Rwanda will have chartered arbitrators trained locally by the end of 2025, officials at the Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (Ciarb), Rwanda branch, have said.

For the past couple of years, Rwanda’s justice system has continued to move towards promoting ADR mechanisms instead of the use of litigation in resolving conflicts.

As part of this, the justice system is continuing to make room for mechanisms like arbitration, mediation, conciliation.

In support of such efforts, Ciarb Rwanda branch aims to encourage the use of arbitration and other modes of private dispute resolution in Rwanda through a continued working relationship with the Kigali International Arbitration Centre (KIAC), which until now has been the sole provider of dispute resolution training in the jurisdiction.

It also has an objective of supporting the growth in recognition of Rwanda as a seat for international arbitrations, building capacity in collaboration with Ciarb London and other local and international stakeholders, as well as building a broader cohort of qualified arbitrators with specialist knowledge, skills, and expertise across a variety of professional sectors.

Speaking during the institute’s general assembly on Friday, April 27, Athanase Rutabingwa, the Chairman of Ciarb Rwanda branch, said they have more than 50 members so far and are encouraging more to join, especially those from diverse professions.

"We want to get more professions to join. I am happy to report that at Ciarb, so far we have members including retired Supreme Court justices, lecturers, engineers, architects, and accountants. We are getting diversified. We need to have many disciplines so that we give quality services to people who seek assistance from the arbitrators,” he noted.

People who join Ciarb not only benefit from capacity building and skills but also get mentorship, recognised professional certificates, can get diploma courses, as well as taking part in the branch’s forum for exchanging ideas and networking opportunities.

Ciarb Rwanda branch was established in 2020 with a mandate to build the capacity of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practitioners as well as representing arbitrators and ADR practitioners, in collaboration with Ciarb headquarters in the UK and other stakeholders.

The branch offers a variety of professional dispute resolution training options, a forum for the exchange of ideas and networking opportunities, playing a role in supporting Rwanda’s justice sector in promoting access to justice through ADR.

In addition, it facilitates the growth of qualified dispute resolution professionals in Rwanda by providing a range of professional development courses and assessments that lead to Ciarb qualifications, as well as working in collaboration with the Judiciary of Rwanda and the justice sector to build better access to justice through improved administration and professional guidance of dispute resolution practitioners in the jurisdiction.