Relations between Germany and Rwanda are wide-ranging.

Rwanda is part of the G20 Compact with Africa initiative launched by Germany to improve economic conditions. Rwanda exports goods worth 23.8 million euro to Germany, primarily coffee. Imports from Germany, chiefly medical equipment, are worth 66.8 million euro. Since the COVID‑19 pandemic, Germany has been an important partner to Rwanda in the field of health, for example through the work of the Robert Koch Institute and the opening of a BioNTech vaccine production facility.

Development cooperation between the two countries is a major component of bilateral relations. In Rwanda, where despite strong economic growth and development achievements more than 60% of the population still live in poverty, it focuses on sustainable economic development, training and employment, peace and societal cohesion, and climate and energy. Close cooperation also takes place in the area of digitalisation. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development announced the suspension of new funding to Rwanda on 4 March 2025 because of the country’s role in the conflict affecting the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Goethe-Institut has been present in Kigali as an independent institute since 2014. As well as supporting education, its focus in Rwanda is on cultural projects and offering scholarships.

Land Rhineland-Palatinate has maintained a close partnership with Rwanda since 1982 and has a coordination office in Kigali. In 2022, then Minister-President Malu Dreyer visited Rwanda to mark the 40^th anniversary of this partnership, which also includes many non-state actors such as universities, associations, schools, churches and businesses.

As part of German East Africa, Rwanda was a German colony from 1884 until 1916.