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In a significant move to strengthen the country’s environmental conservation efforts, Bernadette Arakwiye was officially named Rwanda’s Minister of Environment yesterday. Her appointment comes at a pivotal time as Rwanda continues to lead in environmental sustainability and land restoration initiatives across Africa.
Bernadette Arakwiye, PhD, is a seasoned expert in land restoration and environmental research. She had served as a Senior Manager for WRI’s Land Restoration Programs in Africa, where she played a key role in advancing the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100). She also chaired the WRI’s Africa Restoration Executive Team, providing strategic guidance and overseeing the implementation of the Restore Local program.
With a distinguished career supporting restoration monitoring activities throughout Africa, Bernadette had also contributed to environmental research projects at various levels. Her previous roles included working as a Research Associate with Conservation International in the USA and as a Research Assistant with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International in Rwanda. Additionally, she supported WRI research projects in Rwanda on a consultancy basis between 2016 and 2020.
Dr. Arakwiye holds a Ph.D. in Geography from Clark University in Massachusetts, where she was awarded the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship for her research on forest cover change in Western Rwanda. She also earned an MSc in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England and a BSc in Biology from the University of Rwanda.
Residing in the scenic town of Musanze in Northern Rwanda with her husband and two sons, Bernadette brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion to her new role as Rwanda’s Minister of Environment. Her appointment is expected to enhance Rwanda’s environmental policies and its commitment to sustainable land use and conservation.
