Former Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Gerardine Mukeshimana has been appointed Vice-President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) replacing German, Dominik Ziller.

“I am pleased to announce that after a very robust recruitment process, including an external panel review, I have appointed Ms Gérardine Mukeshimana, a national of Rwanda, as Vice-President,” said Spanish IFAD President Alvaro Lario, in a statement he issued on July 31.

According to the statement, Mukeshimana will come on board (in IFAD) on August 28, 2023.

IFAD, founded in 1977, is an International Financial Institution with the business of financing investments in rural development by mainly providing loans at concessional rates or grants as well as advisory services in this sector, and it is currently active in 96 countries with about 210 measures, reaching about 123 million people.

Since 1978, it has provided $23.2 billion in grants and low-interest loans.

With 177 Member States IFAD supports the fight against the causes of displacement and advocates for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, in particular sustainable poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2) reduction where the main focus is on the African continent.

Mukeshimana, 53, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture and Horticulture from the University of Rwanda, a Master’s Degree, and a doctorate in Plant breeding and Genetics – Crop and Soil Sciences from Michigan State University (USA).