The Pan Afrikanist Watchman

Gaborone, May 5, 2026 — Rwandan President Paul Kagame will arrive in Botswana for a two-day state visit from May 6–7 at the invitation of President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko.

This marks Kagame’s second official trip to Botswana, following his 2019 visit under the previous administration of former President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

The visit comes on the heels of the Second Session of the Botswana–Rwanda Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC), scheduled for May 4–5.

The JPCC, established in 2019, provides a structured platform for advancing cooperation across governance, trade and investment, agriculture, health, tourism, and security.

During the state visit, Presidents Kagame and Boko will hold official talks focusing on digital trade, tourism, animal vaccines, transport connectivity, and collaboration in the diamond value chain.

Kagame is also expected to tour the Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB).

Several agreements are expected to be signed, including:

• A Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement to facilitate business and investment flows.
• Institutional collaboration between the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
• Expanded cooperation in trade, investment, and sectoral development.

A Botswana–Rwanda Business Forum will take place on May 5, bringing together government ministers, senior officials, and business leaders from both countries.

�� Background on Rwanda–Botswana Relations

Botswana and Rwanda enjoy a steadily growing partnership anchored in a General Framework Agreement signed in 2019. The agreement formalised cooperation across multiple sectors and led to the creation of the JPCC as a mechanism for structured engagement.

• Governance & Democracy: Both countries emphasise institutional reform, transparency, and citizen participation.
• Trade & Investment: Rwanda has positioned itself as a hub for digital innovation, while Botswana brings strengths in mining and financial services.
• Tourism: Collaboration seeks to leverage Rwanda’s eco-tourism model and Botswana’s wildlife-based tourism industry.
• Health & Agriculture: Joint initiatives include vaccine development and agricultural technology transfer.
• Security: The partnership also covers peacekeeping and regional security cooperation.

Tomorrow’s state visit is expected to consolidate these ties, moving the relationship towards a high-impact economic partnership that reflects both countries’ ambitions for regional integration and sustainable development.