Kagame to Ministers: Every Foreign Trip Must Benefit Rwandans

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has directed ministers and senior government officials to significantly cut back on overseas travel, introducing stricter justification requirements for any foreign trips.

He was speaking during the 17th RPF Inkotanyi Congress in Kigali that brought together over 2000 participants to discuss Rwanda's transformation agenda.

Under the new directive, any minister or high-ranking official seeking to travel abroad for meetings, conferences, or official engagements must submit a detailed justification outlining the direct benefits the trip will deliver to Rwandans, as well as the potential risks or losses to Rwanda should the travel not take place.

The move is aimed at tightening fiscal discipline and curbing what the government views as non-essential or low-impact international travel, amid broader efforts to ensure public resources are used efficiently and strategically.

Officials familiar with the directive say the policy reinforces Rwanda’s results-oriented governance approach, placing emphasis on measurable outcomes, national interest, and cost-effectiveness in public service.

The decision comes as Rwanda continues to prioritize domestic development, service delivery, and value-for-money governance, while maintaining a selective and strategic presence in international forums deemed critical to national objectives.

The directive also forms part of President Paul Kagame’s long-standing stance on governance and anti-corruption.

Kagame has repeatedly stressed that the fight against corruption is a non-negotiable principle rooted in Rwanda’s history and the founding values of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).

While acknowledging that methods of combating corruption may evolve with changing global and domestic circumstances, he has maintained that the commitment itself must remain constant, warning against normalising corruption simply because it is tolerated elsewhere.

According to Kagame, adapting strategies should never be mistaken for weakening resolve, as the core objective of integrity in public service remains unchanged.