President Paul Kagame and Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tarik held talks on Monday on expanding economic ties between Rwanda and the Gulf State, with mining, energy, logistics and food security among areas identified for closer cooperation.
Kagame arrived in Salalah for a two-day official visit and was received by Sultan Haitham at Al Hosn Palace, where the two leaders later held an expanded meeting with senior officials from both countries.
The talks come as Rwanda and Oman move to deepen a relationship that has gained pace this year, including new cooperation in transport, technology and aviation.
The two sides also discussed investment opportunities in healthcare and the development of land ports, according to Oman’s official account of the meeting.
Rwanda has been seeking to strengthen economic links with Gulf countries, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, logistics, technology and investment. The government sees improved connectivity with the Gulf as important for opening new markets for a landlocked economy.
In January, a Rwandan delegation led by Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe visited Oman, resulting in agreements covering logistics and transport services, dry ports and technology.
The agreements included cooperation in data centres, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Rwanda Development Board and Oman Airports also agreed to work together on airport development, including sharing expertise and exploring investment opportunities.
The relationship received another boost in July when SalamAir launched direct flights between Muscat and Kigali. The airline operates two flights a week, giving travellers and businesses a direct connection between the two countries.
The latest talks provide an opportunity for the two governments to follow up on those agreements and identify projects that can translate the growing diplomatic relationship into trade and investment.
Kagame was accompanied by Nduhungirehe, Finance and Economic Planning Minister Yusuf Murangwa, Trade and Industry Minister Antoine Kajangwe, Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Resources Solange Uwituze, RDB’s Deputy CEO Juliana Muganza and Rwanda’s non-resident ambassador to Oman, Dan Munyuza.
The visit continues on Tuesday.
