Rwanda and Russia have signed a nuclear energy cooperation agreement aimed at advancing the East African nation’s plans to develop nuclear power and related technologies.

The agreement, signed during the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit in Kigali, strengthens collaboration between the two countries in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including healthcare and scientific research.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame said the country is working towards making nuclear energy operational in the early 2030s, noting that Rwanda has successfully completed the first phase of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s nuclear infrastructure review process.

According to Kagame, reliable energy is essential for industrial development, modern healthcare, digital infrastructure and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, which are expected to increase electricity demand across Africa.

He described small modular reactors as a practical solution for many African countries because they can be deployed gradually, integrated into smaller power grids and developed at lower costs.

As part of the agreement, Russia’s state-owned nuclear corporation, Rosatom, signed a roadmap with Rwanda outlining steps to begin work on a Nuclear Science and Technology Centre based on a Russian-designed research reactor.

The roadmap was signed by Rosatom Deputy Director-General Nikolay Spasskiy and Rwanda’s Ambassador to Russia, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya.

The cooperation plan also includes training programmes for Rwandan specialists in Russia to support the country’s nuclear development efforts.

The latest agreement builds on a 2018 intergovernmental accord between Rwanda and Russia on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and marks another step in Rwanda’s long-term strategy to diversify its energy sources and support economic growth.