Washington D.C. – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Rwanda joined the Government of Rwanda from 2^nd to 3^rd February at Rwanda Day 2024, a two-day event that brought together Rwandans living abroad and friends of Rwanda to celebrate the country’s achievements and explore new opportunities for collaboration and investment.

Together with the Government of Rwanda, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), and Rwanda Finance Limited, IOM joined the event to raise awareness about its project “Engaging the Rwandan Diaspora in the Development of the Finance Sector”. The project aims to mobilize the skills, knowledge, and networks of the Rwandan diaspora living in Canada and the United States to support the development of the finance sector in Rwanda, in line with the country’s Vision 2050 and the National Strategy for Transformation.

IOM, RDB and KIFC jointly held a booth in the career corner, where it engaged with participants interested in returning to Rwanda for a short-term assignment to contribute to the development of its banking and financial institutions. IOM also spoke on a panel during the first day, highlighting the potential of the diaspora as a strategic partner for Rwanda’s development.

“The Rwandan diaspora is a valuable asset for the country, as they have the skills, knowledge, and networks that can support the development of various sectors, including the finance sector,” stated Gilbert Agaba with IOM in Rwanda. “Through this project, we aim to facilitate the engagement of the diaspora in the finance sector, by providing them with information, opportunities, and incentives to contribute to Rwanda’s vision and goals.”

These sentiments were echoed by RDB Chief Skills Office, Daniel Katurebe who works as Employment Services Specialist, who also attended the event. “We are proud to partner with IOM Rwanda on this innovative project that leverages the talent and expertise of the Rwandan diaspora to support the growth and transformation of the financial sector in Rwanda. The financial sector is a key driver of economic development and job creation, and we welcome the contributions of the diaspora to this strategic sector.”

“Rwanda has a goal of becoming a middle-income country by 2035, and a high-income country by 2050,” stated Anita Mutesi, RFL Capacity Building Program Manager. “To meet these goals, we must fully leverage the financial sector by transforming Kigali into a financial destination to attract global financial markets, investments and business to the country.”

The event was attended by thousands of people, including the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, and other high-level officials and dignitaries.

This project is funded by the IOM Development Fund, for more information, please visit https://www.idiaspora.org/en/projects/engaging-rwandan-diaspora or contact IOM Rwanda at pir@iom.int.