2020 INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS'' ESSAYS

Five Years of Career Development Toward Building Rwanda We Want

Emmanuel Munyemana (2015 MPP, Rwanda)

<2019 UNICEF- Emmanuel Munyemana during Public Policy dialogue>

I graduated with modern and cutting-edge skills  and enthusiasm to strengthen the career and realize growth both in short and medium term. December 23^rd, 2015, I left Sejong City, KDI School with enthusiasm, ideas and fully loaded with experiences, gained from highly dedicated and fascinating academic and faculty members as well as the field visits and friendship that I have consolidated within and outside the school. Prior to my departure to Rwanda, I had a mixed feeling, on one side, I was saddened by leaving the really loved and enjoyed place of learning, socializing and exploration and on the other hand, I was thrilled to come back to my home country to share experience and apply enormous practical skills acquired as I contribute to my personal development and also providing my share to Rwanda’s socio-economic and sustainable development trajectory. The past four and half years, my life was characterized by tremendous personal realization in different domains, categorized into three main areas: (i) Career development (ii) personal economic growth, (iii) contribution to Rwanda’s social and economic policy.

Upon returning to Rwanda, I had to embark on career building in order to extend the impact through social and economic policy jobs at national level. Right after six months of graduation, namely June 2016, I was hired by the German Cooperation in Rwanda (GIZ) , as a National Planning Technical Advisor, and was placed in the Rwanda Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) -an ideal place to work as development and public policy expert-. There, I had chance to work on several projects which required me to strongly implement the skills acquired from KDI, especially, those relating to Public finance, policy process, market economy and government, policies for development, and most importantly the Korea Economic Development Experience. Some of the achievements are (i) supporting the monitoring, mid-term and final evaluation of the then Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRSII), (ii) building the capacity of national planners on functional areas, (iii) support the development of national investment Policy, among others. Importantly I got chance to support the development of the current 7 years Government National Strategy for transformation (NST1) 2017-2024.

The career emerged to the UNICEF as my long-term dream workplace. One year later, mid 2017, I have joined the United Nations Agency for Children Funds, UNICEF- Rwanda as Social Policy and Economics specialist. This is my current role. While the previously mentioned workplace was such amazing, I had strong interest in UNICEF due to its noble mandate to serve the children across the globe. I can’t forget prof Lisa Lim advice, by encouraging us to continue looking beyond and go for UN Jobs, now I am there. At UNICEF, I have an opportunity to propel public financing for children (PF4C) agenda, which aims at leveraging public resources in promoting children and young people’s rights and policies with the primary focus on key sectors- Education, Health, social protection and Water and Sanitation, and the overall monitoring of country’s macroeconomic performance and fiscal space. While the portfolio is amazing (programme management, analysis and advocacy), one of shining achievement is that with my support, the Government of Rwanda’s ranking in Open Budget Survey (OBS), has increased by 70 percent just in two years partnership with UNICEF, as it increased from 22 in 2017 to 39 in 2019 ranks in budget transparency index and other pillars of OBS have also improved, which gives hope for children and young people for better future.

My career growth and impact at work, was achieved through commitment and results oriented sprit, teamwork and always identifying alternative mechanism for innovation at workplace, and adherence to institutional policy, procedures and vision.