Rosette Rugamba Appointed to the International Board of the WWF
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"Serving on WWF’s board is a great opportunity to increase my contribution to collective efforts to save our planet and help safeguard the future of nature and humanity. I am humbled and enthusiastic to join the “panda family!”
— Rosette Rugamba
Rosette Chantal Rugamba, a 24-year veteran of the African ecotourism and protected areas sector, and Dr Paula Kahumbu, one of Africa’s best-known wildlife conservationists joined the organisation’s International Board as trustees on 1 January 2022.
Ms Rugamba and Dr Kahumbu’s extensive experience on the African continent will be a strong asset to WWF International as it works with communities and partners to help build a nature-positive world by 2030 and put women’s participation in decision-making at the forefront.
WWF's work in Africa plays an important role in the organisation's global conservation efforts. The addition of two new female Board members is an important outcome of WWF’s goal to promote gender equality as an integral part of the mission to ensure that the planet’s natural resources are shared fairly.
Based in Rwanda, Ms Rugamba is founder and Managing Director of Songa Africa and Amakoro Songa Lodge, an East African tourism and hospitality company, and serves on the board of Women For The Environment Africa, a body whose aim is to empower women leaders working in conservation in Africa. She previously served as Director General of Rwanda tourism where she spearheaded the revitalisation of the Rwandan tourism sector between 2003 and 2010. She has also served as Deputy CEO of Rwanda Development Board which oversees the development and management of the country’s world-famous protected areas, as well as being special advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation on sustainable tourism in Africa and a member of the Global Ethics committee at the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Ms Rugamba has also served as a board member of African Parks and Trademark East Africa and is an active member of the Rwanda Private Sector Federation where she has served as President of Tourism in the Women’s Chamber.