Social Contract Theory and Rwanda’s Model of Post-genocide Nation-Building

Spring 2025 Harry ’51 and Joshua ’49 Tsujimoto Perspectives in Global Development Seminar Series

About the speaker

Ernest Rwamucyo, MPS '01 is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations. Prior to his appointment, Ambassador Rwamucyo served as his country’s Ambassador to Japan, with concurrent accreditation to Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, beginning in 2020.  He was Rwanda’s High Commissioner to India, with concurrent accreditation to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, from 2013 to 2020. From 2010 to 2013, he also served as his country’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and its non-resident Ambassador to Ireland. 

He also held several positions at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York, including Policy Adviser, Millennium Development Goals, from 2007 to 2010, and Director of Strategic Planning and Poverty Reduction Monitoring at the Ministry of Finance, from 2004 to 2006.

Between 2006 and 2007, he was Director General for Economic Development Planning at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning of Rwanda. He served as Head of Economic Planning at the Rwandese Patriotic Front Secretariat, from 2002 to 2004, as well as Assistant Lecturer at the National University of Rwanda, Department of Economics, Social Sciences and Management, in Butare, Rwanda, from 2001 to 2002.

Mr. Rwamucyo received his master’s in international development (now the MPS program in Global Development) from Cornell University in New York, United States in 2001, as well as his bachelor’s in public administration from the National University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda, in 1999.

Co-sponsor

Institute for African Development at Cornell University

About the seminar series

The Harry ’51 & Joshua ’49 Tsujimoto Perspectives in Global Development Seminar Series showcases innovative approaches to development with experts from around the globe. Each year, the series attracts online registrants from over 45 countries and more than 350 organizations. 

Seminars are held Wednesdays from 12:20-1:10 p.m. eastern time during the semester in 101 Bradfield Hall. Students, faculty and the general public are welcome to attend in-person or via Zoom.

The series is co-sponsored by the Department of Global Development, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, and the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management as part of courses GDEV 4961, AEM 4961, NTRES 4961, GDEV 6960, AEM 6960, and NTRES 6960.