Rwanda and South Africa are taking steps to repair strained relations, with both sides looking to revive cooperation in trade, investment and travel after years of diplomatic tensions.
Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said the two countries had kept communication channels open even during periods of serious disagreement, creating a basis for renewed engagement.
Speaking to Igiciro TV on Aug. 23, Nduhungirehe said the two countries had agreed on measures intended to prevent future disputes from derailing their broader relationship.
The latest effort follows a visit by Nduhungirehe to South Africa, where he held talks with his counterpart on rebuilding bilateral ties. The discussions included expanding links between the private sectors, increasing trade and investment and easing travel between the two countries.
The two governments also agreed to revive a joint mechanism responsible for reviewing bilateral cooperation. Its next meeting is expected to be held in Kigali in 2027.
Nduhungirehe said South Africa had also agreed to resume issuing visas to Rwandans travelling on ordinary passports within 12 months, as it moves toward a digital visa system.
The push to improve relations follows several periods of tension between the two countries.
Relations deteriorated sharply in 2014 after Patrick Karegeya, a former Rwandan intelligence chief who had become a government opponent, was found dead in Johannesburg. South Africa later expelled four Rwandan diplomats, accusing them of activities that threatened its national security. Rwanda responded by expelling South African diplomats.
Relations improved in 2018, allowing cooperation to resume in several areas.
Tensions returned in early 2025 over the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda accused South Africa of supporting forces opposed to it, while South Africa had troops deployed in Congo during the conflict.
Despite the disagreements, Nduhungirehe said the two governments continued to communicate, including at the level of their heads of state.
“The relationship continued, but it faced difficulties for different reasons,” he said.
He said the two countries now wanted to ensure that political disagreements did not repeatedly disrupt areas of cooperation that benefit their citizens and businesses.
Rwanda and South Africa have maintained ties since the years following the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, when South Africa was among the countries involved in supporting Rwanda’s reconstruction and development efforts.
Nduhungirehe said cooperation over the years had included investment, health, economic development and social welfare.
The renewed engagement puts the focus on whether the two countries can turn their latest diplomatic contacts into sustained cooperation while managing disagreements over regional security.
