Behind every successful study visit to Rwanda is a dedicated Rwandan expert who translates complex institutional policies into a compelling narrative of a country that has, in just 30 years, built systems and solutions that the world now comes to learn from. On Friday, 13th March 2026, Rwanda Cooperation Initiative gathered 116 members of its pool of experts in Kigali for reflection, data-driven feedback, and a renewed commitment to telling Rwanda's story to the world.

The gathering was consistent with RCI's knowledge-sharing mission and aligned with its Strategic Plan 2021-2026, specifically Strategic Goal 3: Optimize Rwanda's Resource Pool, Individuals and Institutions, and Outcome 3 of the Action Plan 2025-2026. Rwanda Cooperation contributes to the actualization of Objective 3 of Rwanda's Foreign Policy, advancing people-to-people and knowledge exchange as a pillar of economic diplomacy.

More Than Just a Presentation

Since its establishment in 2018, RCI has served as Rwanda's global gateway, facilitating 845 delegations involving 9,790 delegates from 70 countries and 5 regional organizations. While RCI coordinates these visits, the quality of knowledge exchange depends on a committed pool of experts drawn from Rwanda's public institutions, private sector, and civil society, who volunteer their time and expertise. They share sector-specific insights ranging from digital transformation and governance to Home-Grown Solutions, Green Growth, and climate resilience. Their contribution is reflected in a customer satisfaction rate of 90% recorded in 2025.

While delegates expressed high levels of satisfaction, RCI underscored that consistency and excellence require continual reflection and improvement, the overall purpose of bringing the pool of experts together.

In her opening remarks, RCI Chief Executive Officer Ms. Patricie Uwase welcomed participants and expressed her appreciation for their sustained commitment. She emphasized that institutions and ministries are the primary narrators of Rwanda's development story and that RCI alone cannot effectively promote Rwanda's achievements without their active collaboration. "Rwanda Cooperation cannot do this alone. The institutions you represent are the ones implementing and managing these initiatives; you are the ones who bring the story to life," she said.

Grounded in Success and Growth

Beyond the immediate success of study visits, the long-term impact of RCI’s work is evidenced by a remarkable 87.4% rate of institutional uptake of practices shared during these exchanges. This high adoption rate underscores the practical relevance of the expertise provided by Rwandan focal persons and presenters. Furthermore, a comprehensive assessment based on international OECD-DAC criteria—evaluating effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence, sustainability, and impact—awarded RCI’s interventions an average score of 80.6%, affirming the institution's role as a high-performing catalyst for development.

The scale of this impact is truly global, with 70 countries benchmarking Rwanda’s innovative development initiatives between 2018 and 2025. During this period, RCI hosted 16 major international events, resulting in the signing of 19 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to promote South-South and Triangular Cooperation. With six major projects already exported and many more currently in the pipeline, the work of these "Architects of Rwanda’s Story" is directly translating into a scalable model for global prosperity and shared learning.

A Recognition of Commitment

The event concluded with a celebration of excellence, as RCI awarded certificates of appreciation to the presenters and focal persons. As RCI looks toward the remainder of its 2025-2026 Action Plan, the focus remains clear: moving beyond mere information sharing to a deeper, more transparent form of knowledge exchange. By embracing both triumphs and trials, Rwanda continues to refine its "Cooperation Model," ensuring that every visitor leaves not just with data but with a blueprint for development.