Rwanda and France’s Gustave Roussy Institute Sign Pact to Accelerate Cancer Care and Research
Kigali / Paris — Rwanda’s Health Minister, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, signed a memorandum with the Gustave Roussy Institute in Villejuif.
Moreover, during a visit on October 2, 2026, the agreement aims to expand cancer care, training, research, and innovation.
Dr. Nsanzimana described the visit as an honor, calling Gustave Roussy an “emblematic institution of oncology.”
He thanked Professor Fabrice Barlesi, the institute’s director general, and Dr. Antoine Hakimé for welcome and commitment to the partnership.
The French Embassy in Rwanda highlighted the deal the following day.
It stated that health sits at the heart of the France-Rwanda partnership.
The Gustave Roussy agreement is an excellent illustration of that collaboration.
Gustave Roussy Institute, a private non-profit institution, treats more than 54,000 patients each year.
Additionally, it ranks as Europe’s top cancer centre and among the world’s leading oncology hospitals, according to Newsweek assessments.
Professor Barlesi was reappointed as its director general in July 2026.
According to Rwandan media, the memorandum covers specialized care.
It also covers radiology.
Dr. Nsanzimana is an epidemiologist with a PhD from the University of Basel. He has served as Rwanda’s health minister since November 2022.
He previously led the Rwanda Biomedical Centre and the country’s national HIV program. Moreover, his international engagements include health-cooperation talks in Switzerland and collaborations with the Gustave Roussy Institute. They also cover agreements with partners in nuclear medicine and other specialized fields.
The new accord adds oncology capacity-building to a series of France-Rwanda health and development links.
Officials from both sides have framed such partnerships as practical steps to improve access to advanced diagnostics, training, and research for complex cancers.
About The Author
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
