Rwanda and Oman have signed eight agreements aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation, with trade, investment and economic development at the centre of the new commitments.
The agreements were signed on Tuesday in Salalah following talks between President Paul Kagame and Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
The package comprises two cooperation agreements and six memoranda of understanding covering areas including investment, agriculture, transport, port infrastructure, labour and strategic cooperation.
One of the agreements provides for visa exemptions for holders of diplomatic, official and special passports.
The measure does not cover ordinary passport holders. Instead, it is intended to facilitate official travel and exchanges between the two governments by easing movement for eligible officials and other holders of the designated passports.
Another agreement seeks to prevent double taxation, establishing rules to ensure that individuals and companies with income or business interests in both countries are not taxed twice on the same income.
The other agreements focus on sectors seen as having potential to generate greater economic activity between Rwanda and Oman.
These include agriculture, investment, labour, transport and port infrastructure, as well as measures designed to accelerate investment and strengthen strategic cooperation.
The agreements come as Rwanda seeks to deepen its economic engagement with Gulf countries and attract more investment into sectors such as tourism, agriculture, mining, healthcare, technology and infrastructure.
Oman, meanwhile, views Rwanda as a potential entry point into the East African market, giving Omani businesses opportunities to expand their presence on the continent.
Direct flights add momentum
The growing relationship has also been strengthened by the introduction of direct air links between the two countries.
Omani carrier SalamAir launched direct flights between Kigali and Muscat in July, opening a new connection between Rwanda and the Gulf.
The service operates twice a week and is expected to facilitate travel for investors, businesspeople, tourists and other passengers.
The route could also support trade by improving the movement of goods and strengthening Rwanda’s access to markets in the Gulf, the wider Middle East and Asia through Oman.
For Oman, the connection provides easier access to Rwanda and the wider East African region.
The combination of new agreements and improved connectivity signals a shift in Rwanda-Oman relations from primarily diplomatic engagement towards more practical economic cooperation.
With agreements now covering investment, taxation, agriculture, transport and labour, the two countries are seeking to turn their longstanding diplomatic relationship into stronger commercial and development ties.
