President Paul Kagame congratulated his counterpart from the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, on his re-election as head of state.
In a message shared on social media, President Kagame expressed his best wishes to Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville.
He also emphasized that Rwanda values the strong relationship and ongoing cooperation between the two countries.
He stated, “Rwanda greatly appreciates the quality of our strong bilateral relations and our continued close cooperation, aimed at advancing our shared priorities and improving the welfare and development of our people.”
Rwanda and the Republic of Congo maintain longstanding diplomatic and political ties. In August 2016, Rwanda opened its embassy in Brazzaville.
In 2011, the two countries signed agreements on trade and cooperation in areas including air transport, tourism development, energy, security, justice, environment, and fisheries.
RwandAir has also operated flights between Kigali and Brazzaville since 2011.
In November 2021, the two countries signed additional agreements covering military cooperation, education and training in universities, land management, sustainable development, environmental protection, promotion of trade, and expansion of air transport collaboration.
These agreements were signed by Rwanda’s then Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Vincent Biruta, and Congo-Brazzaville’s then Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public-Private Partnerships, Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso.
The Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) and Congo-Brazzaville’s SOPRIM (Société de Promotion Immobilière) also signed a cooperation agreement on November 24, 2021, aimed at promoting collaboration in housing, urban development, and the construction of affordable modern homes.
In 2023, during a visit to Rwanda, President Kagame awarded Sassou Nguesso the Agaciro Medal of Honor in recognition of his efforts toward Africa’s development and also gifted him a cow.
The presidential election in Congo-Brazzaville took place on March 15, 2026.
Denis Sassou Nguesso, aged 82, was elected to a fifth term as President of the Republic of the Congo with 94.82% of the vote.
He competed against six other candidates, with Mabio Mavoungou Zinga, aged 69, coming in second with 1.48% of the vote.
Nguesso, a former air force officer, first came to power in 1979. He lost power in 1992 but returned to office in 1997 following a civil war.
In 2015, the Constitution of Congo-Brazzaville was amended to remove presidential term limits and age restrictions, allowing him to run again for additional five year term.
