Rwanda is seeking to deepen cooperation with an independent agency of the U.S. federal government, with Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe calling for expanded collaboration with NASA in satellite technology, scientific research, and innovation. Nduhungirehe made the remarks on Thursday, 4 June, during a reception hosted by the US Embassy in Kigali to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence and 64 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Citing Rwanda's membership of the Artemis Accords, the framework for countries seeking to collaborate on future lunar

Rwanda is seeking to deepen cooperation with an independent agency of the U.S. federal government, with Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe calling for expanded collaboration with NASA in satellite technology, scientific research, and innovation. Nduhungirehe made the remarks on Thursday, 4 June, during a reception hosted by the US Embassy in Kigali to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence and 64 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Citing Rwanda's membership of the Artemis Accords, the framework for countries seeking to collaborate on future lunar missions, scientific research, technological development, and broader space activities, Nduhungirehe said Rwanda remains keen to explore practical avenues of collaboration with NASA and looks forward to identifying mutually beneficial initiatives that can contribute to scientific advancement, capacity building, and economic development. Nduhungirehe said space cooperation is part of a broader effort to strengthen ties between Rwanda and the United States across strategic sectors. The announcement comes as Rwanda's space infrastructure reaches a significant milestone. On Wednesday, Rwanda's teleport facility received Tier 3 Certification from the World Teleport Association, becoming the first fully certified teleport in Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the country's growing interest in space-related infrastructure and services. ALSO READ: Rwanda becomes first in Sub-Saharan Africa with fully certified satellite ground facility Rwanda Space Agency CEO Gaspard Twagirayezu has separately held high-level discussions with NASA on the future of space exploration, with talks covering advancements in space science, capacity building, and NASA's preparations for a return mission to the Moon. The Rwanda Space Agency has also signed MoUs with the Polish Space Agency and the UAE, and has established collaboration with Japan's JAXA and JICA to strengthen Rwanda's satellite technology ecosystem. Rwandan-developed technology is also set to be used in China's Star Vision AI satellite. Rwanda signed the Artemis Accords in 2022, committing to norms governing space exploration and the use of astronomical objects. The country has launched two satellites, RWASAT-1, which monitored soil moisture and provided data for crop yield estimates, and a second, nicknamed Icyerekezo, which helped deliver satellite internet to the remote Nkombo Island on Lake Kivu. Rwanda has positioned itself as an emerging space hub on the continent, with the Rwanda Space Agency pursuing partnerships with global players including the European Space Agency, OneWeb, and SpaceX, as part of the country's Vision 2050 development strategy.  

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