Safety and Stability in Rwanda

Credit ratings

Source: Fitch Ratings: Fitch affirms Rwanda at B+, outlook stable, 11 September 2026; Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning: S&P Global Ratings confirms Rwanda’s credit rating at B+/B with a stable outlook; Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning: Moody’s revises Rwanda’s outlook to stable, affirms B2 rating; Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning: Credit ratings^3,4,5,6

All three ratings are below investment grade, so Rwanda and its companies pay more to borrow abroad than investment-grade countries do.

Corruption and governance

Rwanda’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index score of 58 is its best ever. It ranks third in sub-Saharan Africa and first in East Africa.

The government investigates corruption allegations and generally punishes those found guilty, including senior officials. Some investors still report corruption at lower administrative levels, such as customs, tax and police officials, and some say state-owned or politically connected firms are favoured in public tenders.

Personal safety

Rwanda is a stable country with relatively little violent crime, and investors cite the security environment as a reason to invest. Despite occasional violence along the borders with the DRC and Burundi, no investment project has suffered politically motivated damage since the late 1990s.

Disputes and legal protection

• Rwanda is a party to the ICSID convention for investment disputes and the New York Convention on foreign arbitral awards.
• It has joined the MIGA convention, the World Bank’s political-risk insurer.
• Local courts accept and enforce foreign judgments and contracts under foreign law.
• The Kigali International Arbitration Centre (KIAC), set up in 2012, registered 23 cases in 2024. Some companies prefer a seat of arbitration outside Rwanda in contracts with the government.

Regional risks

• In March 2026 the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force over its support for the M23 armed group in the eastern DRC.
• The U.S. Department of State advises its citizens not to travel within 10 km of the DRC border in Rusizi and Rubavu districts.
• The border with Burundi has been closed since January 2024.

These risks matter most for businesses that trade across the western and southern borders. Check the latest travel advice and sanctions lists before signing contracts with counterparties in the region.