Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda inaugurated 500 households installed with solar power in Southern Rwanda

By Gerald Mbanda

Professor Stefan CHEN, the team leader of Hong Kong PolyU(right) explaining to the Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda H.E.Gao Wenqi, the process of Solar power installation. Anna Marie (in middle), one of the beneficiaries of the solar power connection project. Photo: @Gerald Mbanda/Africa China Review.

The Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda His Excellency Ambassador Gao Wenqi on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, presided over a ceremony to inaugurate 500 houses installed with solar power energy. The ceremony took place in Muyira sector of   Gisagara district- rural southern Rwanda, benefiting more than 2,000 people. The project was implemented by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK PolyU) team of lectures and 118 students lead by Professor Stefan CHEN.

The Hong Kong PolyU team has implemented solar power connections in rural areas in Rwanda since 2013. So far the team has installed more than 2,000 solar panel systems in households of the rural areas in Eastern Province, while this year, they started the project in Gisagara district-Southern Province, working together with a local NGO, Africa Evangelistic Enterprise (AEE) Rwanda.

Ambassador Gao, informed that over the past 12 years, the PolyU students have applied what they learned into practice in Rwanda through the service-learning program and they improve people’s livelihood with their knowledge and efforts. “More importantly, they promote people-to-people exchanges and friendship between China and Rwanda. They are good-will ambassadors and good examples of Youth of China in the New Era,” Gao noted. 

“President Paul Kagame once said, the sunniest countries on earth should not have lack for energy. The solar panel project is an answer. It aligns perfectly to Rwanda’s target of 100 percent electricity access for the households, and its National Strategic Transformation2 (NST2) at large. Clean electricity is not only important for daily life, but also for industrialization and environmental protection. In the end, it benefits people’s well-being”, the Chinese ambassador to Rwanda emphasized.  

Gao also noted that besides solar panel project, the PolyU team has also implemented projects such as fashion show, story-telling and seminars on entrepreneurship. By combining the traditional Rwandan craftsman skills with modern art and technology, they try to create business opportunities, empower the women and the young, and enrich the life of people. 

Gao also reminded that last year, President Xi Jinping and President Paul Kagame met in Beijing, and elevated relations of China and Rwanda to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. China collaborates with Rwanda under frameworks such as the Belt and Road Initiative, FOCAC and Global Development Initiative. Ambassador emphasized that, “Let us embrace a community with a shared future, embrace an even stronger partnership for China and Rwanda, and embrace the prosperity of our two countries and two peoples.” 

Photo credit: @AfricaChina Review

The Gisagara district vice mayor, Jean Paul Habineza representing the local administrative authorities, thanked the Chinese government and Hong Kong Polytechnic University for their support to increase access to  electricity for the people in rural areas. Habineza reminded that the project compliments Rwanda’s second phase of National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), on the target of universal access to electricity. The NST2, prioritizes achieving universal access to electricity by 2030. As of February 2025, approximately 82 percent of Rwandan households have access to electricity, which includes both on-grid (57.4%) and off-grid (24.8%) connections. 

Anna Marie, one of the beneficiaries of the solar power connection said that he children can now be able to read and to their homework with the clean solar powerenergy. She thanked president Kagame for bringing them good Chinese friends. She also thanked the teachers and students of PolyU for their good spirit, noting that although she faced communication barrier, acts of kindness and friendship speak louder and can be seen and heard. Two students representatives and the team leader, Professor Stefan CHEN, appreciated the good relationship with the local people of Gisagara for the two weeks they spent with them implementing solar power connections.  

H.E Ambassador Gao Wenqi and Gisagara District vice Mayor, Jean Paul Habineza playing traditional drums. Photo: @Gerald Mbanda/Africa China Review.

Young girls entertaining guests with traditional drums.Photo:@Gerald Mbanda/Africa China Review

Deputy Head of Mission at Chinese Embassy Ms. Lin Hang  in a traditional dance. Photo: @Gerald Mbanda/Africa China Review. 

Hong Kong Polytechnic University students. Photo: @Gerald Mbanda- Africa China Review.