As the year 2023 comes to an end, some developments stood out, including appointments to various positions. This article talks about eight Rwandans who were appointed to major jobs in different international organisations during the year.
Clare Akamanzi
The National Basketball Association (NBA), one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, on December 27, appointed Akamanzi as the Chief Executive Officer of NBA Africa, making her the first African and woman to hold the office. The accomplished business executive and international trade and investment lawyer, Akamanzi served as the CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB) between 2017 and September 2023, where she spearheaded Rwanda’s economic development by enabling private sector growth.
Under her leadership, RDB implemented several business policy reforms and initiatives that led to significant investment and development for the country through partnerships with the Basketball Africa League (BAL), Arsenal FC, Paris Saint-Germain FC, FC Bayern Munich, and TIME Magazine, among others. She earned a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She also holds a Master of Laws degree in international trade and investments from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.
Daniel Ngamije
The former Minister of Health was on March 23, appointed as head of the Global Malaria Program which is responsible for coordinating the World Health Organization's global efforts to control and eliminate malaria.
Ngamije served as the Rwandan Minister of Health from February 2020 to November 2022. During this time, he led the development and execution of the Health Sector Strategic Plan as well as the development and implementation of the Covid-19 pandemic comprehensive response plan, according to WHO. Among other roles, he served as the National Programme Officer for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the WHO Rwanda country office (2018–2019).
Gerardine Mukeshimana
The former Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources in Rwanda was, on July 31, appointed the Vice-President of the International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD).
For the previous eight years – from July 24, 2014, until March 2023, Mukeshimana served as Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources. Under her leadership, the agricultural sector was transformed into one of the best performing on the continent and farmers experienced a dramatic improvement of their livelihoods, according to a statement from IFAD.
During her tenure, the statement added, Mukeshimana engaged with rural youth, attracted private sector interest in agri-business in Rwanda, and pioneered the use of climate funds for the agricultural sector. Mukeshimana has a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture and Horticulture from the University of Rwanda, a Master’s Degree, and a doctorate in Plant breeding and Genetics - Crop and Soil Sciences from Michigan State University (USA).
Claver Gatete
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced, on October 6, the appointment of Claver Gatete as the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). By the time of his appointment, Gatete was Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations in New York.
A seasoned economist, he brings to the position extensive strategic leadership expertise, coupled with international experience in the political and financial landscape of the African continent, a UN statement indicated. Among different functions he held before, Gatete served in senior government positions, notably as Minister of Infrastructure (2018-2022) and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (2013-2018).
He was also the Director General for Economic and Social Affairs in the Office of the President of Rwanda (2000-2003), during which time, he served as the President’s Representative to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and Coordinator of the National African Peer Review Mechanism, the statement added. He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of British Columbia in Canada.
Fanfan Rwanyindo Kayirangwa
Fanfan Rwanyindo Kayirangwa took up office as the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s new Regional Director for Africa and Assistant Director-General, on October 1.
Previously, Rwanyindo was the Minister of Public Service and Labour in Rwanda, contributing to national employment and labour policies and initiatives. In this role, she took an active part in promoting decent work and social justice, according to a press release issued by ILO on October 4. She holds a bachelor's degree in law, from the National University of Rwanda, and a master's degree in law from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.
In 2004, Kayirangwa was appointed Judge of the High Court of Rwanda and in 2013 was appointed Vice-President of the Commercial High Court.
Christine Umutoni
Christine Umutoni was appointed as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Liberia, by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, with the host Government’s approval. She took up her post on February 1.
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Earlier, Umutoni was the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Mauritius and Seychelles. Before joining the UN system, she worked as a development consultant, focusing on governance and gender.
She also served Rwanda in various capacities, including being Rwanda's Ambassador to Belgium, also accredited to the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the European Union, and the Vatican, based in Brussels; and Rwanda's Ambassador to Uganda.
Eliane Ubalijoro
On January 17, the Board of Trustees for the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) announced the appointment of Eliane Ubalijoro as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CIFOR-ICRAF.
She is the first African woman Director General of a CGIAR Research Center and CEO of two Centers in CGIAR’s 52-year history.
The Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. The agency researches various pressing challenges of forest and landscape management around the world.
Until her appointment, Ubalijoro, was serving as Professor of Practice for public-private sector partnerships at the Canada-based McGill University’s Institute for the Study of International Development. Over the past two decades, her research focused on innovation, gender, and sustainable development, according to the announcement.
Charles Karangwa
Charles Karangwa was, in May, appointed as the Global Head of Nature-based Solutions hub, a unit of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) headquartered in Switzerland. IUCN is an international organisation working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
ALSO READ: Rwanda's Charles Karangwa to head global conservation solutions hub
Before his new responsibilities, Karangwa served as regional head of land systems, covering forests, drylands, and nature-based solutions, sustainable agriculture at IUCN, Africa region based in Kenya. Also, he served as IUCN Country Representative for Rwanda from January 2016 and was later appointed Kenya Country Representative and Regional Head for Land Systems from June 2021 to April 2023.
He has 20 years of experience in development and conservation organisations across Africa and Asia.