FEATURED: Experts convene in Kigali for UNDP conference on tackling Africa's governance challenges

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) gathered experts from 35 African countries in Kigali from March 11 to 13, 2025, to discuss ways to address governance and peace-building challenges across the continent. The conference was facilitated by the Governance and Peace-building Community of Practice (CoP) 2025, a network aimed at enhancing coherence and capacities to tackle governance and peace-building issues, enabling effective solutions to deliver results. The network facilitates knowledge sharing, best practices, and the development of innovative solutions to governance and peace-building challenges, particularly in conflict-prone and post-conflict societies. Mathias Naab, Director of the UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa, which organized the conference said that mindset change and ownership of governance processes can lead to transformation. ''We provide support to country offices across the 46 country offices of UNDP in Africa.Governance is a process,'' he said. Reflecting on his experience in Rwanda from 2009 to 2013, he highlighted Rwanda’s governance achievements, particularly initiatives which UNDP supported. He emphasized that Rwanda's governance model serves as an inspiration for the continent, proving that mindset change and ownership of governance processes can lead to transformation. ''If Rwanda, given its history, can successfully implement governance reforms, then other African nations can do the same.'' Integrated policies and governance that reflect African contexts Fatmata Lovetta Sesay, the UNDP Resident Representative in Rwanda, explained that experts were rethinking governance strategies and home-grown solutions tailored to African contexts. “Governance must reflect each country’s unique history and context, as exemplified by Rwanda,” she said. She also emphasised the importance of integrated policies. “Policies should address interconnected issues, like education and poverty, to reduce crime, as demonstrated by Rwanda's approach to school dropout rates and crime. Through research, Rwanda realised that school dropouts are among the highest crime rates. They extended the education programme to ensure that children are in school, which helped reduce crime rates,” she said. “They found a second reason which is poverty. Children from poor families drop out of school and also commit crimes. By putting them in school and providing a school feeding programme, they stayed in school and crime rates reduced. That is integrated policy,” she noted. She highlighted that research is vital for informed decision-making, as shown by Rwanda’s data on crime patterns, which helped refine security measures. “Rwanda has a lot to share with Africa, and also we here in Rwanda have a lot to learn from each other,” she added. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, Rwanda’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, shared that research in Rwanda revealed that petty theft and violence among youth account for about 70 per cent of crimes. He said 75 per cent of those committing these crimes have not completed six years of basic education. “If we address this with compulsory education, incentives for children to go to school, and school feeding programmes, we can reduce crime,” he said. He also stressed that Rwanda’s home-grown solutions, rooted in the country’s history, contributed to its governance success, particularly after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He referenced President Kagame's commitment to unity, accountability, and resilience, which were central to Rwanda’s recovery. He also mentioned the Gacaca Courts, a community-based justice system created to address the challenge of prosecuting Genocide cases. “This justice system was crucial for achieving swift justice and reconciliation,” he said. He noted that Rwanda's digitisation of public services, electronic case management systems in the judiciary, and efforts to improve accessibility to justice, especially for vulnerable populations, are part of governance strategies. He also mentioned Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which Rwanda has implemented as a cost-effective and timely solution for certain disputes, reducing court backlogs and fostering a culture of peaceful conflict resolution. Ugirashebuja urged African countries to free themselves from external governance influences. “Full autonomy requires strong institutions, economic independence, and regional integration. We need innovative solutions to strengthen governance and peace-building across Africa,” he added. Ozonnia Ojielo, UN Rwanda’s Resident Coordinator, stressed the importance of governance and peace-building in Africa, particularly concerning the UN’s development efforts. He called for early prevention of conflicts, highlighting the role of development actors in addressing issues like exclusion and human rights before they escalate into larger crises. Ozonnia called for a shift in the understanding of reconciliation, arguing that it should not just be tied to post-conflict settings but should be a fundamental principle of governance. “Reconciliation should be seen not just as something for post-conflict settings but as a fundamental principle of governance,” Ojielo said. He also mentioned Rwanda's unique governance model as an example of governance, where different political parties and socio-economic groups are represented in key government positions, fostering inclusion and collaboration despite differences. “Investing in governance is investing in Africa's future,” he added. Doris Uwicyeza Picard, CEO of Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), discussed Rwanda’s post-Genocide governance model, which prioritised justice, inclusion, and the elimination of ethnic divisions. She quoted President Kagame’s three guiding principles: “We chose to stay together, we chose to be accountable to ourselves, and we chose to think big.” These principles have shaped Rwanda’s governance, emphasising inclusive leadership, strong institutions, and home-grown solutions to national challenges. Six pillars for renewed governance and peace-building framework Since 2022, UNDP has been implementing the renewed governance and peace-building Framework which provides support to countries and regional institutions through six pillars. The six pillars include prevention and early action, investing in Africa’s youth, economic governance, democratic governance and civic participation, promoting the rule of law, justice, and human rights, local governance and delivery of public services. As the continent strives to achieve the SDGs, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the New Agenda for Peace, it is essential to address the root causes of instability, insecurity, and fragility that threaten peace and impinge on democratic consolidation and societal cohesion. At the regional and country levels, UNDP’s Governance and Peacebuilding Team Leaders, Peace and Development Advisors, and Electoral and Human Rights Chief Technical Advisers are leading efforts to tackle these challenges, aiming to advance governance and peace-building throughout Africa. The conference also focused on formulating the next phase of the Governance and Peace-building framework for 2026 and beyond. Experts discussed emerging trends related to elections, peace-building, human rights, and the rule of law in Africa. They outlined actionable plans for supporting country offices in 2025, with a focus on issues such as business and human rights, climate change, peace and security, preventing violent extremism, local governance, economic governance, and gender. Many African countries continue to grapple with vulnerabilities, systemic fragility, and protracted conflicts, further compounded by the effects of climate change, violent extremism, poverty, political instability, and a weakening of the social contract between states and citizens. These challenges are highlighted in the Global Risks Report 2024, which identifies extreme weather events, AI-generated misinformation, political polarisation, the cost-of-living crisis, and cyberattacks as some of the greatest risks.

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FEATURED: Experts convene in Kigali for UNDP conference on tackling Africa's governance challenges