Rwanda’s efforts to advance vaccine production, economic inclusion, and medical innovation have received a major boost after the European Union (EU) committed a new €95 million (over Rwf 160 billion) investment to support the initiatives. ALSO READ: Rwanda unveils BioNTech’s first vaccine manufacturing plant in Africa The funding was announced on Thursday, October 9, by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, following a meeting with President Paul Kagame in Brussels, Belgium. The announcement took place on the sidelines of the Global Gateway Forum, which Kagame is attending. We welcome the agreement between Rwanda and the DRC supported by @POTUS. The EU is ready to support the peace process, President @PaulKagame. Because it will pave way for regional integration – and investment. Starting right now. Global Gateway supports Rwanda's ambition to... pic.twitter.com/6BdfnLvqCb — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) October 9, 2025 The package also includes investments in health and the economic inclusion of refugees. The agreement was signed by von der Leyen and President Kagame, while Uğur Şahin, CEO of BioNTech, and Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank, were in attendance. ALSO READ: BioNTech's vaccine plant in Rwanda gets over Rwf180bn boost According to the EU, the support aims to help Rwanda achieve its ambition of becoming a regional hub for vaccine manufacturing and medical innovation. In a post on X, von der Leyen also welcomed the agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, saying the EU is ready to back the peace process “because it will pave the way for regional integration and investment.” Rwanda’s vaccine production drive began in 2023 with the inauguration of BioNTech’s first African manufacturing site in Kigali. The EU has been a key partner in the journey, having already invested more than €93 million in the initiative to strengthen local research and development, nurture biotech start-ups, and build the country’s scientific and technical talent pool.
