Appointed on August 31 by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Yamina Karitanyi replaces Francis Gatare, who had been the CEO of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) since its creation in 2017.
Established in February 2017, the RMB is the Government of Rwanda’s body responsible for implementing and advising the government on matters related to national mining, oil and gas policies, laws and strategies. It is also mandated to monitor and coordinate the implementation of mining, oil and gas strategies. In addition to monitoring, it is expected to conduct research and exploration in the fields of geology, mining and petroleum and disseminate the results. In addition, the RMB is supposed to supervise and control private or public entities that conduct mining, commercial and mineral development activities. It should assist the government in evaluating mining and quarrying concessions. Finally, the RMB must cooperate and collaborate with other regional and international institutions with a similar mission.
Diplomat for many years
Prior to her appointment, Yamina Karitanyi was High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Kingdom, and Non-Resident Ambassador to Ireland, since December 2015.
Prior to her assignment in London, since April 2014, Yamina Karitanyi headed the Department of Tourism and Conservation at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the Rwandan government agency tasked with accelerating the country’s economic development. During her tenure as head of tourism and conservation, it is explained, the department saw new and innovative products promoted in tourism, including the reinstatement of lions in Akagera National Parks, and Rwanda’s conservation achievements were highlighted on the world stage.
In May 2012, Yamina Karitanyi was appointed High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda to the Republic of Kenya, based in Nairobi, after serving as Minister Counselor at the diplomatic mission since August 2010. During her tenure as High Commissioner to Kenya, it is reported, trade and diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Kenya have been significantly strengthened.
Prior to her public service, Yamina Karitanyi spent more than 10 years in senior management positions at GoodWorks International, a strategic consulting firm serving multinational corporations and governments in the United States and East Africa. Prior to that, she was a marketing analyst at Carrier Corporation. Yamina Karitanyi has a proven track record in international business, operations management, trade negotiations and diplomacy, she says.
Yamina Karitanyi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies (1998) from Buffalo State College, USA, and an MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology (2000), USA. She is fluent in English, French, Kinyarwanda and Swahili.
