The Rwandan community in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Benin, Liberia, Togo and Sierra Leone convened in Abidjan on Saturday, 31 October 2026, for the first Unity and Resilience Forum, held under the theme “Unity and Resilience: Our Choice”.

The Forum brought together the Rwandan diaspora from the six countries, stakeholders from Rwanda and friends of Rwanda to celebrate Rwanda’s unity and explore opportunities for shared prosperity. The programme featured panel discussions on unity and resilience and on Rwanda’s offer for investors and entrepreneurs, an investment presentation by the Rwanda Development Board, and an exhibition of Rwandan products.

In her remarks, Ambassador Rosemary Mbabazi thanked the Rwandan community, representatives of Ivorian institutions, the Rwandan private sector delegation and partners for making the event possible.

Reflecting on the theme, she said that nations, like individuals, are defined by their choices.

“We are defined by our choices. Rwanda’s journey of resilience has also been defined by the choices we have and continue to make,” she stated.

In identifying the traits that have shaped Rwanda’s journey she noted that is Rwanda a solution-oriented nation, citing several examples including the country's decision to abolish the death penalty despite right after the devastating events of the Genocide against the Tutsi, a choice that was made in favour of a justice system that fosters reconciliation and unity.

She added that Rwanda has over the last three decades made up home-grown solutions rooted in its culture while welcoming partners along the way.

“We were defined by some people as a failed state, but we didn’t accept to be a failed state. Instead, we decided to take our destiny in our hands,” she noted.

The Ambassador said Rwanda is also adaptable and open, as shown by its membership of both the Commonwealth and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. She described it as a nation of mutual accountability, where leaders and citizens answer to one another through a people-centred approach, reflected in the national dialogue and in community practices such as Umuganda.

She encouraged participants to approach challenges with the conviction that they are temporary.

“No challenge is permanent,” she said, urging an attitude of “it will be possible” and “it will happen.”

Turning to bilateral ties, she described relations between Rwanda and Côte d’Ivoire as friendly and strong, supported by several agreements, including one on air services. She called on the Rwandan community in Côte d’Ivoire to help deepen these relations.

“You have access to opportunities. Bring them back. We want more partners here. We want technology transfer, we want skills transfer,” she said, adding that the community should become “the bridge” between Côte d’Ivoire and Rwanda.