Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, joined world leaders and diplomats at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2025, held from April 11 to 13 in Antalya, Türkiye. The annual event, now in its fourth edition, was themed “Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World.”
The forum brought together top policymakers, global experts, and international stakeholders to explore the role of diplomacy in resolving global challenges. Minister Nduhungirehe participated in a high-level panel titled “Rising Role of Africa in World Politics.”
Addressing the audience, Nduhungirehe spoke about Africa’s growing impact on multilateral platforms and the evolving role of the African Union (AU). He noted that Africa, as a bloc of mostly non-aligned nations, has the potential to reshape global governance systems. However, he warned that the continent’s influence would remain limited unless African nations present a united voice in international affairs.
“Africa is a rising continent and we should ensure that it has a bigger and stronger voice in the international arena,” he said, stressing the need for unity and coherent messaging across African states.
Turning to intra-continental cooperation, he acknowledged existing obstacles to the free movement of goods and people, despite the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and related agreements. He pointed out that although the AU signed the AfCFTA and a protocol on free movement of people in Kigali in 2018, implementation remains weak, primarily due to non-tariff barriers and restrictive visa policies.
He cited Rwanda’s approach as a model, noting that the country has eliminated visa requirements for African citizens and issues visas on arrival for all nationalities. “We should do our homework ourselves before complaining about the treatment we get from outside,” he remarked.
On the sidelines of the forum, Minister Nduhungirehe held several bilateral meetings with fellow foreign ministers to deepen diplomatic ties and regional cooperation.
He met with Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Odongo Jeje, to discuss East African Community (EAC) matters and strengthening bilateral ties. In talks with Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, they agreed to enhance collaboration, especially in implementing the AfCFTA. Ghana recently opened its first High Commission in Rwanda in 2024.
Minister Nduhungirehe also engaged with Chad’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul; Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Hon. Andryii Sybiha; and Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister, Hon. Jeyhun Bayramov. Discussions with the latter included expanding cooperation within the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Additionally, he met with Hon. Ali Omar, Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, to explore deeper bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
