Jean Guy Afrika is the new RDB CEO.
President Paul Kagame has appointed Jean Guy Afrika the new Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), replacing Francis Gatare, who in December was appointed the senior presidential advisor.
Afrika’s appointment was announced by Prime Minister, Dr. Edouard Ngirente on Monday, nearly one month after the position became vacant after Gatare returned to the Office of the President as senior advisor.
Afrika was serving as the Lead Regional Integration Coordination Office at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) since May 2024, a position he previously served in acting capacity from 2021.
At AfDB, Afrika worked on the day-to-day management of the regional integration department, including its staff, consultants, and budget and spearheaded high-level partnerships with major regional and international organizations.
Afrika’s role entailed advising senior management on regional integration and resource allocation, especially regarding the design, structuring, and financing of large-scale regional infrastructure projects, according to his profile.
His mandate also included reporting on the performance of the Bank’s $14 billion regional integration portfolio and played a pivotal role in strengthening partnerships with major continental and regional institutions, including the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities, and the AfCFTA Secretariat.
Before joining the continental bank, Afrika held senior roles at the East African Community (EAC) and the Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency (RIEPA), where he advanced integration and export growth initiatives.
He holds a Master of Arts in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University and an Executive Education Certificate, Mastering Trade policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a certificate in organisational leadership, from University of Oxford, He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Lynchburg.
