Rwanda and Oman have signed two agreements and six Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), covering visa exemptions, trade, investment, travel, logistics and other areas of cooperation. The agreements and MoUs were signed on Tuesday, September 8, at Al Hosn Palace in Salalah by various high ranking officials of the two countries. ALSO READ: Kagame expected in Oman on working visit President Paul Kagame is in Oman for a two-day working visit aimed at strengthening relations between Rwanda and Oman. According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the agreements cover visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special and service passports, as well as the avoidance of double taxation. The MoUs cover political consultations, labour, trade and investment, logistics, agriculture, and strategic partnership and investment activation. ALSO READ: New petroleum deals ‘advance Rwanda’s ambitions as regional hub’ Rwanda’s ties with Oman have grown in recent years, with the two countries expanding cooperation in trade, energy and transport. One recent development is a deal that will see Rwanda receive direct shipments of refined petroleum products from Oman through Tanzania’s Port of Tanga. Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva previously said that Rwanda expects to receive one shipment a month, with the imports expected to improve fuel supply security and help stabilise prices. The countries also recently launched direct flights between Muscat, Oman’s capital, and Kigali this year, operated by Oman’s SalamAir. The route is expected to boost trade, tourism and business links while connecting travellers to the airline’s wider network across the Gulf, Asia and Europe. ALSO READ: Govt set to receive first 40,000-tonne direct fuel shipment Rwanda and Oman formally established diplomatic relations in 1982. Hamood bin Khalfan Al Busaidi, Rwanda’s honorary consul to Oman, said in a media interview earlier this year that Omani merchants were among the earliest foreign traders to establish commercial centres in Rwanda in the early 1900s.
