Qatar’s Emir expected in Rwanda for two-day state Visit
Amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to ease tensions in the Great Lakes region, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, is expected to arrive in Rwanda next week for a two-day state visit, according to information obtained by Kigali Daily News. The visit is scheduled for Tuesday, 18 November 2025.
Sources indicate that after concluding his program in Kigali, the Emir will immediately depart for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where he is set to hold high-level discussions with regional leaders. His engagements in both Rwanda and the DRC reportedly focus on efforts to de-escalate the long-standing tensions between the two neighboring countries.
This trip comes months after Sheikh Tamim played a significant mediating role on 18 March 2025, when he brought together President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC for talks aimed at reducing friction that had intensified between Kigali and Kinshasa. Analysts following Great Lakes regional politics say the upcoming visit further underscores Qatar’s increasing diplomatic visibility and its interest in contributing to lasting stability in the region.
The Emir’s upcoming arrival will also mark his second official visit to Rwanda. He last visited Kigali on 21 April 2019 for a three-day working trip. During that visit, President Kagame personally welcomed him at Kigali International Airport in Kanombe, and the two leaders held discussions that strengthened bilateral relations in various sectors, including investment and security cooperation.
