Rwanda and the European Union (EU) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in industrial development, healthcare innovation, and vaccine manufacturing.
The discussions took place during the Global Gateway Forum in Belgium, where President Paul Kagame met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
President Paul Kagame and Ursula von der Leyen exchanged views on ongoing Rwanda–EU cooperation, with a particular focus on the EU’s support for the BioNTech mRNA Vaccine Manufacturing Facility in Kigali.
The facility represents a landmark investment in Africa’s health sovereignty, aimed at enabling local vaccine production and reducing the continent’s dependency on external suppliers.
The two leaders were later joined by Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), and BioNTech CEO Uğur Şahin to mark the announcement of a new €95 million package in support of vaccine manufacturing in Rwanda.
This new financial commitment will bolster Rwanda’s capacity to produce high-quality vaccines; enhance the skills of local professionals; and strengthen advanced manufacturing infrastructure.
The project also aligns with the EU’s broader Global Gateway strategy, which seeks to promote sustainable and equitable development partnerships across Africa.
The Kigali BioNTech facility is expected to serve as a model for regional vaccine manufacturing; accelerating access to life-saving medicines; and supporting the growth of Africa’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
President Kagame emphasized that this partnership demonstrates Rwanda’s commitment to building a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation and self-reliance, while Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s support for Africa’s ambition to strengthen its health systems and industrial capacity.
