two-day forum brings together heads of state, business leaders, and civil society to discuss investment, technology, and global cooperation. Kagame met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to explore ways to strengthen Rwanda-EU collaboration. The EU has supported Rwanda in peacekeeping, security, and economic development, including contributions of €20 million in December 2022 and March 2024 to support Rwandan troops combating terrorism in Mozambique.

Since the launch of the Global Gateway initiative in 2021, the EU has invested nearly €900 million in Rwanda. This includes €40 million for local medical manufacturing and healthcare sector strengthening. Kagame highlighted Rwanda’s partnership with the EU to establish the BioNTech mRNA vaccine factory in Kigali, part of Team Europe’s support to boost Africa’s vaccine production and pandemic preparedness.

In his keynote, Kagame stressed that cooperation must move beyond conditional aid. “The answer is not to rush to self-interest or exclude some countries. Our economies and security are interconnected,” he said. He called for partnerships that build local capacity and share benefits equally.

The forum also featured African Union Chair João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola, who urged African nations to take a central role in development projects, including trade infrastructure and industrialization. Von der Leyen highlighted that Global Gateway has mobilized €306 billion in public and private investment, surpassing its €300 billion target.

Rwanda’s involvement in Global Gateway extends to healthcare, education, and economic development. In addition to the BioNTech factory, initiatives include the Human Development Accelerator (HDX), funded with €95 million, and €40 million for medical manufacturing and research. A €10 million EU-UNHCR-WFP partnership supports 14,403 refugee families with education and livelihoods programs.

President Kagame concluded by calling for partnerships that respect African sovereignty and share both risks and benefits. “If you want to work with Africa, true and lasting partnerships must share both risks and benefits,” he said, emphasizing the need for infrastructure, technology, and industrial capacity to allow Africa to compete globally.