• Rwanda and Botswana plan new agreements on trade, investment, and taxation

• Talks to cover digital trade, tourism, transport, and diamond value chains

• Visit reflects both countries’ push to expand cooperation and attract investment

Rwandan President Paul Kagame is set to visit Botswana on May 6–7, 2026, at the invitation of President Duma Gideon Boko, according to a statement released April 29 by the Botswana government.

Several agreements are expected during the visit, including deals focused on trade and investment. The two countries also plan to formalize cooperation between the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), along with a double taxation agreement aimed at easing trade and investment flows.

The two leaders are scheduled to hold discussions on a range of sectors, including digital trade, tourism, veterinary vaccines, transport connectivity, and cooperation across the diamond value chain.

HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME TO UNDERTAKE A STATE VISIT TO BOTSWANA pic.twitter.com/7enE8AIdqI

— Botswana Government (@BWGovernment) April 29, 2026

The Botswana government described the visit as “an important milestone” in advancing bilateral relations toward a high-impact economic partnership.

Ties between Botswana and Rwanda have strengthened steadily since 2019, when Kagame made his first official visit to the country. That trip led to the signing of a General Framework Agreement, which authorities say laid the foundation for closer cooperation.

Beyond traditional areas, Rwanda—often seen as one of Africa’s emerging technology hubs—could work with Botswana on knowledge sharing, joint innovation programs, and partnerships linking public institutions with tech entrepreneurs in both countries.

For Botswana, the visit comes at a time when the country is seeking to diversify its economy. While it remains Africa’s largest diamond producer by volume and the world’s second-largest overall, declining sales in the sector have increased pressure to attract new sources of growth and foreign investment.

The visit will be preceded by the second session of the Botswana–Rwanda Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation (JPCC), scheduled for May 4–5, 2026.

Lydie Mobio