Jean-Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, Rwanda’s former Minister of Trade and Industry, has been elected as the new United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Director General of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group.
The ARC is a specialized agency under the African Union, established to help member states respond effectively to natural disasters.
His appointment was confirmed during the 15th Session of the ARC Conference of the Parties (COP15), which opened on Monday, April 29, in Kigali. The two-day summit brought together ministers, policy experts, and disaster management officials from across the continent.
Ngabitsinze takes over from Uganda’s Eva Grace Kavuma. Alongside his election, Rwanda’s Olivier Kamana, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, was selected by consensus as the Chairperson of the ARC Bureau.
Ngabitsinze, 47, brings a wealth of experience in economics and governance. Most recently, he served as Rwanda’s Trade and Industry Minister from July 2022 until August 2024. Before that, he held multiple leadership positions in the agriculture ministry, including as Minister and Minister of State.
Earlier in his career, he was a Member of Parliament, where he chaired the influential Public Accounts Committee (PAC). He also taught agricultural economics as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Rwanda.
Ngabitsinze holds a PhD in agricultural economics from Milan State University, a master’s in economics from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and a bachelor’s degree in business economics from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
He has also served on key national boards such as the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) and chaired the National Land Commission.
Prince Ruzigana / The Kaminuza Star