IVI and the Republic of Rwanda

Member State Relations

In February 2022, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Rwanda received approval from the IVI Board of Trustees to accede to the IVI Establishment Agreement.

On 22 March 2022, the Republic of Rwanda  deposited an instrument of accession with the United Nations Treaty Collection, becoming a State Party of the IVI Establishment Agreement.

Host Country Agreement

On 25 November 2024, the International Vaccine Institute and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda signed a Host Country Agreement in Kigali, establishing the IVI Africa Regional Office.

As IVI’s African administrative hub, the office strengthens regional engagement, expands IVI’s member base, and serves as a key partner in the African vaccine ecosystem. A major focus is building clinical trial capacity, alongside facilitating joint grant applications with local partners to drive vaccine research, development, and innovation—benefiting Rwanda and the broader region.

Rwandan Leadership at IVI

IVI Senior Leadership: Nicaise Ndembi, Ph.D., is the Deputy Director General, Regional Director of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)’s Africa Regional Office since January 2025, overseeing IVI’s operational, scientific, and partnership activities in the Africa region, including the Africa Regional Office in Kigali, Rwanda, and a Country Office in Nairobi, Kenya.

Board of Trustees: Dr. Leon Mutesa, Professor of Human Genetics and Director of the Center for Human Genetics at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, at the University of Rwanda, has represented Rwanda since 2022.

Global Council: Rwanda is represented by Prof. Claude Mambo Muvunyi, Director General, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, and Mr. Hassan Sibomana, Director of Rwanda National Vaccination Program as primary and alternate representatives respectively.

Ongoing Collaboration

International Vaccinology Course

Established in 2000, IVI’s International Vaccinology Course is one of the longest-running vaccinology courses in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2024, the course expanded to simultaneous hybrid delivery across three sites: IVI headquarters on the Seoul National University campus in Seoul, Republic of Korea; Kigali, Rwanda, at the Research Institute against Digestive Cancer (IRCAD) Africa; and Stockholm, Sweden, at the Karolinska Institutet. The course is designed for early- and mid-career scientists and public health personnel from low- and middle-income countries who work in vaccine development, policy, or delivery.

Train-the-Trainer Program on Regulatory Dossier Analysis

The Train-the-Trainer Program on Regulatory Dossier Analysis is implemented in partnership with the University of Rwanda, East African Community Regional Centre of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunization and Health Supply Chain Management, and Seoul National University. The program aims to strengthen Africa’s regulatory ecosystem for vaccines and biologics. Through a blended learning and mentorship model, the program develops a cadre of regional regulatory trainers capable of conducting high-quality dossier reviews aligned with international standards.

The program promotes regional regulatory convergence across East African countries by integrating advanced regulatory science, adult learning methodologies, and South–South collaboration. It supports sustainability through institutional licensing and long-term mentorship by IVI and partners.