Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Wednesday hosted Mozambican President Daniel Chapo in Kigali for high-level talks focused on security cooperation, trade, and investment as regional partnerships continue to gain momentum across Africa.
President Chapo is in Rwanda to attend the 13th edition of the Africa CEO Forum taking place in Kigali on May 14 and 15, bringing together political and business leaders from across the continent.
According to a statement released by Village Urugwiro, the two heads of state discussed key areas of bilateral cooperation, particularly in security, commerce, and investment.
The statement read: “President Kagame welcomed President Daniel Chapo of Mozambique to Rwanda. The two Heads of State discussed areas of cooperation including security partnership, trade, and investment.”
Rwanda and Mozambique have steadily strengthened diplomatic ties over the years, with relations dating back to 1990. Cooperation deepened significantly in 2018 after the establishment of a joint commission aimed at enhancing bilateral collaboration.
The partnership has become especially visible in the security sector following Rwanda’s deployment to Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province in July 2021 to help combat insurgency linked to the extremist group Ansar al Sunnah.
Since then, Rwandan and Mozambican security forces have carried out joint operations that pushed insurgents out of several strongholds across the province. Authorities say the operations helped restore stability, enabling displaced residents to return home and allowing infrastructure and economic activities to resume.
The cooperation between the two countries has continued to expand. In August 2025, Kigali and Maputo revised bilateral agreements on investment and counterterrorism cooperation. Months later, in February 2026, Rwanda sent 20 tons of food and medical aid to Mozambique to support communities affected by severe flooding.
The meeting in Kigali comes at a time when regional security issues in the Great Lakes region remain at the center of international diplomatic discussions.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently argued that broad sanctions against Rwanda, similar to measures imposed by the United States, would do little to advance peace efforts in the region.
Speaking to RFI and France 24 during a visit to Nairobi for the Forward Africa summit, which was also attended by President Kagame, Macron warned that isolating Rwanda could reduce opportunities for constructive international engagement.
“There were peace agreements signed in recent months. But if we are honest, peace has not yet been fully achieved,” Macron said.
He further stated that quickly adopting Washington’s sanctions approach would offer “very little chance” of encouraging Rwanda toward cooperative regional engagement.
Macron instead advocated for broader diplomatic dialogue involving multiple regional actors, including Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and neighboring countries such as Uganda.
“A respectful dialogue involving President Kagame and President Tshisekedi, along with renewed coordination of all mediation initiatives around the negotiating table, is what I believe in and what I will continue to support on behalf of France,” Macron said.
The French leader also stressed the importance of addressing armed groups operating in eastern Congo and examining the role that competition over natural resources plays in fueling instability.
Macron reiterated France’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, insisting that all foreign armed forces operating on Congolese soil should eventually withdraw.
His remarks came months after Washington imposed sanctions through OFAC on several senior Rwandan military officials, including Stanislas Gashugi, Ruki Karusisi, Vincent Nyakarundi, and Rwanda’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Mubarakh Muganga.
Political analysts say Macron’s comments reflect a growing view among some European leaders that sustained dialogue and regional mediation may be more effective than punitive measures in addressing the complex security crisis in eastern Congo.
As African nations intensify efforts to strengthen economic integration and regional security cooperation, the Kagame-Chapo meeting in Kigali is being viewed as another sign of Rwanda’s expanding diplomatic and strategic partnerships across the continent.
