The signing ceremony was officiated by Hon. Dr Vincent Biruta, the Minister for Foreign Affairs for the Government of Rwanda and Dr Bruno Oberle, IUCN Director General who appreciated this milestone and the new path that strengthens the already good collaboration between IUCN and the Government of Rwanda.

The agreement regulates relations between Rwanda and IUCN with regards to the establishment of IUCN Country office in Kigali. This follows a presidential order ratifying the host country agreement which was approved by Cabinet Resolution of 21 September 2021.

“IUCN wishes to thank His Excellency Paul Kagame and the Government of Rwanda for the ratification of the Host Country Agreement. IUCN will continue to work hand in hand with the host country to support national development in matters related to environment, conservation policies, strategy development and implementation among others," said Dr Bruno Oberle.

The signing ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Environment, Dr Mujawamariya Jeanne d'Arc, Luther Anukur, IUCN Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, and Charles Karangwa, IUCN Rwanda Country Representative and Regional Head for Land Systems.

IUCN opened an office in Rwanda in 2016 in order to support the Government of Rwanda in achieving its overall conservation and development objectives. Since then, it has implemented various projects that have contributed to Rwanda’s national policies as well as to international commitments such as those under the Convention on Biological Diversity, Bonn Challenge, AFR100 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

In Rwanda, the IUCN Rwanda Country Office has specific expertise in forest landscape restoration (FLR), integrated water resources management, biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, natural resources governance, geo-spatial ecosystems mapping & modelling, natural resources economics and ecosystems valuation, sustainable agriculture within a densely populated landscape, and sustainable conservation finance instruments.

Photo: IUCN

IUCN Director General poses for a photo with IUCN staff in Rwanda

Signing of TREPA’s project agreement with Government of Rwanda

IUCN Director General also participated in a signing ceremony for the GCF funded project titled 'Transforming Eastern Province of Rwanda through adaptation (TREPA)'. The signing ceremony was officiated by Hon. Dr Claudine Uwera, Minister of State of Finance and Economic Planning for the Government of Rwanda.

Photo: IUCN

TREPA project is GCF funded with a GCF contribution of $ 33,783,755 and an additional $ 15,839,042 mobilized as co-financing from the Government of Rwanda and other project executing entities.

The implementation of the six-year investment will be jointly executed by IUCN in collaboration with the Government of Rwanda through Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA) and Enabel, the Belgian development agency, as executing entities.

The project intends to restore over 60,000 ha of drought-degraded landscapes into climate resilient ecosystems through re-forestation, agroforestry, restoration of pasturelands, and erosion control measures in seven districts of the Eastern Province of Rwanda, namely Kirehe, Kayonza, Gatsibo, Ngoma as well as Bugesera districts.

The project will promote improved clean and efficient cooking energy technologies to more than 100,000 households in the Eastern Province of Rwanda. It will also develop climate resilient markets and supply chains to incentivize public and private investments in forests, increase the capacity of communities to renew and sustainably manage forests and agroforestry resources, and support smallholder farmers to adopt climate-resilient agriculture.

Visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial

Photo: IUCN

Bruno and Luther visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial site to pay respect to victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi.