Advancing Governance Through Leadership: Fourth Strong Nations for Africa Programme Opens in Rwanda
June 1, 2026
Senior public sector leaders from across Africa come together in Kigali for the fourth edition of the Strong Nations for Africa Programme
Front row:
• 4th from right: Mr. Ayoub Juma Kilabuka, Vice-President, East Africa, African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM)
• 3rd from right: Prof George Scott, Secretary General, AAPAM
• 2nd from left: Mr François Ngoboka, Chief Skills Officer, Ministry of Public Service and Labour of Rwanda
• 3rd from left: Ms Aissatou Diajhaté, Director of External Affairs and Acting Head of Admissions at the African School of Governance (ASG)
• 1st from right: Mr Ho Wei Jiang, Dean of Chandler Academy of Governance, the Learning and Development Division of Chandler Governance Group
KIGALI, RWANDA, 1 June 2026 — Senior public sector leaders from across Africa gathered in Kigali this week for the launch of the fourth edition of the Strong Nations for Africa Programme (SNFAP), a leadership initiative designed to strengthen governance capabilities, deepen collaboration, and support the development of resilient public institutions across the continent.
Organised by the Chandler Academy of Governance (CAG), Learning and Development division of Chandler Governance Group (CGG), in partnership with the African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM), and hosted this year by the African School of Governance (ASG), the programme brings together senior leaders committed to improving public sector performance and advancing national development outcomes.
Now in its fourth year, SNFAP has grown into a regional platform for peer learning and leadership development, with close to 70 alumni from 15 African countries. Since its inception, the programme has been held in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and now Rwanda — a country widely recognised for its governance reforms, institutional effectiveness, and long-term development vision.
Opening the programme, Mr Ho Wei Jiang, Dean of the Chandler Academy of Governance, Chandler Governance Group, reflected on the vision behind the initiative and its continued evolution over the past four years.
"When we first conceptualised the Strong Nations for Africa Programme, we had a clear hope: to build a community of African public sector leaders who could come together to exchange good practices, learn from shared challenges, draw on international experience, and forge lasting connections in service of stronger governance at home. Four years on, with close to 70 alumni from 15 countries, that community is growing, as is its impact."
Hosted in Kigali, this year's programme provides participants with the opportunity to learn from Rwanda's governance and development journey, which has become a widely recognised example of institution-building, public sector transformation, and long-term national development.
Welcoming participants to Rwanda, Mr Francis Gatare, President of the African School of Governance, highlighted the importance of cultivating leaders who combine technical competence with a strong sense of purpose, ethics, and public service.
"Strong nations are built not by technical competencies alone, but by leaders who possess the mindset, values, and sense of responsibility needed to serve their communities and steward their nations' future."
Mr Gatare noted that while technical skills remain essential, leadership ultimately requires the confidence, commitment, and moral courage to translate knowledge into meaningful action. He encouraged participants to use the programme as an opportunity not only to acquire new ideas and tools, but also to reflect on the responsibilities they hold as public sector leaders and the impact they can have on their societies.
Also speaking at the opening ceremony as the Guest-of-Honour was Mr François Ngoboka, Chief Skills Officer, Ministry of Public Service and Labour of Rwanda, and an alumnus of the Strong Nations for Africa Programme. Reflecting on his own experience, he encouraged participants to make full use of the opportunity to learn from one another, exchange perspectives, and build lasting professional networks across the continent.
Drawing on Rwanda's public sector transformation experience, he highlighted the importance of accountable leadership, citizen-centred service delivery, continuous learning, and innovation in building high-performing public institutions. He also emphasised the value of peer learning across African countries and challenged participants to translate insights from the programme into meaningful impact within their organisations and communities.
As the first segment of the 2026 Strong Nations for Africa Programme commences, the Kigali gathering marks the beginning of a broader leadership journey aimed at translating learning into action and strengthening governance outcomes across Africa.
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About the African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM)
The African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM) is an international professional organisation that promotes best practice, excellence and professionalism in public administration and management in Africa through research, publications, training, seminars, consultancy, conferences and awards. AAPAM draws its membership from sectors including governments, corporate bodies, private sector, civil society, international organizations, individual members and students. The Association provides its members with a platform for articulation and dissemination of ideas on capacity building and development of Africa. AAPAM operates mainly but not exclusively in Africa.
About the African School of Governance
The African School of Governance is a pan-African institution co-founded by H.E. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, to develop the next generation of governance practitioners on the continent. Based in Kigali, Rwanda, ASG offers Master of Public Administration and executive leadership programmes to professionals from across Africa.
About the Chandler Academy of Governance (CAG)
The Chandler Academy of Governance, which is the Learning and Development division of Chandler Governance Group (CGG), designs and delivers training programmes for public sector leaders, equipping them with the skills to deliver high performance government. Our signature programmes are anchored in our proprietary curriculum, practitioner-focused, and contextualised to local needs. We utilise a range of teaching techniques, including seminars, expert-led discussions, and site visits. We also work with clients to design customised programmes for public servants, tailored to the country context, client objectives, and participant profiles.
For more news and information, visit our website at www.chandler-academy.com.
About the Chandler Governance Group (CGG)
The Chandler Governance Group (CGG) is an international organisation focusing on public sector effectiveness and capability development. We work with national and local governments to train and develop leaders, strengthen public institutions and systems, benchmark government capabilities, and share good practices.
For more news and information, visit www.chandlergovernance.com or follow CGG on Facebook, X and LinkedIn @ChandlerGOV.
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