President Paul Kagame on October 9, 2025 attended the Global Gateway Forum 2025 in Brussels, a two-day international conference focused on investment, technology, and global cooperation. The forum brought together heads of state, government officials, business leaders, and civil society to discuss ways to boost investment in partner countries.
President Kagame met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss strengthening cooperation between Rwanda and the EU. The EU has supported Rwanda in peacekeeping, security, and economic development. In December 2022 and March 2024, it contributed €20 million to support Rwandan troops fighting terrorism in Mozambique.
Since the launch of Global Gateway in 2021, the EU has invested nearly €900 million in Rwanda. This includes €40 million for local medical manufacturing and strengthening the healthcare sector.
In his keynote address, Kagame stressed the importance of fair and sustainable partnerships. “The answer is not to rush to self-interest or exclude some countries. Our economies and security are interconnected,” he said. He added that cooperation should go beyond conditional aid, focusing on building local capacity and sharing benefits equally.
Kagame highlighted Rwanda’s partnership with the EU to establish the BioNTech mRNA vaccine factory in Kigali, supported by Team Europe. The factory strengthens Africa’s ability to produce vaccines locally and improve pandemic preparedness.
The forum also featured EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and African Union Chair João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola. Von der Leyen noted that Global Gateway has mobilized €306 billion in public and private investment, surpassing its €300 billion target. Lourenço urged African countries to take a central role in development projects, including trade infrastructure and industrialization.
Rwanda’s role in Global Gateway includes healthcare, education, and economic development projects. Besides the BioNTech factory, initiatives include the Human Development Accelerator (HDX), funded with €95 million, and €40 million for medical manufacturing and research. A €10 million EU-UNHCR-WFP partnership supports 14,403 refugee families with education and livelihoods.
President Kagame concluded by calling for partnerships that respect African sovereignty and share risks and benefits. “If you want to work with Africa, true and lasting partnerships must share both risks and benefits,” he said. He emphasized that Africa needs infrastructure, technology, and industrial capacity to compete globally.
