President Paul Kagame on Monday met with American billionaire, Microsoft co-founder, philanthropist and Founder and Chair of the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, to discuss strengthening the Foundation’s long-standing partnership with Rwanda and expanding collaboration in health, agricultural transformation, artificial intelligence and digital public infrastructure.
The meeting reaffirmed a partnership that has spanned more than two decades, during which the Gates Foundation has supported Rwanda’s efforts to improve healthcare, nutrition, agricultural productivity and innovation.
Rwanda is widely recognized for its strong community health system, high vaccination coverage and effective use of data and technology to improve public service delivery.
The meeting came after Gates visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where he paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi by laying a wreath at the burial site of more than 250,000 victims.
“It is very impressive how Rwanda has recovered from the tragedy of the Genocide and is building a strong country. This memorial is very important to keep the memories of the victims,” Gates wrote in the memorial’s guestbook.
Artificial intelligence was among the key areas of discussion. Earlier this year, the Gates Foundation, OpenAI and the Government of Rwanda launched the Horizon1000 initiative, a US$50 million programme that will deploy AI-powered tools to strengthen primary healthcare, with Rwanda serving as the first implementation country.
The meeting underscored the shared commitment of Rwanda and the Gates Foundation to harness innovation, technology and strategic partnerships to accelerate inclusive development and improve the lives of Rwandans.
