Kigali, Rwanda - Her Excellency Madam Synleseh Stephenie Dahn-Koung, Second Lady of the Republic of Liberia and Executive Director of the Group of 77, paid her first official visit to Rwanda on May 19th, 2025. Hosted by Rwanda Cooperation Initiative (RCI), the visit underscored the growing ties between Liberia and Rwanda in the realm of inclusive development, post-conflict transformation, and South-South Cooperation.

Shared Development Goals and Transformative Leadership

The high-level exchange, held in Kigali, brought together key representatives from Rwanda’s government institutions, including Ms. Clementine Mukeka, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Cross-sector leaders from the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC), Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), Ministry of Youth and Arts (MoYA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINAFFET), and the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) joined the discussions.

The visit comes at a pivotal time for both nations. Liberia and Rwanda have charted bold paths of post-conflict reconstruction, grounded in equity, inclusion, and sustainable growth. Rwanda’s transformative journey—from recovery after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi to global recognition as a model of good governance—offered a valuable lens through which Liberia’s Second Lady examined strategies that could be adapted for Liberia’s national priorities.

“For my country, the journey may be long, but it is one worth taking. Rwanda shows us that transformation is possible when we invest in women, include persons with disabilities, and build systems that serve everyone. I came to learn, and I will continue learning.” — H.E. Synleseh Stephenie Dahn-Koung, Second Lady of Liberia

Focus Areas: Equity in Health, Gender, and Disability

During her visit, Madam Dahn-Koung engaged in a rich dialogue with Ms. Patricie Uwase, CEO of Rwanda Cooperation, who presented Rwanda’s multi-sectoral approach to development and the country’s leading role in promoting South-South Cooperation across the continent.

Particular interest was shown in the following areas:
• Community-Based Health Insurance (Mutuelle de Santé): How Rwanda achieves over 90% coverage per year and provides targeted subsidies to vulnerable populations.
• Gender Equality: How Rwanda became a global leader, with women holding over 60% of parliamentary seats.
• Disability Inclusion: How policy is shaped in partnership with the NCPD and supported by over 600 trained sign language interpreters.
• Gender-Based Violence Prevention: How institutional mechanisms ensure legal and psychosocial protection for victims of such violence.

These inquiries reflected Liberia’s current policy priorities and the desire to adapt effective, evidence-based models for local implementation.

Building on Foundations of Cooperation

The visit builds on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of Liberia and Rwanda Cooperation in March 2023. The MoU promotes South-South Cooperation in areas such as public finance management, digital governance, and peer exchange of technical resources.

“This visit reaffirms our shared belief that solutions for Africa’s challenges lie within the continent. At Rwanda Cooperation, we view every exchange as a seed of transformation—one that blossoms when rooted in mutual trust and people-to-people connections.” — Ms. Patricie Uwase, CEO, Rwanda Cooperation.

The Second Lady’s visit also aligns with Pillar One of Rwanda’s Foreign Policy, which champions people-to-people links as a pillar of sustainable, mutually beneficial diplomatic relationships.

Towards a Shared Future

Rwanda’s Vision 2050 emphasizes inclusive development, regional solidarity, and people-centered governance. The exchanges during this visit also echo the aspirations of Agenda 2063, the African Union’s strategic framework for inclusive growth and sustainable development. Indeed, this visit reflects the commitment of both nations to Agenda 2063’s aspiration for “an Africa where development is people-driven.

As both countries look to the future, this visit serves as a reminder that Africa’s greatest potential lies in its ability to learn from itself, uplift one another, and collaborate beyond borders.