A discussion session was held on Qatari-Rwandan relations, organized by the Global Institute for Strategic Studies (JISR) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, in partnership and collaboration with the African Center for Research and Policy Studies (AfroPolicy), on April 24, 2025, via Google Meet, lasting approximately two and a half hours. The event brought together experts, researchers, and academics to discuss the topic of Qatari-Rwandan relations: a strategic partnership in the context of geopolitical transformations and prospects for economic and trade cooperation. The discussions focused on geopolitical, regional, and international dimensions, as well as the prospects and challenges of cooperation between the two countries.

The first axis of the workshop addressed the history of Rwandan-Qatari relations, where Dr. Mohamed Saleh, Executive Director of AfroPolicy Foundation, in his intervention, discussed the trajectory of Qatari-Rwandan relations, noting that these relations represent a successful model for building political and economic partnerships amid global geopolitical changes after the year 2000. He explained that the world has witnessed significant changes since the beginning of the third millennium, creating a new reality that pushed many countries, including Qatar and Rwanda, to seek diverse alliances outside traditional frameworks. Dr. Saleh pointed out that relations between Doha and Kigali began in a specific context, where Rwanda was seeking to recover from the repercussions of the genocide it witnessed in the 1990s, while Qatar was looking to expand its presence on the African continent. This phase was characterized by the convergence of the two countries’ interests, establishing strong bilateral relations based on mutual cooperation. He explained that Qatar adopted an approach focused on leveraging available opportunities in Rwanda through investment in vital sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, services, and charitable work, where relations witnessed notable development reflected in the signing of a series of agreements.