Kigali, 25 June 2026 – ARECO-RWANDA NZIZA participated in the Government and Civil Society Dialogue, a high-level national forum held at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC). The event was jointly organized by the Rwanda Civil Society Platform (RCSP), the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC), and the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) under the theme “Strengthening Collaboration for Sustainable Outcomes.”
The event brought together a diverse range of stakeholders, including District Mayors, national and international Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), private sector representatives, development partners, and academia and research institutions. ARECO-RWANDA NZIZA was represented by its National Coordinator, Ms. Dancilla Mukakamari, who joined fellow participants in discussions on strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration to accelerate Rwanda’s sustainable development agenda.
The convention provided an opportunity to assess the contributions of civil society under the first National Strategy for Transformation (NST1) while defining a shared strategic direction for implementing the second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and advancing Rwanda’s Vision 2050.
The Guest of Honour, Hon. Dominique Habimana, Minister of Local Government, officially opened the dialogue and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to working closely with Civil Society Organizations in achieving national development goals. In his remarks, he urged CSOs to ensure their interventions address the real priorities of grassroots communities through stronger collaboration with government and other partners. He emphasized that the country’s development efforts should move beyond partnership toward meaningful transformation that delivers measurable improvements in citizens’ lives.
Throughout the dialogue, participants reflected on lessons learned from NST1 implementation and explored practical ways to strengthen coordination, accountability, citizen engagement, and evidence-based programming. The discussions highlighted the critical role of civil society in complementing government efforts to deliver inclusive, sustainable, and people-centered development.
Key recommendations included strengthening citizen participation in the design, implementation, and monitoring of development programmes; improving the visibility, communication, and transparency of CSOs’ achievements; promoting the sharing of impact reports and research evidence to inform decision-making; and institutionalizing the annual Government–Civil Society Dialogue as a platform for continuous engagement and mutual accountability.
The event concluded with closing remarks by Dr. USENGUMUKIZA Felicien, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), who called for stronger coordination and collaboration built on trust, shared responsibility, accountability, and evidence-based interventions to achieve tangible and sustainable development outcomes.
ARECO-RWANDA NZIZA values such national dialogue platforms that foster constructive engagement between government and civil society. The organization remains committed to collaborating with public institutions, communities, development partners, and fellow CSOs to promote inclusive governance, environmental sustainability, and resilient livelihoods, contributing to the successful implementation of NST2 and the realization of Rwanda’s Vision 2050.
