Kigali, Tuesday, September 24, 2019. On Tuesday morning, IPAR-Rwanda Executive Director Ms. Eugenia Kayitesi, received in her office Canada’s High Commissioner to Rwanda H.E Lisa Stadelbauer who was accompanied by the Head of the High Commission’s Office in Kigali, Ms. Julie Crowley.

Being her first visit to IPAR-Rwanda, the High Commissioner aimed at learning more about the institute, its work and the contribution it makes in informing policy-making through the analysis of various government policies and conducting policy-oriented research in Rwanda.

During their meeting, Executive Director, briefed the High Commissioner on IPAR-Rwanda’s role and immense contribution in the evaluation of performance contracts (locally known as Imihigo) for Ministries, aligned institutions and the districts.

Imihigo evaluation is an exercise that IPAR-Rwanda has been conducting on behalf of the Government of Rwanda, for the past five years and it has been a catalyst for effective planning among the evaluated entities.

The Executive Director also briefed the High Commissioner on other research projects undertaken by the institute with the aim to support evidence-based policy-making in Rwanda.

The Government of Canada, through its International Development Research Center(IDRC), has been supporting IPAR’s efforts to increase the capacity to deliver on its mandate.
IDRC’s support has boosted IPAR-Rwanda’s capacity to produce high-quality research products, conducting policy dialogues and debates and disseminating research results to the relevant actors.
Based in Nairobi, Kenya, H.E Lisa Stadelbauer was in Rwanda to learn deeply about the country and meet key stakeholders. H.E Lisa Stadelbauer serves as Canada’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Ambassador to Burundi and Somalia and Canada’s Permanent representative to the UN in Nairobi.

The Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR-Rwanda) is the leading independent, not-for-profit research and policy analysis Think Tank in Rwanda, with a reputation for conducting high quality research and policy analysis and promotion of a culture of debate and dialogue on policy issues.

IPAR-Rwanda became fully functional in May 2008 with initial start-up support from the Government of Rwanda, technical and operational support from the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and Canada’s International Development Research Center (IDRC).