BIO REPORT: MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY MONIQUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KIGALI 000856 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2019 TAGS: PGOV PINR ECON ETRD RW SUBJECT: BIO REPORT: MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY MONIQUE NSANZABAGANWA Classified By: Ambassador W. Stuart Symington for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (SBU) Monique Nsanzabaganwa is the Minister of Trade and Industry. She was born in 1971 in Muhororo, Ruhango District. She received an MA (cum laude) in economics from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa in 2002, winning the Department of Economics' award for best master's student. She is currently finishing her PhD part-time with the same university. In 2006, she attended Harvard University/JFK School of Government's executive education program in public financial management. Nsanzabaganwa is an Africa Leadership Initiative (ALI) fellow and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Nsanzabaganwa is a Hutu who remained in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. ¶2. (C) Nsanzabaganwa began her career as a lecturer at the National University of Rwanda. From 2003-2008 she served as Minister of State for economic planning in the Ministry of Finance. She became Minister of Trade and Industry in March ¶2008. After formation of the independent Rwandan Development Board (RDB) in late 2008, the Ministry of Trade and Industry lost a portion of its portfolio when offices from many ministries were consolidated in the RDB. This year, the Minister led Rwanda's delegation in productive bilateral talks with the USG under our Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). Nsanzabaganwa speaks English, but is most at home in French. Her attitude towards engaging the USG appears cautious but constructive. Within the ministry, director-general Kaliza Karuretwa appears to exercise more influence over operations than Nsanzabaganwa herself. The Minister is not a member of President Kagame,s inner circle and appears to have relatively little sway on GOR actions beyond her role as a member of cabinet and head of an underfunded ministry with important responsibilities. ¶3. (SBU) Nsanzabaganwa is an independent, but is close to the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front. She is married to Theogene Bangwanubusa and has two sons and one daughter. She is fluent in Kinyarwanda, English and French. SYMINGTON