Kigali, 10 July 2026 – The Office of the Ombudsman, in partnership with Transparency International Rwanda, convened a National High-Level Conference to commemorate the 2026 African Anti-Corruption Day under the African Union theme: "Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Actions Across Africa." The conference brought together leaders from government institutions, Parliament, the private sector, civil society organizations, development partners, faith-based organizations, academia, the media, and youth representatives to reaffirm Rwanda's commitment to promoting integrity, strengthening accountability, and preventing corruption. 

Opening the conference, the Chief Ombudsman welcomed participants and emphasized that this year's theme is a call for all stakeholders to move beyond commitments and translate them into concrete action.

"Achieving this year's theme, 'Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Actions Across Africa,' requires strengthening integrity at every level of society through effective prevention, robust accountability mechanisms, strong partnerships, and active citizen participation." 

She stressed that the Office of the Ombudsman remains committed to working closely with government institutions, the private sector, civil society, the media, academia, development partners, faith-based organizations, and citizens to promote ethical leadership, encourage the reporting of corruption, and build a culture where integrity is embraced as a shared responsibility. 

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, who officiated the conference, commended the Office of the Ombudsman and its partners for organizing the event and reaffirmed that corruption remains a major obstacle to sustainable development worldwide.

"For Rwanda, preventing and combating corruption is not only about enforcing the law; it is a strategic investment in our country's development. We recognize that good governance, integrity and the rule of law are indispensable to building a prosperous, inclusive and resilient nation." 

The Minister highlighted Rwanda's steady progress in strengthening integrity systems, noting that the country scored 58 out of 100 in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking 41^st globally and among Africa's top performers. He, however, reminded participants that sustaining these achievements requires continuous vigilance, innovation, and collective action. 

Calling for greater collaboration across society, the Minister emphasized that fighting corruption cannot be left to government institutions alone.

"The fight against corruption cannot be won by Government alone. It requires a whole-of-society approach founded on shared responsibility and collective action." 

During the conference, Transparency International Rwanda presented findings from its latest research on corruption and service delivery in Rwanda. The presentation highlighted progress achieved in reducing corruption while identifying remaining challenges, including low levels of corruption reporting, gaps in whistleblower protection, institutional capacity constraints, and weaknesses affecting service delivery. The organization recommended strengthening whistleblower protection, enhancing financial crime investigations and asset recovery, improving access to information, and finalizing the revised National Anti-Corruption Policy. 

The conference concluded with renewed commitments from participants to strengthen collaboration among public institutions, the private sector, civil society organizations, development partners, the media, academia, and citizens in promoting integrity and combating corruption.

In her closing call to action, the Chief Ombudsman urged all stakeholders to play an active role in safeguarding integrity nationwide.

"By joining efforts and taking collective action, we can build a society where integrity and accountability thrive, and corruption has no place." 

The National Conference reaffirmed Rwanda's commitment to scaling up integrity and anti-corruption actions as an essential foundation for good governance, sustainable development, and public trust.

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