Cover — Paul Kagame MSC 2017

Politics - 22 February 2026

Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva Represents President Paul Kagame at Africa-Italy

By Jean-Marc Okito3 min readFrançais

ADDIS ABABA, February 13, 2026 - Justin Nsengiyumva represented Paul Kagame at the Africa-Italy Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ahead of the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Heads of State and Government. Arriving on the afternoon of February 13, the Prime Minister immediately joined the high-level proceedings, which focused on sustainable access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, in line with Africa’s long-term development framework, Agenda 2063. Participants also assessed progress in political and economic cooperation between Italy and African nations under the Mattei Plan. The summit marked the second edition of the Africa-Italy meeting, following the inaugural gathering in Rome in 2024. Rwanda and Italy maintain longstanding diplomatic relations, further strengthened in 2024 through a €50 million agreement supporting environmental protection projects in Rwanda. The Addis Ababa engagement highlights Kigali’s sustained multilateral diplomacy, reinforcing partnerships aimed at economic growth, sustainable development, and continental integration.

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