Rwanda will host the 27th International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) Annual General Meeting and Conference, set to take place from October 26-31, 2025. The announcement was made during the ongoing 26th ICPA Conference in Singapore, held from September 1-6. Evariste Murenzi, Commissioner General of the Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS), and his delegation were present at the event. ALSO READ: Rwanda to host continental prisons officers meet Founded in 1998, the ICPA is a non-profit organisation which promotes ethical and effective correctional practices to enhance public safety and healthier communities. Rwanda will be the second African country to host this event, after Namibia in 2014. It comes as the country has established itself as a hub for hosting and organising of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events and Exhibitions (MICE). ALSO READ: Rwanda to host global prisons’ body conference in 2025 By hosting the ICPA 2025 Conference, the RCS is expected to gain valuable insights from global best practices in inmate rehabilitation and reintegration. These insights will help the service improve its correctional system by reducing recidivism and promoting safer reintegration of inmates into society. This year's conference in Singapore has attracted over 1,000 correctional professionals and experts from around the world. ALSO READ: Rwanda to host UN training for female prisons officers The ICPA Conference, which is hosted by countries on a rotational basis annually, also features the Correctional Excellence Awards, recognizing achievements in advancing humanitarian approaches and professional standards in correctional service. Singapore’s Second Minister for Home Affairs, Josephine Teo, officially opened the 2024 conference saying, “Through this mutual knowledge exchange, it will certainly be helpful to strengthen the correctional practices as a way to help in improving on the offender management systems in the entire world.” The Rwandan delegation shared the achievements of the RCS, such as enrolling all inmates in the national health insurance scheme. In partnership with Rwanda Convention Bureau, the delegation also shared Rwanda’s experience hosting major international meetings and conferences.
