(Ecofin Agency) - • Presidents Kagame and Tebboune sign broad cooperation deals during state visit
• Agreements span air services, education, telecoms, justice, and investment
• Rwanda to open embassy in Algeria; leaders affirm shared foreign policy stances

During his official visit to Algeria, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, signed several cooperation agreements on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, marking a new phase in strengthening bilateral relations.

Among the agreements signed was a memorandum of understanding covering air service. Other accords span visa exemptions, communications, police cooperation, pharmaceutical industries, higher education, agriculture, entrepreneurship, telecommunications, justice, professional training, and investment promotion.

During the talks, the two heads of state identified several priority areas for deeper cooperation. President Kagame announced the upcoming opening of a Rwandan embassy in Algeria.

Beyond economic and sectoral agreements, the two leaders expressed a shared commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts in Africa and rejection of foreign interference in continental affairs. They reaffirmed their support for the Sahrawi people and their right to self-determination “through a free, regular, and fair referendum, in accordance with international legality decisions.”

They also highlighted “the necessity to immediately end aggression against the Palestinian people, to ensure the rapid delivery of humanitarian aid, and to defend the right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state within the 1967 borders, with Al-Quds as its capital.”

Diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Algeria were officially established in 1978. Bilateral cooperation covers several sectors including security, education, health, and the economy. Between 2016 and 2017, Algeria granted scholarships to 25 Rwandan students, thereby enhancing academic exchanges. An Algerian affairs officer has been stationed in Kigali since 2019, symbolizing constant diplomatic commitment.

Trade exchanges between the two countries remain almost non-existent according to official figures. However, the new agreements may pave the way for tangible development of economic relations.