Rwandan President Paul Kagame began a two-day official visit to Algeria on Tuesday, marked by the signing of numerous cooperation agreements with his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The visit served to deepen ties between Algiers and Kigali, while diplomatically sidestepping the issue of Western Sahara.
During an official ceremony in Algiers, the two heads of state oversaw the signing of several memorandums of understanding across various sectors, including telecommunications, innovation, agriculture, air transport, pharmaceuticals, vocational training, judicial and police cooperation, as well as visa exemptions for holders of diplomatic and service passports.
In a joint statement, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of African nations. They also highlighted a shared vision on many regional and international matters.
However, a notable divergence emerged regarding the Western Sahara issue. President Tebboune reiterated Algeria’s support for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination “through a free and fair referendum, in accordance with international legality”—a position he expressed alone. President Kagame did not make any public remarks on the matter, maintaining Rwanda’s cautious and neutral stance on this diplomatically sensitive issue.
Discussions also addressed the situation in the Middle East, with both parties condemning the Israeli aggression against the population of Gaza and calling for an immediate ceasefire. Algeria reaffirmed its support for the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The two presidents also touched on the ongoing crises in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. Algeria reiterated its backing for current political efforts and called for greater involvement from the African Union in resolving these conflicts.
This visit reflects a mutual desire to strengthen Algeria-Rwanda relations, while subtly exposing differences on key geopolitical issues affecting the African continent.