Bernadette Arakwiriye ’14 (New England, MS) was sworn in on July 25, 2025, as the Minister of the Environment of the country of Rwanda. Her appointment comes at a pivotal time as Rwanda continues to lead in environmental sustainability and land restoration initiatives across Africa.
Arakwiye is a seasoned expert in land restoration and environmental research. She had served as a Senior Manager for WRI’s Land Restoration Programs in Africa, where she played a key role in advancing the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100). She also chaired the WRI’s Africa Restoration Executive Team, providing strategic guidance and overseeing the implementation of the Restore Local program.
Her previous roles included working as a Research Associate with Conservation International in the USA and as a Research Assistant with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International in Rwanda. Additionally, she supported WRI research projects in Rwanda on a consultancy basis between 2016 and 2020.
