Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has expressed interest in cooperating with Rwanda in the areas of sports and development, as Senegal prepares to host the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. Speaking during a session held on October 18, in Kigali, which was focused on Rwanda’s strategic achievements in tourism, sports, and economic development, President Faye praised Rwanda’s capacity to successfully organise large-scale international events including the 2025 UCI Road World Championships. ALSO READ: Rwanda, Senegal sign deals as Kagame praises their shared vision for Africa I congratulated President Paul Kagame on Rwanda’s successful hosting of the UCI Road World Championships. Rwanda rose to the occasion, as it always does,” he said. He emphasised that global competitiveness extends beyond sports, encompassing prosperity, security, health, education, and social cohesion. He said that Africa is often excluded from conversations about hosting large-scale international events but highlighted Rwanda as a rising example. Rwanda has now repeatedly demonstrated its ability to host events of international magnitude,” he said, indicating that Senegal is following a similar path, having competed to host the Youth Olympic Games. This is not just about Senegal — it is a milestone for Africa, Faye added. PICTORIAL: Kagame graces UCI 2025 closing ceremony as Pogačar retains world title Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games: a continental mission Faye talked about the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games as a continental opportunity. He hanked Rwanda’s Minister of Sports, Nelly Mukazayire, for offering support in organising the games, highlighting the importance of shared expertise and solidarity. “Senegal’s success will be Africa’s success, he said. He noted that delivering successful Youth Olympic Games could open doors for Africa to host even bigger events, such as the Olympic Games or the FIFA World Cup. If we can organise the Youth Olympic Games to the same high standards seen elsewhere, it will strengthen our case to host events of even greater magnitude, he said. Faye credited Rwanda’s meticulous planning, strategic thinking, and deep national pride as key factors behind its success in international event hosting. Behind Rwanda’s success is a commitment to organisation, method, rigour, and above all, a passion to rewrite its narrative. From a difficult past, Rwanda is creating a new, proud, and inspiring story. ALSO READ: Senegal’s President Faye arrives in Kigali on three-day visit Mukazayire echoed the African development ambition, calling sport a key vector for economic growth and unity. Sport in Rwanda is not just leisure — it's a unifying force and a pillar of national development. Our ambition is to become a continental hub for sport. Highlighting key investments, she mentioned Kigali's transformation into a sports and leisure city, including facilities like: BK Arena (10,000-seat capacity), Amahoro Stadium (45,000-seat capacity) Zaria Court — a mixed-use sports and youth development area, Gahanga Cricket Stadium and Kigali golf course. She stated that Rwanda has already hosted numerous high-profile events, including the 73rd FIFA Congress (March 2023; 1,557 delegates); FIA General Assembly (December 2024; 800 participants); Ironman competition; Basketball Africa League (BAL); Giants of Africa; and the 2025 UCI Road World Championships. She talked about the recent UCI championships as another significant achievement. Over eight days, Kigali became the heartbeat of global cycling. We welcomed 743 cyclists from 108 countries, over 3,000 UCI officials, and more than one million spectators. The event was broadcast in over 120 countries, reaching 700 million viewers. Jean-Guy Afrika, the CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), provided insights into Rwanda’s business tourism success, especially in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) subsector. MICE is a fast-growing segment of Rwanda’s tourism sector,” he said, indicating that the country has gone from generating $37 million in 2015 to $85 million in 2024 and aims to hit $130 million in MICE revenues in 2025. In 2024 alone, Rwanda hosted 160 events, welcomed 52,000 delegates, and earned $85 million in receipts, Afrika indicated, emphasising the role of the Rwanda Convention Bureau — a subsidiary of RDB — in managing major conferences. Organising an event for over 1,000 people involves coordination across security, immigration, logistics, and more. That’s why we established a dedicated entity for this. Afrika also discussed Rwanda’s broader vision: Our goal is to position Rwanda as a global gateway for investment, logistics, and tourism. We offer connectivity, credibility, a stable governance framework, and a proven track record of execution.
