Prime Minister, Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva, represented President Paul Kagame at the 2025 ICCF U.S. Congressional International Conservation Leadership Gala held at the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday evening.
The high-level gathering, hosted by the International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF), brought together over 200 distinguished guests, including U.S. Cabinet members, Congressional leaders, international policymakers, business executives, and conservation advocates.
The annual ICCF gala, recognized as one of Washington’s most influential events on environmental leadership, celebrates bipartisan commitment to habitat conservation, sustainable resource management, and global collaboration.
Since its inception in 2006, the Gala has featured world figures such as King Charles III, Jeff Bezos, Queen Noor of Jordan, and former U.S. Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, both serving as Honorary Co-Chairs of the ICCF.
A model of partnership and people-led conservation
In his remarks, Nsengiyumva applauded ICCF’s longstanding leadership in advancing global conservation, noting that Rwanda’s journey demonstrates how visionary policies and community participation can transform environmental protection into a cornerstone of national development.
“Peace and prosperity cannot be sustained without protecting the environment our people depend on. That’s why Rwanda has placed conservation at the heart of our national development strategy for the past three decades,” he said.
He highlighted landmark initiatives such as Kwita Izina, Rwanda’s annual gorilla naming ceremony, as a symbol of how conservation can merge cultural identity with ecological restoration.
Two decades ago, the country’s mountain gorillas were on the brink of extinction. Today, their population has rebounded to over 1,000, no longer listed as critically endangered.
The Prime Minister also cited the success of Akagera National Park, restored through an innovative public-private partnership with African Parks. Since its rehabilitation fifteen years ago, Akagera’s wildlife population has grown from fewer than 5,000 large mammals to nearly 12,000, and the park is now financially self-sustaining.
“Lions were reintroduced in 2015, followed by the return of black and white rhinos, marking the largest single rhino translocation in history. Such results would have been impossible without the support of local communities, who have become the frontline defenders of wildlife in Rwanda,” he noted.
Africa’s shared commitment to nature and prosperity
Dr. Nsengiyumva reaffirmed that Rwanda’s conservation vision aligns with broader African efforts to link environmental stewardship with economic transformation.
He referenced the Kigali Call to Action for People and Nature, endorsed by African leaders in 2022, and ongoing collaborations such as the Africa Keystone Protected Area Partnership, which mobilize continental and global partners toward resilient ecosystems.
The Prime Minister underscored that conservation in Africa is not limited to tourism but is increasingly intertwined with innovation, from digital wildlife monitoring to biodiversity genomics and sustainable bio-economies.
He also cautioned that the continent’s parks must be shielded from insecurity and illicit exploitation. “We cannot allow Africa’s parks to be used by terrorist groups or criminal organizations to create instability,” he emphasized.
Nsengiyumva went on to commend President Donald Trump for facilitating the regional peace process that culminated in the Washington Peace Agreement, which includes provisions for cross-border cooperation between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on conservation and tourism.
He further acknowledged the bipartisan leadership of U.S. lawmakers, including Senators Chris Coons, Lindsey Graham, Martin Heinrich, and Thom Tillis, for championing the creation of the U.S. Foundation for International Conservation, aimed at linking environmental protection with sustainable livelihoods.
The Prime Minister hailed philanthropist Rob Walton for supporting the establishment of the African Conservation Academy in Akagera, which will provide advanced training for conservation professionals across Africa.
“When we work together, we can create a better future for our children and our planet. That is the spirit we celebrate tonight,” he said.
The 2025 ICCF Gala once again reaffirmed the value of international partnerships in conservation, not just as an environmental cause, but as a bridge for peace, prosperity, and shared responsibility across nations.
