The two-day summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, is being held at the Grand Palais on September 9 and 10. It has brought together delegations from around 120 countries, including government leaders, scientists, astronauts, space agencies and private companies.
The meeting is focusing on major issues facing the space sector, including security in orbit, sustainable use of space, the growing space economy and international rules. It also covers scientific research and future exploration of the Moon and Mars.
Kagame is attending as Rwanda continues to expand its use of space technology for development. Rwanda established the Rwanda Space Agency in 2020 and joined the Artemis Accords in 2022.
The country has been exploring the use of satellite technology in areas such as agriculture, telecommunications, education, healthcare and disaster management. Rwanda also has a satellite teleport in Rwamagana as part of its efforts to develop its space and digital technology capacity.
Before the summit, Kagame met UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany in Paris. Their discussions covered Rwanda’s cooperation with UNESCO in education, science and technology, cultural heritage and the preservation of the memory of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The Paris summit comes as Europe seeks a stronger position in the global space industry, amid growing competition from the United States and China. European leaders are also discussing ways to strengthen cooperation and reduce dependence on foreign space technologies.
For Rwanda, the meeting offers an opportunity to connect with countries, space agencies and private companies working on technologies that could support development across Africa.
