A new nuclear deal has been signed between Rwanda and Russia.

On May 19, the memorandum of understanding was signed at the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit in Kigali. The MoU covers nuclear medicine and broader healthcare cooperation.

“From the outset, NEISA was designed to bring together leaders, experts, and partners to advance Africa’s nuclear energy goals,” Mr Kagame. “Rwanda is pleased to have successfully completed the IAEA’s Phase 1 Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review.”

He added, “We intend to have nuclear energy operational by the early 2030s, and this assessment confirms that we are on track. For Africa, energy is not simply a development issue. It is the foundation of industrial growth and competitiveness.

“Modern manufacturing, mineral processing, digital infrastructure, and advanced healthcare all depend on reliable power.

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and data-driven industries will also significantly increase energy consumption. Countries that cannot meet this demand will struggle to compete. This is why Rwanda considers nuclear energy a critical component of Africa’s long-term transformation.”

As more countries move in this direction, international reviews and regulatory processes should not become barriers, but instead offer the necessary support, according to the Rwandan president.

“For Rwanda, small modular reactors represent the most practical way forward. They are better suited to the realities of most African countries because they can be deployed gradually and integrated into smaller grids at a lower cost.

“The international financing environment is also evolving. Nuclear energy is increasingly recognised as part of the clean energy transition, and that creates new opportunities,” Mr Kagame added.

The Russia-owned nuclear group (Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation) signed a roadmap with Rwanda to establish Russian-Rwanda cooperation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy.

The document was signed by ROSATOM’s deputy director-general, Nikolay Spasskiy and Rwanda’s extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Russia, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya.

The document defines specific measures through the end of this year related to the start of the project to build the Nuclear Science and Technology Centre, based on a Russian-designed research reactor, in Rwanda.

Rwandan staff training in Russia is separately stated as a key task.

The roadmap follows the inter-governmental agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which was signed in Moscow by Rwanda and Russia on December 5, 2018.