Rwanda and Sweden Sign MoU to Strengthen Clinical Trial Capacity and Research Ecosystem

Aurevia, a Swedish full-service contract research organisation based in Uppsala providing clinical and regulatory services, Rinda Ubuzima, a Rwandan non-governmental organisation with experience conducting clinical trials, and INES–Ruhengeri have signed a Memorandum of Understanding marking a significant step toward building Rwanda’s capacity to conduct quality clinical trials led by Rwandans.

The MoU aims to strengthen Rwanda’s clinical research and clinical trial ecosystem through a structured three-year capacity-building programme. Over the course of the partnership, the three organisations will jointly develop and implement training courses for clinical trial professionals, starting with training of trainers, with the goal of supporting Rwanda in establishing a research site capable of conducting rigorous, high-quality clinical trials from within the country. The long-term vision aims to bring new contacts from Aurevia’s network into the Life Science environment in Rwanda, connect companies in the Nordics with clinical sites and investigators in Rwanda, which can result in more clinical trials implemented in Rwanda. 

The partnership reflects a growing recognition that sustainable progress in health research requires not only global collaboration but investment in local expertise and institutional capacity. By combining Swedish clinical and regulatory experience with Rwandan research infrastructure and academic grounding, the three organisations are laying the groundwork for a clinical trial ecosystem that is owned and driven by Rwandans.