Rwanda Continues Efforts to Finalize Border Demarcation with Neighbors

Kigali, 13 March 2026 - Rwanda is continuing a long-standing process to confirm its official borders with neighboring countries, more than two decades after the initiative was first launched, the Ministry of Environment has said. Speaking before Parliament, Minister of Environment Dr. Bernadette Arap explained that the process began in 2000, when the Cabinet approved the creation of a national commission to oversee border negotiations and demarcation with neighboring states. The commission officially started work in February 2001, supported by a technical team. “Significant progress has been made, including demarcation work with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda,” the Minister said. However, she noted that the process remains incomplete, as some borders have not yet been formally approved by all parties involved. As a precaution, during the national land registration program (2009-2013), authorities instructed residents living within 200 meters of international borders not to register their land, in order to avoid potential disputes. As a result, some land in these areas remains unregistered to date. Negotiations are ongoing. Recent engagements include meetings with Tanzania and a February 2025 session with Uganda, where both sides agreed to resume border demarcation efforts. Land Boundary Disputes Persist In addition to international borders, Rwanda is also addressing internal land boundary discrepancies identified during the nationwide land registration process. Minister Arap revealed that 222,423 land plots have already been corrected, while efforts continue to resolve outstanding cases across 582 villages. Challenges included unclear boundaries due to terrain such as forests, pastures, and farmland, as well as instances where landowners were absent during the initial mapping. To address this, authorities are now using modern mapping technologies to finalize corrections, with the goal of completing the process within the year. The government is working with development partners to support boundary corrections in districts such as Kirehe, Nyagatare, and Kayonza, with plans to expand the effort to 10 additional districts. Officials noted that while some residents can hire private land surveyors, others are being supported through local administrative structures to ensure fair representation and resolution. The ongoing efforts reflect Rwanda’s commitment to clarifying territorial boundaries, strengthening land governance, and preventing future disputes both domestically and across its borders.

Faits rapportés

Kigali, 13 March 2026 - Rwanda is continuing a long-standing process to confirm its official borders with neighboring countries, more than two decades after the initiative was first launched, the Ministry of Environment has said. Speaking before Parliament, Minister of Environment Dr. Bernadette Arap explained that the process began in 2000, when the Cabinet approved the creation of a national commission to oversee border negotiations and demarcation with neighboring states. The commission officially started work in February 2001, supported by a technical team. “Significant progress has been made, including demarcation work with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda,” the Minister said. However, she noted that the process remains incomplete, as some borders have not yet been formally approved by all parties involved. As a precaution, during the national land registration program (2009-2013), authorities instructed residents living within 200 meters of international borders not to register their land, in order to avoid potential disputes. As a result, some land in these areas remains unregistered to date. Negotiations are ongoing. Recent engagements include meetings with Tanzania and a February 2025 session with Uganda, where both sides agreed to resume border demarcation efforts. Land Boundary Disputes Persist In addition to international borders, Rwanda is also addressing internal land boundary discrepancies identified during the nationwide land registration process. Minister Arap revealed that 222,423 land plots have already been corrected, while efforts continue to resolve outstanding cases across 582 villages. Challenges included unclear boundaries due to terrain such as forests, pastures, and farmland, as well as instances where landowners were absent during the initial mapping. To address this, authorities are now using modern mapping technologies to finalize corrections, with the goal of completing the process within the year. The government is working with development partners to support boundary corrections in districts such as Kirehe, Nyagatare, and Kayonza, with plans to expand the effort to 10 additional districts. Officials noted that while some residents can hire private land surveyors, others are being supported through local administrative structures to ensure fair representation and resolution. The ongoing efforts reflect Rwanda’s commitment to clarifying territorial boundaries, strengthening land governance, and preventing future disputes both domestically and across its borders.