US Congressmen Trent Kelly and Brett Guthrie described Rwanda as an important American partner, calling for continued cooperation and praising what they had seen of the country’s development.
The two spoke at the US-Rwanda Congressional Prayer Breakfast in Washington on November 10. The gathering, co-hosted by Rwanda’s embassy and Kelly, brought together lawmakers and Rwandan representatives for discussions about relations between the countries.
“Rwanda is a special country, and President Kagame is a special person,” Kelly said, arguing that the United States should stand by partners he believed were making a difference for their citizens.
Kelly said President Paul Kagame’s work extended beyond Rwanda and contributed to development across Africa. He encouraged Washington to maintain relationships with countries whose leaders, in his assessment, were focused on improving people’s lives.
The congressman also said he valued Rwanda’s friendship with the United States and wanted it to continue. His comments were an expression of support from an individual member of Congress, rather than an announcement of new US government policy.
Guthrie, who chairs the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, spoke about how his own visit to Rwanda had changed his understanding of the country.
Before travelling there, he said, much of what he thought he knew had come from films. Meeting people and observing institutions in person had left him with a different impression.
He pointed to the organisation of public services, people’s work ethic and respect for the law as qualities he valued in an international partner. Guthrie said he recommended Rwanda to people looking for business and development opportunities in Africa.
His remarks followed a visit to Kigali in July, when he led a bipartisan delegation of US congressmen who met President Kagame at Urugwiro Village. Their talks covered possible cooperation in healthcare, energy and investment.
Among the visitors were representatives from both major US political parties. The delegation’s visit was one of several exchanges through which US legislators have become familiar with Rwanda’s development priorities.
Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United States, Mathilde Mukantabana, thanked the congressmen for their support and their role in maintaining dialogue between the two countries. She said relationships with members of Congress helped advance interests shared by Rwanda and the United States.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Usta Kaitesi also attended. She thanked American partners for their contribution to Rwanda’s reconstruction, including support for rebuilding institutions and promoting innovation.
The discussions took place within a longstanding relationship spanning health, education, economic cooperation and security. Rwanda and the United States established a Strategic Bilateral Dialogue in April 2025 to hold regular discussions on political, economic, security and health matters.
Congressional engagement is not new. Rwanda’s embassy and Kelly also hosted a breakfast in November 2024, when the role of Congress in developing the relationship was among the subjects discussed.
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