Rwanda and the European Union on Monday, December 18, signed two agreements including a €40 million funding package, to invest in the former's pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors with a focus on research, development and entrepreneurship.
President Paul Kagame alongside President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, who arrived in Kigali earlier for the launch of the BioNTech manufacturing plant in Rwanda, presided over the signing ceremony in Village Urugwiro.
Also signed in Kigali is the joint declaration on critical raw materials value chains between Rwanda and the European Investment Bank.
Speaking shortly after the signing ceremony, President Kagame said that he held "very productive discussions" with Leyen, adding that "Rwanda and the EU have been strong partners, in fact friends for a long time."
"Over the years, we have also deepened our cooperation across a wide range of sectors. The two agreements signed today are a case in point. There are many more things we work very closely on."
As a continent, Kagame said, Africa relies heavily on imports for vaccines and medicines.
"We want to change this, and the long-term solution is to strengthen our manufacturing and scientific capacity."
Kagame said the EU has been very active in trying to support Rwanda.
Reacting to the agreement signed, Kagame pointed out that the joint declaration on critical raw materials reinforces Rwanda's commitment to sustainably and transparently develop its mineral resources.
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"We are especially focused on processing the materials needed for the global energy transition. Am also pleased to share that Rwanda signed more agreements today, and we thank you for visiting us on this particular occasion, which was a long way to cement our relationship."
Leyen said that the European Union and Rwanda share strong times, adding that she was in the country "to express just how important this partnership and friendship is to the EU and to think there is a lot of common potential that is still to be unleashed."
According to Leyen, the EU works mostly with an investment program- the Global Gateway, which is investing about €900 million in Rwanda.
"We want to share technology and knowledge because it is crucial for a genuine partnership, I think it is important to train the local workforce because investing in people is the most sustainable investment, and we want to create local good jobs for the people in Rwanda, through public and private investment."
She said that through the global gateway, the EU is partnering with Rwanda in the health sector, the agriculture sector as well as in critical minerals.
In the mining sector, she said; "It is for us important that we partner with Rwanda for this strategic industry. We want to go - and this is a crucial point - beyond exploration and extraction. Sharing skills, so that Rwanda can develop activities with high value-added, like processing but also refining. And this will help Rwanda's companies access new markets and export to partners."
Von der Leyen also commended Rwanda's leadership in working with the EU, particularly in fighting climate change.
