President Paul Kagame and philanthropist Bill Gates on Monday reaffirmed Rwanda’s long-standing partnership with the Gates Foundation, with talks focusing on healthcare, agriculture, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure as the country seeks to accelerate development through innovation.
The meeting in Kigali reviewed ongoing cooperation and explored ways to expand collaboration in sectors that Rwanda considers central to its economic transformation, according to a statement from the Office of the President.
The Gates Foundation has worked with Rwanda for more than two decades, supporting programmes to strengthen healthcare, improve agricultural productivity, expand access to digital technologies and build resilience against climate-related challenges.
In agriculture, the Foundation has backed initiatives aimed at increasing crop yields, promoting climate-smart farming and helping smallholder farmers adapt to changing weather patterns through improved seeds, data and technology.
Health remains a cornerstone of the partnership. Rwanda has increasingly adopted digital tools to strengthen healthcare delivery, while also investing in artificial intelligence to improve disease surveillance, diagnosis and health information systems.
The visit comes months after the Gates Foundation and OpenAI launched the Horizon1000 AI Initiative, which selected Rwanda as the first country to roll out a programme designed to introduce AI-powered tools in primary healthcare facilities across Africa.
“Over the past 25 years, Rwanda has achieved some of the most impressive health gains anywhere in Africa,” Gates wrote in a social media post during his visit. “The country demonstrates what is possible when governments invest not only in life-saving innovations but also in ensuring those innovations reach the people who need them most.”
Before meeting Kagame, Gates visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where he paid tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He also toured BioNTech’s vaccine manufacturing facility in Rwamagana District and was scheduled to visit Mwulire Health Centre to learn more about Rwanda’s community-based healthcare system.
Monday’s meeting underscored Rwanda’s efforts to deepen partnerships that combine investment in healthcare, agricultural transformation and emerging technologies to support sustainable development.
