The Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research(IPAR) Ms. Eugenia Kayitesi received in her officethe Israel Ambassador to Rwanda, Amb. Ron Adam on 8 May 2019.

During their meeting, Ms. Kayitesi briefed Amb. Ron about historical background of IPAR, its work and the contribution Rwanda’s leading think-tank is making towards enhancing evidence-based policy making through independent research and policy analysis on a wide range of public policy issues, such as poverty, urbanization, agriculture and access to finance.

Ms. Kayitesi said that besides research and policy analysis, IPARalso organizes policy dialogues and workshops in which new research findings are disseminated and debated and recommendations are shared with the relevant policy makers and other concerned stakeholders.

Ms. Kayitesi further noted that IPAR also trains young Rwandan scholars to become competent researchers and policy analysists, as part of its mandate.
On his part, Amb. Ron said the visit was intended to learn about IPAR and its work and to establish relations and cooperation between the institute and the Embassy.He said Israel has registered an increase in the number of independent think-tanks in the past ten years and they are doing well in generating new and reliable opinions critical for the country’s development.

Amb. Ron outlined Smart Agriculture, Information and Communication Technology(ICT) and Tourism as the strategic areas of cooperation between the State of Israel and the Republic of Rwanda

Amb. Ron’s visit to IPAR follows a similar visit by Or Daniely, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the State of Israel to Ethiopiaon 3 December 2018.

IPAR is the leading independent, not-for-profit research and policy analysis Think Tank in Rwanda, with a reputation for conducting high qualityresearch and policy analysis and promotion of a culture of debate and dialogue on policy issues, with emphasis on Agriculture, Rural Development and Settlements, Social Development, Governance, Economic Growth and Transformation, and Environment and Natural Resources Management.

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