President Paul Kagame is expected in Astana, Kazakhstan, where he will undertake a two-day working visit.
The visit will begin on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, and will end the following day.
President Kagame’s trip to this Central Asian country follows a visit already underway by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, who arrived earlier.
On Monday, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Minister Nduhungirehe had held a meeting with his counterpart, Murat Nurtleu.
The two top diplomats discussed various key issues, including politics, economy, culture, and cooperation in humanitarian activities.
Minister Nurtleu said that Kazakhstan sees Rwanda as a close friend and a valuable partner in Africa: “We see Rwanda as a friendly and strategic African partner. I am confident that our joint efforts will ensure that President Kagame’s visit opens a new chapter in Kazakhstan–Rwanda relations.”
President Kagame is expected to hold bilateral talks with Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and both sides are set to sign cooperation agreements in areas such as trade, technology, and defense.
On Monday, both foreign ministers reiterated their commitment to strengthening collaboration and enhancing mutual state visits.
They also explored the possibility of establishing a trade corridor between Kigali and Astana, aligned with the strategic Trans-Caspian International Transport Route that connects global markets through the Caspian Sea region.
Kazakhstan urged Rwanda to consider establishing a diplomatic mission (or embassy) to enhance commercial and institutional cooperation.
Both countries also examined opportunities for technological cooperation between companies, particularly through Astana Hub — the largest tech park in Asia — and Rwanda’s achievements under the Smart Rwanda Initiative and e-Government systems.
President Kagame’s visit comes after a prior meeting with President Tokayev in November last year in Baku, Azerbaijan, where they discussed deepening economic cooperation for the benefit of citizens in both countries.
Rwanda-Kazakhstan diplomatic relations were formalized in 2016 when Rwanda appointed a representative to the country.
In September 2024, during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ministers Nduhungirehe and Nurtleu signed a visa waiver agreement to ease travel for citizens of both nations.
