Speaking to business leaders and global delegates, he outlined how Rwanda's bold choice to 'think big' has transformed a nation once deemed doomed into a beacon of resilience and progress.
The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi left Rwanda in ruins, with one million lives lost in just 100 days. Institutions were shattered, the economy collapsed, and hope seemed lost. Yet, as Minister Nduhungirehe explained, Rwanda refused to accept despair.
'We chose to stay together, to be accountable, and to think big,' he said, describing three defining decisions that reshaped the nation's DNA.
Rejecting a one-size-fits-all development model, Rwanda forged its own path with homegrown solutions rooted in its culture and context. The Gacaca community courts, inspired by traditional dispute resolution, processed over two million genocide-related cases in a decade, delivering justice and reconciliation where conventional courts would have taken a century.
'Gacaca means grass,' Nduhungirehe noted, recalling how village elders once settled conflicts on grassy patches, a practice revived to heal a fractured society.
Other innovations drew from Rwanda's traditions. Umuganda, a monthly community work day, unites citizens for public projects like tree planting and building homes for the vulnerable, making Kigali one of Africa's cleanest cities.
Imihigo, or performance contracts, hold public officials accountable with measurable targets, fostering a results-driven culture. The Girinka program, meaning 'own a cow,' has lifted thousands out of poverty by providing cows to poor families, with recipients passing on calves to neighbours in a chain of solidarity.
Rwanda's ambition extended to gender equality, with women now holding 61% of parliamentary seats, the highest globally.
'After the genocide, women were victims beyond men, facing sexual violence and loss,' Nduhungirehe said. Reforms ensured equal rights to inheritance and services, while gender-responsive budgeting prioritizes women in education, health, and agriculture. Programs like One Laptop Per Child aim to leapfrog Rwanda into the digital age.
The minister highlighted Rwanda's defiance of sceptics who called its goals too ambitious. Despite pressure from international partners like the World Bank and IMF to scale back, Rwanda invested in five-star hotels and tourism campaigns like Visit Rwanda, partnering with soccer giants Arsenal, PSG, and Bayern Munich.
'They told us we were a poor country, that we should stay where we are,' he said. 'We refused, and it's paying off.'
Rwanda's Vision 2020 lifted millions out of poverty and established universal healthcare and free primary education. Now, Vision 2050 aims to make Rwanda an upper-middle-income country by 2035 and a high-income nation by 2050, with a GDP per capita target of $12,000.
'Even if we don't fully reach our goals, we know we'll be close,' Nduhungirehe said, emphasising the power of ambition.
The minister also addressed Rwanda's global partnerships, including its role in China's Belt and Road Initiative since 2018, which has funded roads, hospitals, and irrigation projects.
On the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nduhungirehe noted that FDLR, a militia group formed by the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, continues to destabilise the region from DRC territory.
He highlighted a peace agreement signed with the DRC in Washington on June 27, 2025, aimed at neutralising the FDLR, lifting Rwanda's defensive measures, resolving political issues for Congolese of Rwandan descent, and fostering joint economic projects like methane gas extraction from Lake Kivu and critical minerals development.
'We hope to change the narrative from blood minerals to shared prosperity,' he said, stressing Rwanda's commitment to implementing the agreement in good faith.
Responding to questions, Nduhungirehe credited President Paul Kagame's visionary leadership. A delegate from his team recounted Kagame's post-genocide call to 'transform suffering into a creative force,' choosing unity over bitterness. This clarity of vision, coupled with accountability, has driven Rwanda's progress, from performance contracts for mayors to resisting external pressures to conform.
'Development should never be about fitting into a frame designed elsewhere,' Nduhungirehe remarked. 'It should be rooted in values, driven by pragmatism, and flexible enough to adapt.'
Wycliffe Nyamasege
