The establishment of diplomatic relations was finalised during a meeting between Uzbekistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakhtiyor Saidov, and his Rwandan counterpart, Olivier Nduhungirehe. Speaking on Saturday, Saidov said Rwanda becomes the 167th country to establish diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan.
“Rwanda has become the 167th country with which Uzbekistan has established diplomatic relations. Together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda H.E. @onduhungirehe, we signed a Joint Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations,” Saidov wrote on X.
As part of the agreement, the two countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between their Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The MoU establishes a mechanism for regular political consultations aimed at enhancing dialogue and cooperation between Kigali and Tashkent.
According to Saidov, the signing of the documents represents an important step toward expanding Uzbekistan’s engagement with countries across the African continent.
The establishment of diplomatic relations is expected to open new avenues for cooperation between Rwanda and Uzbekistan in areas of mutual interest, including political dialogue and broader international engagement.
Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, a distinction it shares only with Liechtenstein. Historically, it lay at the heart of the ancient Silk Road and has since evolved from a former Soviet republic into a rapidly modernising state. It is also uniquely positioned as the only Central Asian country bordering all four of its regional neighbours, as well as Afghanistan.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, underpinned by its Development Strategy 2022–2026. The country recorded real GDP growth of 7.7% in 2025, with projections of 6.8% in 2026, supported by strong investment inflows and favorable global commodity prices, particularly for gold.
Its economy is anchored in key sectors such as natural resources, where it is a major global producer of gold and natural gas, and agriculture, which is gradually diversifying beyond its traditional reliance on cotton into higher-value exports. Uzbekistan is also advancing an ambitious green energy agenda, targeting 25% renewable energy generation by the end of 2026, with solar power playing a central role.
Tourism has become a fast-growing sector, with the country aiming to attract 12 million visitors by 2026, bolstered by new cultural and heritage investments, including the Silk Road Museum in Samarkand and expanded cultural infrastructure.
According to the National Statistics Committee, Uzbekistan’s permanent population stood at 38,382,685 as of April 1, 2026.
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