His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai said that UAE relations with African countries are constantly growing.

H.H Sheikh Mohammed made the observation after touring the Rwanda pavilion and some other pavilions of African countries at Expo 2020 Dubai on Monday 14 March 2022.

During his tour at the Rwanda pavilion, H.H Sheikh Mohammed learned about Rwanda’s transformation journey, available opportunities for investment in various sectors as well as Rwanda’s ambitions for the future anchored in Vision 2050.

“Today I also visited the Kenya and Rwanda pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai and was briefed on their cultural features, tourism projects and investments in clean energy,” H.H Sheikh Mohammed wrote on his Twitter handle.

He added: “The UAE is one of the largest global investors in Africa and accounts for 88% of Gulf investments there and our relations are constantly growing.”

Appreciating the visit, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the UAE Emmanuel Hategeka reiterated that Expo 2020 Dubai deepened relations: “Thanking H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai for visiting Rwanda pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Rwanda-UAE relations can only grow stronger! The well-organized Expo 2020 deepened connections with UAE and the global community.” Ambassador Hategeka commented on his twitter.

The Rwandan pavilion at Expo is among the top visited African pavilions. Total visitors reached 256,462 as of end February 2022.

Under the theme ‘Remarkable Rwanda’, the Rwandan pavilion is located in the Opportunity District of Expo 2020 Dubai.  The pavilion is a representation of the story of hope – an immersive journey through Rwandan history. It is segmented into four thematic zones: Dusk, Night, Dawn, and Day. Visitors travel first through Rwanda’s traditions by a visit at “Dusk” to the traditional palace of the King in the pre-colonial era. The “Night” era commemorates Rwanda’s darkest moment – the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi – and draws on lessons from the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. The “Dawn” zone showcases Rwanda’s rebirth after 1994, highlighting how Rwandan people harnessed their dignity, unity, accountability, and ambition to rebuild the nation of which Rwandans are so proud.

Finally, the “Day” section invites visitors to discover Rwanda’s plans for the future. In the Day light zone, visitors also enjoy a trip to three of Rwanda’s national parks including the Volcanoes National Park to see Rwanda’s majestic gorillas, in an unforgettable virtual reality experience. Before leaving the pavilion, visitors also enjoy a free fresh cup of Rwandan coffee. 52761 cups of coffee were served to pavilion visitors as of end February 2022.

Running from 1 October 2021 until 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai invites visitors from across the planet to join the making of a new world in a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.  The total Expo 2020 Dubai visits reached 17,434,222 as of March 8, 2022.

Posted by Pierre Muyombano