Kigali and the US city of St. Louis have signed a sister-city agreement aimed at creating new opportunities for trade, investment and business cooperation between Rwanda and the American state of Missouri.
The agreement was signed in Kigali on Tuesday, November 10, during a visit by a delegation of more than 40 political, business and civic representatives from St. Louis. It establishes a framework for cooperation in several sectors, including agriculture, agricultural technology, biosciences, healthcare, information and communications technology, infrastructure and environmental protection.
The signing brought together Fulgence Dusabimana, Kigali’s Deputy Mayor in charge of Urbanisation and Infrastructure, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer and St. Louis County Executive Dr Sam Page.
Dusabimana said Rwanda had established conditions to attract investors, including security, a clear development vision and policies intended to facilitate business.
He said the partnership should be judged by the practical benefits it delivers to residents rather than the signing of an agreement alone.
“City partnerships can best be measured not only by the agreements we sign, but by the changes we bring to the lives of our people,” he said.
He added that Kigali wanted the arrangement to connect businesses from both cities, encourage investors to visit each other’s markets, promote joint projects and facilitate the exchange of technology and expertise.
Spencer said St. Louis had capabilities in agriculture, research, healthcare and innovation that could create opportunities for cooperation with Rwanda.
“We want St. Louis to become a bridge connecting Kigali with the United States, just as Rwanda is a gateway to Africa,” she said.
The visiting delegation included business leaders and representatives of different civic institutions interested in exploring opportunities in Rwanda.
Page said combining St. Louis’s expertise with Rwanda’s growing economy could attract investment and create jobs. He said the relationship should extend beyond government institutions to businesses, schools, cultural organisations and communities.
The agreement identifies agriculture and agricultural technology, biosciences, healthcare, information and communications technology, urban planning, infrastructure development and workforce development as priority areas.
The two cities also intend to encourage cooperation between universities and research institutions, as well as exchanges in education, culture, sports and tourism.
Kigali becomes St. Louis’s 17th sister city and its first new partner since Rosario, Argentina, joined the programme in 2017. The relationship is expected to provide a framework for businesses and institutions to identify projects that can turn the agreement’s ambitions into practical cooperation.
