Amb. Kayonga made the remarks in an interview with Report’s Türkiye bureau after attending an international conference in Baku organised by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), which focused on the legacy of Belgian colonialism and calls for reparations.
Asked whether Rwanda plans to establish an embassy in Azerbaijan, Kayonga said the plan was already being considered.
“It will definitely happen in the future, and we are currently planning it. Azerbaijan is a very important country,” he said.
“Azerbaijan is in the South Caucasus, in Eurasia, while Rwanda is in Central Africa. We want Rwanda and Azerbaijan to be brotherly countries,” Amb. Kayonga added.
Amb. Kayonga, who is based in Ankara, has represented Rwanda in Azerbaijan since 2024. He said relations between the two countries have developed significantly, particularly at the political level.
“Our relations with Azerbaijan are very good at the political level,” he said.
Amb. Kayonga noted that President Paul Kagame has visited Azerbaijan twice since he began his diplomatic assignment there — in November 2024 for the COP29 climate summit and in September 2025.
During Kagame’s 2025 visit, Rwanda and Azerbaijan signed five agreements to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas including public service delivery through the ASAN Service model, agriculture, education, trade and air services.
The implementation of the ASAN Service model in Rwanda is currently being studied, while Azerbaijan has allocated 20 scholarships for Rwandan students in military education, Amb. Kayonga said.
He added that the two countries are also discussing cooperation in oil, trade and other sectors.
Beyond political and economic ties, Amb. Kayonga said Rwanda wants to promote its tourism and products among Azerbaijani citizens.
He highlighted the Virunga Mountains, home to mountain gorillas, Nyungwe Forest, which hosts chimpanzees, primates and diverse bird species, and Akagera National Park, where tourists can see the Big Five.
Rwanda also plans to organise a Rwanda Culture Day in Baku next year to showcase the country’s culture and deepen people-to-people ties.
“We are planning to organize a Rwanda Culture Day in Baku next year,” Amb. Kayonga said.
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