Rwanda: Formula One Fits Into Rwanda's Bigger Ambitions - Kagame

What the report says

Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Formula One should be seen as part of the country’s wider development goals, not as something beyond the reach of a small state. Speaking after a 10-year partnership with Formula One was announced, he said the agreement is intended to help pave the way for a Grand Prix in Rwanda in the early 2030s, which would bring the sport back to Africa for the first time since South Africa last hosted in 1993.

According to The New Times, Kagame framed the planned race as more than a sporting event, linking it to Rwanda’s ambitions to raise its international profile, draw investment and create opportunities for private-sector involvement. He also said the project should benefit the continent more broadly, noting that Rwanda sees the effort in an African context and wants to involve other African participants. The Grand Prix would add to Rwanda’s recent record of hosting major international events in Kigali, including basketball, mixed martial arts, FIFA, cycling and other global sports gatherings.

Formula One chief Stefano Domenicali welcomed the announcement and said there is still significant work to do before a race can be held. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem also backed the project, stressing training, education and grassroots motorsport development so that the event leaves lasting benefits in Rwanda rather than arriving as a short-term spectacle. The article presents the deal as an early step, with final preparations and technical details still to be confirmed.