Kigali, Rwanda – Today, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame joined a high-level summit in Brussels, Belgium, for the second edition of the Global Gateway Forum (GGF) 2025, hosted by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The two-day forum is a pivotal event focusing on “Advancing Global Connectivity in the Face of Geopolitical and Geoeconomic Challenges,” directly aligning with Rwanda’s strategic vision for infrastructure and sustainable development.
The Global Gateway Forum serves as the central platform for the European Union’s flagship Global Gateway strategy, which aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in investments by 2027 for smart, clean, and secure links worldwide.
The Forum brings together Heads of State and Government from across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, alongside leaders of financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society, to explore innovative ways to scale up these investments in partner countries.
Rwanda’s stake in the connectivity push
President Kagame’s participation underscores Rwanda’s commitment to global collaboration, particularly in leveraging international partnerships to accelerate its ambitious development goals.
Rwanda is already a key partner under the Global Gateway strategy, which has dedicated an initial €150 billion towards the Africa-Europe Investment Package.
Previous engagements between Rwanda and the European Union have seen significant Global Gateway investments already announced. These focus on critical areas that are central to Rwanda’s transformation, including, among others, investing in the development of a vibrant biopharmaceutical industry and local manufacturing of vaccines and health products, such as the BioNTech vaccine manufacturing site.
Others include building sustainable value chains in the mining sector, focusing on green energy transition initiatives and strengthening digital connectivity, a cornerstone of Rwanda’s knowledge-based economy.
Geopolitics and sustainable investment
The 2025 Forum’s agenda is structured to tackle the complex challenges of political fragmentation and economic instability through tangible infrastructure projects.
Key thematic sessions over the two days include:
Geopolitics of digital connectivity: Discussing a shared quest for digital sovereignty.
Strategic transport connectivity: Driving sustainable transport corridors, essential for landlocked nations like Rwanda.
Energy security and industrial competitiveness: Exploring how clean energy can fuel industrial growth in partner countries.
Rwanda, known for its strategic investment in technology and ambition to be a continental hub, stands to benefit immensely from the GGF’s focus on high-quality, transparent, and high-standard infrastructure investments.
The EU’s approach emphasises not only the physical infrastructure but also the accompanying regulatory support, skill development, and training, ensuring that projects deliver long-lasting benefits and create local jobs.
Strengthening bilateral ties
On the margins of the summit, President Kagame is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with President von der Leyen and other European leaders. These discussions are expected to review and reinforce the existing EU-Rwanda strategic partnership, covering joint initiatives in infrastructure, education, and green energy, while also touching upon Rwanda’s role in promoting regional stability and innovation in East Africa.
Only hours before the Forum, the European Commission and the World Bank Group announced a deepened strategic partnership to align and scale up Global Gateway investments in energy, transport, and digital infrastructure across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
This collaboration aims to unlock private capital and ensure projects translate swiftly from financing to job creation and sustained economic results. This dynamic is highly relevant for Rwanda’s private sector growth.
President Kagame’s presence at the Global Gateway Forum underscores Rwanda’s position as a forward-looking and reliable African partner in securing the strategic investments needed to bridge the global investment gap and build a more resilient and connected world.
