Kagame to Join Macron in Paris for Landmark Nuclear Summit Amid Rising Regional Tensions

PARIS – President Paul Kagame is set to arrive in the French capital on March 10, 2026, for a high-stakes visit centered on the future of global energy and the volatile security landscape in Central Africa.

The Rwandan leader will join French President Emmanuel Macron and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi for the Nuclear Energy Summit. Kagame is expected to be a prominent voice on a panel of heads of state, where he will advocate for the role of civil nuclear power as a catalyst for industrialization and energy sovereignty across the African continent.

The visit comes at a pivotal moment for Rwanda’s energy policy. Under Kagame’s leadership, Kigali has aggressively pursued nuclear technology to diversify its energy mix, positioning the nation as a regional pioneer in the sector.

Diplomatic Shadow over Eastern Congo

While the public agenda focuses on energy, the diplomatic backdrop remains fraught. President Macron is scheduled to hold a private sideline meeting with Kagame to discuss the deteriorating security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The meeting occurs just days after the United States imposed fresh sanctions on the Rwandan military, alleging that Kigali’s support for M23 rebels is undermining peace accords in the region. France, which has sought to maintain its role as a key diplomatic mediator, continues to engage Kagame despite mounting international pressure on Rwanda to withdraw its forces from Congolese territory.

A Complex Partnership

The summit marks another chapter in the evolving, often complex relationship between Paris and Kigali. Since 2021, when France acknowledged its “heavy responsibility” regarding the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the two nations have strengthened economic and diplomatic ties.

Kagame’s frequent presence in Paris—including his attendance at the Summit of La Francophonie late last year—signals a sustained commitment to this partnership, even as regional conflicts threaten to strain Rwanda’s standing with other Western allies.