Rwanda, U.S. Sign Nuclear Energy Cooperation Deal
The United States and Rwanda on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, as both countries seek to advance reliable and secure energy development.
The agreement was signed on May 19, 2026, by Renee Sonderman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability at the U.S. Department of State, and Dr. Usta Kayitesi, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The signing ceremony coincided with an international conference on nuclear energy applications in Africa currently taking place in Kigali.
According to the U.S. Embassy in Rwanda, the agreement marks “an important step toward strengthening cooperation on civil nuclear energy and expanding opportunities for collaboration in support of safe, secure and reliable energy development.”
The embassy added that both countries are committed to promoting high standards of nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation as the partnership continues to grow.
Officials described the agreement as part of broader efforts to deepen strategic ties between Washington and Kigali, particularly in the fields of technology, innovation and energy infrastructure.
During the same event, American company Holtec International and the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board (RAEB) also signed a separate agreement aimed at advancing the deployment of SMR-300 technology in Rwanda.
The SMR-300 is a small modular reactor technology designed to generate nuclear power using advanced systems considered safer and more flexible than many conventional large-scale nuclear plants. Rwanda has increasingly explored nuclear energy as part of its long-term strategy to expand electricity generation and support industrial development.
