Rubavu, Rwanda – February 19, 2026 — Government leaders and development partners are gathered in Rubavu District for the two-day annual Development Partners Retreat (DPR), a forum dedicated to shaping how Rwanda works with its development partners to achieve its long-term development aspirations.

This year’s theme, “Strengthening Partnerships through Implementation of the New Development Cooperation Policy,” focuses on a proposed framework designed to make cooperation more effective and better aligned with Rwanda’s national goals.

At the heart of discussions is the draft Rwanda Development Cooperation Policy (RDCP), which aims to replace the 2006 Aid Policy. While the earlier policy helped Rwanda secure vital resources during its post-genocide recovery, the new approach seeks to move beyond traditional aid toward deeper, more strategic partnerships that match where the country is today.

“We are entering a new phase in our development journey,” said Hon. Yusuf Murangwa, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and Chair of the DPR. “This policy is about working together differently, moving from scattered projects to joint efforts that are designed here in Rwanda and driven by our own long-term vision.”

The proposed policy looks ahead to 2050, offering a steady roadmap that can adapt to global changes such as climate financing, new sources of investment, and digital transformation. It is designed to support the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and beyond, by ensuring that every partnership delivers real, measurable impact.

Ozonnia Ojielo, UN Resident Coordinator, welcomed the direction of the discussions. “This is about ambition grounded in reality,” he said. “It recognizes that to achieve real scale and lasting change, we must all work as one. So we want to assure you we are fully invested in the government in taking this policy process forward”.

Over the next 2 years, government and partners will work together to phase in the new approach. Multisectoral teams will develop concrete programs and specific flagships that turn the policy’s vision into action on the ground.

The DPR is the leading platform for dialogue between Rwanda and its development partners, including bilateral and multilateral donors, financial institutions, private sector actors, and civil society organizations.