Foreign Policy, Diplomacy and Cooperation

Rwanda's diplomacy and international engagements are resolutely multilateral, cooperative and judicious.

49

Rwandan diplomatic missions and 1 General Consulate covering 147 countries

37

Honorary consuls in 17 countries

200

Membership in International Organizations

47

Foreign diplomatic missions in Rwanda

Foreign Policy

The Foreign Policy of the Republic of Rwanda outlines a comprehensive framework to advance the country’s position in a shifting international landscape while taking into consideration evolving contemporary trends.

This policy contributes to the realisation of the country’s aspirations to transform its economy and elevate the living standards of all Rwandans. In line with Rwanda’s Vision 2050, it articulates our long-term strategic direction and provides the necessary pathways to achieve “the Rwanda we want.”

It is anchored on the following five pillars and their associated objectives:

  • People-to-people and knowledge exchange pursued through parliamentary diplomacy; strengthening engagement with Rwandans living abroad; promoting south-south, north-south, and triangular cooperation;
  • Economic prosperity pursued through strengthening and expanding Rwanda’s economic diplomacy, public health and contributing to environmental protection, mitigation, and adaptation to climate change;
  • The preservation of genocide memory, fighting genocide ideology and denial pursued through raising awareness about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda; promoting justice as a shared global responsibility; and upholding the responsibility to protect;
  • Multilateralism pursued through fostering political and socio-economic integration for Africa’s development and strategically engaging the international community.
  • Security and defence pursued through protecting and preserving Rwanda’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; contributing to the attainment of sustainable global peace, security and stability; supporting the establishment of global governance systems to ensure secure and peaceful cyber and outer space;

This foreign policy invigorates Rwanda’s stance in bilateral and multilateral fora, recognising the interdependence and interconnectedness of our globalised world. It was developed through extensive consultations with the public and private sectors, academia and civil society, whose participation is fundamental to the successful implementation of this policy.