I thank President Macron for bringing us together for this important and timely summit.

Rwanda aims to be a high-income country by 2050.

That requires abundant electricity, and that is why we have decided to make nuclear energy central to our strategy.

It will diversify our energy mix, while providing the stability required for industrial growth and long-term transformation.

Achieving this requires strong institutions, sound regulation, and an educated workforce, and that is the foundation Rwanda is building.

We are grateful to the IAEA for supporting the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, as well as our national regulator, in this endeavour.

Equally important is human capital.

Hundreds of Rwandans have been trained in nuclear science and engineering through partnerships with leading global institutions.

We have also introduced a new program in nuclear science at the University of Rwanda.

Recently, the IAEA conducted an Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review in Rwanda and confirmed progress across the key pillars for a nuclear energy program.

Our country is prepared to proceed through the agency’s Milestones Approach to the next stage.

Nuclear technology is evolving in ways that benefit countries with small grids, allowing Africa to be among the early adopters.

Small modular reactors, in particular, are especially suited to Africa’s requirements.

I am confident that Africa will emerge as one of the most important global markets for SMRs in the years ahead.

This summit underscores the power of partnerships. Our cooperation must advance on three priorities.

The first is financing.

Nuclear energy projects require tailored financing packages, which are still unfamiliar to development banks.

Last year, the World Bank decided to end the ban on financing nuclear power projects.

At COP-28, governments called on international financial institutions to include nuclear energy in their portfolios.

Now is the time to work together to make this shift a reality in Africa.

The second aspect is technology cooperation.

Countries entering the nuclear energy sector should be integrated into the existing global supply chains.

Access to engineering capability, skills, and industrial participation is what will allow local capacity to grow.

Third, international regulatory systems must remain clear and predictable.

Nuclear energy is not too complex or risky for developing countries.

The standards developed by the IAEA provide a universal framework that can be applied by countries at every income level.

France is a leader in nuclear safety, and we look forward to growing our collaboration in this area.

Climate responsibility is also a core aspect of our efforts, but it cannot come at the expense of Africa’s energy needs.

Nuclear energy offers us the ability to significantly expand electricity while reducing the carbon footprint.

In May of this year, Rwanda will host the 2026 Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NEISA).

We are pleased that the Director General of the IAEA, alongside leaders from government, finance, and industry, will join us as we take this conversation back to Africa.

I extend a warm invitation to all of you to attend the summit in Kigali.

Rwanda is determined to do what it takes to power our development with nuclear energy, and we look forward to you being a part of this journey.

I thank you for your kind attention.