She made the remarks on October 20, 2025, while addressing the Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs and Human Rights, which was reviewing progress in improving the welfare of senior citizens.
The Minister emphasized that ensuring both the youth and the elderly live decent lives requires access to decent work.
According to the Seventh Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV 7), more than 1.5 million Rwandans have been lifted out of poverty, and overall poverty levels have dropped by 12.4% across all population categories.
Minister Nkulikiyinka stated, “For both young people and those in advanced age to live better lives, they need to have decent jobs. Job creation and good working conditions are interlinked.”
She revealed that between 2017 and 2024, Rwanda created 1,732,770 jobs, of which 85% were taken up by young people, highlighting the country’s focus on youth employment.
Recent figures from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), covering the labour force as of May 2025, indicate that Rwanda has 8.5 million people aged 16 and above who are eligible to work.
Out of these, 4.5 million are employed, while over 710,000 are unemployed.
Those not active in the labour market total 3.2 million, comprising mainly students and senior citizens.
EICV 7 also shows that among Rwandans living in poverty, 21% are aged 66 and above, 24% are between 56 and 65, while 28% are aged 46 to 55, suggesting that older age groups remain more vulnerable economically.
Senator Prof. Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu emphasized the importance of preparing employees for retirement to ensure their continued wellbeing.
He said, “There is not enough focus on pre-retirement counseling and preparation. For many elderly people, money is not always the main issue, there are other important aspects of wellbeing.”
Prof. Dusingizemungu shared his personal experience from university, explaining that older lecturers often returned to school to spend more time in their offices, which helped them stay active and maintain a sense of purpose in life.
The disclosure was made on October 18, 2025, during an awards ceremony honoring the top-performing players of this year’s tournament.
During the event, 28 players were honored for their exceptional performances across various categories. The tournament brought together around 200 participants, including 120 from Rwanda.
According to BPR Bank Rwanda Plc, KCB Group invested Frw 680 million in 2023, over Frw 730 million in 2024, and more than Frw 900 million in 2025 to support the initiative.
Patience Mutesi, the Managing Director of BPR Bank Rwanda Plc, said the bank believes in the power of sports to connect people and strengthen relationships beyond business.
“We believe that through sports, we as BPR Bank Rwanda Plc can engage and connect not only for our own interests but also to build strong relationships with others. It helps us unite with sports lovers across the region,” she said.
The ceremony also featured entertainment and celebrations, as golfers and fans enjoyed music and moments of joy in recognition of their achievements.
The grand final of the BPR-KCB East Africa Golf Tour will take place in December 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Four top Rwandan players Mulenga Patrick, Akanigi Melisa, Sheetar Philp, and Rugema Willy were selected to represent Rwanda at the finals.
The winning team in Nairobi will receive a prize of 1 million Kenyan Shillings (approximately Frw 11.2 million) and an all-expenses-paid trip to participate in the Dubai Classic Tournament.
Gihana Mulenga Patrick, one of the players set to represent Rwanda, told IGIHE that they are well-prepared to make the country proud and thanked BPR Bank Rwanda Plc for its continued support in promoting sports, especially golf.
“This is my first-ever golf award, and it’s just the beginning. I’m confident that we will perform well in Kenya. I sincerely thank BPR Bank Rwanda Plc for standing by us. Their support means a lot, especially for players who often struggle to afford equipment,” he said.
In the men’s invitational category, Francis Mwangi emerged as the overall winner with 42 points, followed by All Timimi with 41 points.
In the women’s category, Nasabwe Kelly claimed the top position with 39 points, ahead of Akero Lina, who came second with 34 points.
The scholarships were granted during UR’s graduation ceremony as a reward for their exceptional academic performance and dedication during their legal studies. The two will pursue their postgraduate legal training at ILPD free of charge.
The awards were presented by Shirimpumu N. Erick, Vice Rector in charge of Finance and Administration at ILPD, during the graduation ceremony held in Huye District.
Josiane Uwihirwe, one of the award recipients, expressed her joy and gratitude for being recognized by ILPD for her commitment and excellent academic performance.
She said the award was not only an honor but also a great relief, as she would have otherwise needed to pay a significant amount of money to pursue her legal practice program.
“I am very happy to have received the opportunity to study at ILPD free of charge. This will help me follow my professional legal training with focus and determination. I have always dreamed of becoming a legal practitioner, and this opportunity brings me closer to that goal. It’s a big achievement, and I’m grateful that I can now pursue it without the financial burden,” she said.
Uwihirwe added that she had always been eager to study at ILPD, having learned while still in university that it is the institution that shapes true legal professionals in Rwanda.
She emphasized that one cannot become a practicing lawyer without passing through ILPD and expressed confidence that this opportunity will provide her with a strong foundation to achieve her dream.
Her excitement was shared by Fréderic Kwihangana, the second scholarship recipient, who also expressed deep gratitude to ILPD for granting him this rare opportunity.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity that every law student in Rwanda dreams of. I’m truly delighted that my colleague and I were selected for this scholarship. I will continue my studies with peace of mind, become a professional in a short time, and all this at no cost. I believe this recognition will further motivate me to work even harder and finish among the best,” he said.
Shirimpumu stated that ILPD offers such awards not only to recognize the hard work and excellence of top-performing students but also to remind all law graduates that professional legal practice requires completing ILPD’s training programs.
“This initiative aims to acknowledge the best-performing students, while also reminding all law graduates that in order to achieve their dreams of becoming professional lawyers, they must undertake the training provided by ILPD. This program is organized in close collaboration with the University of Rwanda, particularly its Faculty of Law,” he explained.
He further reminded interested graduates that registration for new students has already begun. Weekend classes are scheduled to start in late October 2025, while full-time classes will commence in January 2026.
A total of over 90 students completed their law studies at the University of Rwanda this year. All of them are required to undertake further studies at ILPD to become fully qualified legal professionals.
A five-year report from the Gender Monitoring Office (GMO), covering up to 2022, highlights significant achievements in implementing gender equality across public and private sectors, though challenges remain.
Among the milestones are regular gender accountability reports, the establishment of Gender Accountability Day (GAD) at district level, and the creation of a gender equality certification standard, RS 560:2023 Gender Equality Seal.
To date, 25 institutions have earned the seal for implementing gender-responsive practices.
{{Institutional progress}}
Several institutions have been recognized for exemplary practices. At the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR), women in leadership roles have increased from 20% to 50%, including technical departments.
The bank also grants an additional three months of remote work for breastfeeding mothers and four days of leave for new fathers.
At Inkomoko, female employees receive six months of maternity leave while men get two weeks of paternity leave.
The Rwanda Energy Group (REG) revised leadership eligibility requirements from 15 to 10 years of experience to encourage more women to apply for top positions, raising female representation in senior management to 40%, compared to zero in 2019.
REG has also set up breastfeeding rooms, childcare spaces, and flexible work arrangements. Women in technical roles now make up 32% of its workforce.
Cement manufacturer CIMERWA has helped women entrepreneurs expand their businesses, increasing monthly cement truck sales from half a truck to about 30 trucks per individual.
Nationally, women now hold 63.75% of seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 53.8% in the Senate, well above the constitutional threshold of 30%.
To support data-driven monitoring, the Gender Management Information System (GMIS) was launched to collect and analyze gender-related data and measure accountability across institutions.
Rwanda also continues to strengthen services like Isange One Stop Centers (IOSCs) for gender-based violence survivors, ensuring consistent funding for legal aid, health services, and psychosocial support.
{{Frw 11.5 billion plan to deepen equality by 2029}}
The Gender Monitoring Office (GMO) has unveiled a five-year plan, running from 2024 to 2029, worth over Frw 11.5 billion, aimed at deepening gender equality across public, private, and civil society sectors.
The budget will be mobilized through partners including civil society organizations (CSOs), and the private sector.
Under this plan, Frw 150 million will be used to strengthen the monitoring of gender mainstreaming in national laws, plans, and employment programs, while Frw 100 million will go toward assessing gender inclusion in climate resilience initiatives.
Another Frw 100 million is set aside to evaluate compliance with gender principles in district and sector development plans.
To promote accountability and gender-responsive planning, Frw 300 million will support the advancement of Gender Responsive Budgeting and its alignment with district performance contracts.
In addition, Frw 400 million will fund advocacy and audits on gender integration within public and private institutions, while Frw 500 million will be directed toward implementing gender equity programs and nationwide awareness campaigns.
The plan also allocates Frw 200 million for monitoring the rollout of the Gender Equality Seal (RS 560:2023) certification and another Frw 500 million to mark Gender Equality Day across government institutions, the private sector, and civil society organizations.
The plan also allocates Frw 200 million for monitoring gender efforts at family level, Frw 300 million for expanding Gender-Responsive Villages across districts, and additional funds to evaluate community initiatives such as Inshuti z’Umuryango (community family volunteers) and community health workers.
{{Addressing unpaid care work and workplace harassment}}
The GMO budget includes Frw 300 million for advocacy and programs addressing unpaid care work, a challenge highlighted by IPAR Rwanda research showing that women work an average of 75.6 hours per week compared to 68.4 for men, with 35% of women’s work hours being unpaid compared to 15% for men.
To tackle sexual harassment at workplaces and gender-based violence, Frw 600 million will fund monitoring of government and private sector compliance, while Frw 1.4 billion will support nationwide efforts to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including teenage pregnancy prevention and survivor rehabilitation.
A further Frw 490 million will monitor Rwanda’s adherence to regional and international gender equality commitments, and Frw 200 million will strengthen civil society and faith-based organizations’ capacity to address gender-based violence.
Finally, Frw 1 billion is set aside to transform GMO into a center of excellence for gender research and knowledge management in Rwanda.
The man, whose identity was not revealed, was executed at a prison in Iran’s central Qom province on Saturday, Mizan quoted Seyed Kazem Mousavi, the province’s chief justice, as saying.
He added the convict had started his intelligence cooperation with Israel in October 2023 and was arrested in February 2024.
The chief justice said the man had confessed to having had intelligence cooperation with Israel, and was sentenced to death following legal proceedings.
Iran’s intelligence and judicial authorities had detected the man’s activities and prevented the transmission of the country’s sensitive data to Israel, according to Mousavi.
According to the statement, the strikes were led by the IDF’s Southern Command “following a ceasefire violation earlier in the day.”
Israel’s state-owned Kan TV reported that the targets struck included tunnels Hamas had used to hold hostages.
This was the second wave of Israeli strikes on Sunday, following an earlier round of airstrikes on the southern and northern Gaza Strip. According to Israel’s Channel 12, a total of 104 targets were struck during the day.
The Israeli army said the initial strikes were in response to Hamas firing an anti-tank missile and opening fire on troops dismantling infrastructure in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.
Following the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations with Defense Minister Israel Katz and security officials and instructed them to act forcefully against targets in the strip.
Kan reported that Netanyahu also ordered the suspension of humanitarian aid to Gaza until further notice.
Channel 12 added that the political echelon has decided to close all crossings to the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said that the Israeli attacks on Sunday killed at least 14 Palestinians in Gaza.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for the Gaza Civil Defense, told Xinhua that “field teams have responded since early morning to more than 20 distress calls in different parts of the Strip, recovering 14 bodies, including women and journalists, in addition to dozens of injured people.”
Basal added that the Israeli bombardment targeted “civilian gatherings, a cafe, a chalet, and tents sheltering displaced people, causing partial collapses of buildings and fires in several locations,” noting that “search and rescue operations are still underway under extremely difficult conditions due to the severe shortage of fuel and equipment.”
Israel and Hamas have exchanged accusations of violating a ceasefire agreement that has been in effect since Oct. 10. The truce was brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye, with U.S. support, following indirect negotiations between the two sides.
Under the agreement, both parties committed to cessation of hostilities, the exchange of prisoners and detainees, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas of the enclave, and the entry of humanitarian aid and fuel to allow medical and relief teams to resume their operations.
President Faye was received at Kigali International Airport by President Kagame, alongside senior government officials including cabinet ministers.
During his visit, President Faye is expected to tour several key Rwandan institutions, including the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Ministry of Sports, where he will hold discussions with their leadership teams on areas of mutual interest.
On Saturday, October 18, President Kagame will host President Faye at Urugwiro Village, the Office of the President, for a private meeting followed by a press briefing.
The two leaders are expected to sign new bilateral cooperation agreements, adding to existing ones in aviation and media collaboration.
Rwanda and Senegal have enjoyed strong diplomatic relations for many years. In 2011, Rwanda opened its embassy in Dakar, marking a turning point in their partnership and paving the way for expanded cooperation in trade, governance, and cultural exchange.
This visit follows a series of reciprocal high-level engagements between the two nations.
President Kagame last visited Senegal in August 2025, reaffirming both countries’ commitment to deepening their friendship and advancing Africa-led development initiatives.
The statement said the UN chief took note of the decision of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union to immediately suspend the country from participation in all activities of the union, its organs and institutions, until constitutional order is restored in the country.
“The Secretary-General encourages all the Malagasy stakeholders, including the youth, to work together to address the underlying causes of instability in the country,” the statement said.
Guterres also reiterated the availability of the United Nations to support national efforts toward the attainment of that goal, in collaboration with the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and other international partners, the statement added.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a Malagasy military officer, announced on Tuesday that state power in Madagascar had been taken over by a military council comprising members of the army, gendarmerie and national police, and the country’s constitution had been suspended.
Protests erupted in Madagascar in late September, initially triggered by widespread power outages and water shortages. Some demonstrations turned violent and soon escalated into calls for the president’s resignation. The protests took a new turn on Saturday, with an army regiment declaring its support for and protection of the protesters.
The launch event held at the Kigali Convention Center convened high-level representatives from government, financial institutions, the private sector, development partners, and civil society to discuss and re-affirm commitment to the successful implementation of the strategy and to deepening collaboration across the financial ecosystem.
Speaking during the event, Godfrey Kabera, Minister for National Treasury, emphasized that the FSDS will serve as the “financial engine” to drive the nation’s long-term ambitions under Vision 2050 and the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
He noted that the strategy is designed to strengthen digital financial ecosystems, promote savings, and facilitate access to resources needed to expand trade and investment.
“Through this strategy, we aim to expand private sector engagement, create quality jobs, and ensure a more inclusive economic growth for all Rwandans,” he said.
The FSDS 2025–2029 aligns closely with Rwanda’s broader goal of positioning itself as a regional financial hub through the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC).
It seeks to transform the financial sector into a powerful vehicle for mobilizing and channeling capital toward key national priorities.
The strategy highlights the importance of improving access to finance, particularly for underserved groups such as women, youth, small and medium enterprises, and the agricultural sector.
By 2029, the strategy targets a doubling of the national savings rate from 12.4% to 25.9% of GDP, alongside deeper financial inclusion and literacy across all segments of the population.
It also aims for more than 70% of private sector financing under NST2 to be mobilized through the domestic financial system, signaling a shift toward greater reliance on local financial institutions to drive growth.
By harnessing digital technologies, reinforcing regulatory frameworks, and fostering public-private partnerships, the FSDS 2025-2029 marks a decisive step in mobilizing the financial resources required to meet Rwanda’s ambitious development targets, ensuring a stable and prosperous future for all its citizens.
The event, organized by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in partnership with the Embassy of Rwanda in Germany and the Tourism Chamber, followed successful engagements in Utrecht (Netherlands).
It aimed to connect Rwandan tour operators with European travel professionals and promote new, tailor-made packages for the German market.
In his remarks, Ambassador Igor César described Rwanda, the Land of a Thousand Hills, as a destination where nature, culture, and innovation meet.
He highlighted the country’s rich landscapes stretching from Nyungwe and Volcanoes to Akagera and Gishwati-Mukura National Parks, offering experiences from gorilla trekking and rainforest hikes to savanna safaris and urban exploration in Kigali.
Sustainability was a key theme. Amb. César emphasized Rwanda’s success in wildlife conservation, including the reintroduction of lions and rhinos, which has transformed Akagera National Park into a “Big Five” destination.
He also underscored the Tourism Revenue Sharing Program, through which over Frw 18.1 billion has funded more than 1,190 community projects around national parks, ensuring tourism directly benefits local communities.
Speaking to tour operators and agents, Amb. César described them as “storytellers” who shape travelers’ choices and invited them to integrate Rwanda into their itineraries.
With Germany among Rwanda’s top ten tourism source markets, the roadshow reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to sustainable partnerships and to positioning itself as one of Africa’s most compelling and responsible destinations.
