Kagame to Visit Oman as Rwanda Widens Gulf Economic Ties
Kigali — 5 September 2026: President Paul Kagame will travel to Oman on Monday for a two-day official visit aimed at expanding political, economic and investment cooperation between Rwanda and the Sultanate.
Oman’s Diwan of Royal Court announced the trip on Saturday, saying Kagame will be in the country on 7 and 8 September. The visit, it said, is intended to strengthen friendship and cooperation and to discuss issues of mutual interest that serve both nations.
The trip comes after a year of growing contact. In January, Rwanda’s foreign minister led a ministerial delegation to Muscat that included officials responsible for finance, ICT, infrastructure and investment promotion. The two sides signed several memoranda of understanding covering transport, communications, airport development and logistics.
Direct air links followed. In July, SalamAir began twice-weekly flights between Muscat and Kigali, cutting travel time and opening new channels for trade, tourism and business travel. Later that month, Oman’s ambassador presented her credentials to Kagame in Kigali.
For Rwanda, the visit is part of a broader effort to build practical partnerships with Gulf states. Officials in Kigali have been looking for investment, energy cooperation and stronger logistics links. Oman, a non-OPEC oil producer, is seen as a potential partner as Rwanda explores opportunities in fuel and related industries. The new flight route is also expected to give Rwandan and Omani businesses easier access to each other’s markets.
Bilateral trade remains modest, and neither country maintains a resident embassy in the other’s capital. Oman covers Rwanda from Nairobi, while Rwanda covers Oman from Cairo. A presidential visit is therefore viewed as a step toward a more direct relationship.
Kagame is expected to hold talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and senior Omani officials. No detailed programme has been released, but the agenda is likely to include investment, aviation, energy and political consultation.
The visit will be watched for concrete results rather than protocol alone. African governments have been seeking new sources of capital, fuel security and air connectivity. A successful trip could add another Gulf partner to Rwanda’s growing network of economic relationships.
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