Rwanda made a commitment to develop resilient and accountable institutions and initiated a range of home-grown solutions to address socio-economic challenges at the grassroots, and this applied to everyone in Rwanda including refugees, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the US, Mathilde Mukantabana, has said.

She was addressing members of the diplomatic corps, Rwandans, and friends of Rwanda on Thursday, July 6, during the celebration of the 29th anniversary of Rwanda’s liberation.

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"We made a commitment to participate in taking our country&039;s development to greater heights. Commitments like these made it possible for 3.5 million refugees to come home since the genocide," she said.

She noted that the same commitments allowed more than one million Rwandans to lift themselves out of poverty. Data shows that poverty declined from 77 percent in 2001 to 38 percent in 2018.

"Commitments like these made Rwanda's GDP quadruple between 1995 and today. Commitments like these made Rwanda business-friendly, inclusive, and modern. First in Government Transparency in Africa, and with the most women in parliament and in a gender-balanced Cabinet in the world," she noted.

Thanks to advancements, including near-universal healthcare, life expectancy has risen by more than 20 years over the past two decades. Rwanda's health sector has made unprecedented progress in investing and ensuring universal health coverage for all Rwandans.

"Over 90% of our population is covered by community-based and private insurance schemes," she said, adding that expanded compulsory education and a strong national emphasis on technology have equipped the younger generation to embrace the opportunities of a dynamic, modern, and growing economy.

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"Our aspirations to become a middle-income country by 2035 and a high income country by 2050 are on a solid course," she assured.

In the past 29 years, she said, the country has been transformed beyond recognition as Rwandans now live together peacefully, driven by an invigorated spirit of hard work, reconciliation, and a desire for self-determination and self-reliance.

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She issued a challenge to members of the Rwandan diaspora and friends of Rwanda to participate in the progress that Rwanda is making.

The Dean of African Ambassadors, Serge Mombouli, praised the achievements of the Rwandans.

"Considering your background, according to numerous individuals, including international observers, you have performed admirably," he stated.

Cathy Rwivanga, the vice president of the Rwandan community in the United States, expressed gratitude to fellow members of the diaspora for their contributions to Rwanda&039;s progress.

"The Rwandan diaspora and friends of Rwanda have played a crucial role in our nation's journey of reconstruction and transformation. Their support, both morally and materially, has been priceless. They have contributed to the development of various sectors, such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure," Rwivanga remarked.