The agreements were signed in Jerusalem on Monday, July 6, during a meeting between Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, and Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa’ar.
The first agreement establishes cooperation between the Government of Rwanda and the Government of Israel in the fields of basic education, information and communication technology (ICT), technical and vocational education and training (TVET), higher education, and scientific research.
The second is a memorandum of understanding between MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Rwanda Cooperation Initiative under Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The agreement seeks to enhance collaboration on development cooperation and facilitate the exchange of expertise and homegrown solutions.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Sa’ar described Rwanda and Israel as two nations whose histories have been marked by profound tragedies but whose people chose to rebuild rather than be defined by the past.
“Israel and Rwanda are two small nations with difficult pasts, but a great belief in the future,” Sa’ar said.
“The Jewish people suffered the Holocaust. Rwanda endured the Genocide against the Tutsi. Different histories, different regions. Yet, our nations did not allow tragedy to define our future. Instead, we chose to rebuild.”
He noted that this shared experience had created a “unique moral and natural bond” between the two countries, adding that cooperation in remembrance, education and development would continue to grow.
Sa’ar praised Rwanda’s economic transformation, describing the country as one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies with a strong vision for innovation and development.
He said both countries understood that “a nation’s greatest resource is its people” and noted that the newly signed agreements would strengthen cooperation in areas including agriculture, innovation, education and leadership development.
The Israeli foreign minister also welcomed the peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo under the Washington Accords signed last year, saying Israel supported its full implementation while reaffirming his country’s commitment to regional security.
For his part, Nduhungirehe said discussions with his Israeli counterpart had been constructive and forward-looking, helping both sides review key areas of
cooperation and strengthen the foundations of bilateral relations.
Before the official talks, the minister visited Jerusalem’s Old City and the Western Wall, as well as Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, where he met its chairman, Dani Dayan, who visited Kigali during Kwibuka 32, Rwanda’s annual commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
He said the visits provided an opportunity to reflect on the histories of both countries, the horrors of genocide, and the importance of safeguarding peace.
“When I was a kid, I learned about the Holocaust through movies. I thought it was fiction until I realised it was real history. Then a similar tragedy happened in my own country,” he said.
“It allowed me to reflect on the limits of a human being, who can decide to solve any problem by exterminating a whole group of people.”
He said Rwanda and Israel share strong ties that go beyond diplomacy.
“Both our countries are marked by difficult histories and profound tragedies, but what defines us is the resilience of our peoples and our determination to turn adversity into progress.”
According to Nduhungirehe, the agreements signed in Jerusalem reflect a shared commitment to expanding exchanges, training programmes, and institutional partnerships.
“The agreement between MASHAV and Rwanda Cooperation reflects our shared commitment to exchanging development experience and homegrown solutions, while the education agreement will strengthen cooperation between institutions of both countries and expand exchanges, training programmes and capacity-building opportunities,” he stated.
He added that both delegations also exchanged views on the security situations in their respective regions and reaffirmed the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and international cooperation.
“Today’s discussions and agreements reflect the strength of our partnership and our shared ambition to deepen cooperation for mutual benefit,” Nduhungirehe said. “I am confident that this visit will bring new momentum to Rwanda-Israel relations.”
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