Good morning.

I want to begin by welcoming our friends, partners, and guests to Rwanda. Thank you for joining us.

Today, I am very happy to formally announce that Rwanda will host the African Grand Prix in the early 2030s.

It is an honour and privilege for Rwanda to be chosen as a destination in the Formula One calendar.

My deepest gratitude goes to the leadership at Formula One and FIA, namely Stefano and Mohammed, including your teams, for your trust and collaboration during the entire process.

What brought us together is a shared conviction that Africa has the potential to elevate the quality of motorsports as a global and elite discipline.

This partnership is long overdue, but it is a success and a milestone for the entire continent, especially for African fans.

Ultimately, what we want is for the African Grand Prix to pave the way for other races to be hosted on the continent.

That is not impossible to achieve, and what we are doing right now proves this.

Integrating African markets with global sports franchises and competitions offers transformative opportunities.

Yet, if we have to be honest with ourselves, this cross-border connection has existed for a long time, just not in Africa’s favour.

For decades, African athletes have been a pillar of the global sports economy, adding significant commercial value to top leagues, with the continent receiving almost nothing in return.

Partnerships, like the one we are building, help break this cycle, because they serve as a catalyst for sports infrastructure development.

This is not just about building venues.

It’s about creating a sustainable economic model, where different revenue streams across hospitality, tourism, and entertainment are generated and anchored into local communities.

This is already happening on the continent, and actively reshaping our economies and talent development efforts.

The message for all of us is simple: sports is a great equalizer, but we have to be intentional about delivering this promise.

Rwanda is happy and excited to be part of a journey that will change how Africa is perceived in the world of sports.

We want to contribute, not just participate, and this new chapter in motorsports starts today.

To Formula One, FIA, and all our partners in the room, we look forward to continuing to work with you.

I can assure you that you have a trusted and reliable partner in us.

Before we know it, the race weekend will be around the corner, and we will be ready to welcome you all to the African Grand Prix with open arms.

Once again, we are happy to have you with us today.

I hope you are enjoying your stay with us, and I thank you for your kind attention.