Rwandan President Paul Kagame spent the weekend in New York and attended the 2026 NBA All-Star Game at the Intuit Dome before holding business investment meetings with top NBA officials.
On the margines of the game, Kagame met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, and Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, discussing the expansion of basketball and youth talent development across Africa.
The discussions included preparations for the sixth season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), with Kigali scheduled to host the BAL Playoffs from May 22 to May 31, 2026.
The week-long event will feature top African basketball clubs competing for the continental title, reflecting Rwanda’s growing role in African sports.
The meetings in Los Angeles also highlighted Rwanda’s broader global sports strategy, following the government’s decision in November 2025 to conclude its eight-year Visit Rwanda sleeve partnership with English Premier League club Arsenal.
Jean-Guy Afrika, Chief Executive of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), said the partnership had “broken new ground for tourism boards around the world,” boosting Rwanda’s international profile, tourism arrivals, and grassroots football programs.
Tourism arrivals reached 1.3 million in 2024, with revenues totaling US $650 million, a 47% increase since the deal began in 2018.
Afrika noted that while the sleeve deal has ended, Rwanda remains engaged with Arsenal’s men’s and women’s teams for the remainder of the season and is leveraging the experience to expand partnerships with other global sports entities.
Current initiatives include collaborations with Paris Saint-Germain, extended to 2028, Atletico Madrid for three years, and US-based engagements with the LA Rams and So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles.
RDB emphasized that Rwanda’s international sports collaborations aim to position the country as a continental sports hub, promote tourism and investment, and support youth development.
The NBA discussions and upcoming BAL Playoffs in Kigali underscore Rwanda’s commitment to using sports diplomacy to strengthen international ties and foster regional talent development.
