Mediation In
Musanze, Northern

Legal Framework

Law No. 005-2008 on Arbitration and Conciliation in Commercial Matters was published in Official Gazette 47 on 6 March 2008, assented to on 14 February 2008, and commenced on 6 March 2008. The Law determines procedures of arbitration and conciliation to be adopted in commercial matters. The ADR Policy recommends repealing Arbitration Act 2008 and replacing with two separate acts: an act governing arbitration and an act governing mediation. The Law defines conciliation as a process whether referred to by expression conciliation, mediation or similar import whereby parties request a conciliator to assist them. In September 2022, the Government of Rwanda adopted the National ADR Policy. This policy is a reflection of strong political will and commitment to advance ADR as a viable means of resolving disputes. The whole policy and legal framework on ADR is anchored in the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda, which clearly states in the Preamble the commitment of Rwandans to build a State that resolves problems through dialogue. From this strong basis, the Government enacted policies and laws that promote ADR as a preferred and appropriate means of resolving disputes. Key policy instruments include the Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy (2022); the Criminal Justice Policy (2022), which advances restorative justice and diversion programs and calls for the use of ADR approaches in criminal matters such as plea-bargaining, victim-offender mediation, among other ADR options; the Justice for Children Policy (2014), which calls for diversion measures and restorative justice for children in conflict with the law; Law No 37/2016 of 08/09/2016 determining Organisation, Jurisdiction, Competence and Functioning of an Abunzi Committee, as amended to date; Law Nº 027/2019 of 19/09/2019 relating to the Criminal Procedure, as amended to date; Law Nº 71/2024 of 26/06/2024 governing Persons and Family, which includes the 'Family Council (Inama y'Umuryango)' as mechanism for resolution of family disputes; Nº 66/2018 of 30/08/2018 regulating Labour in Rwanda, and its implementing Ministerial Orders, which establishes Labour inspectors spread across the country; Law Nº005/2008 of 14/02/2008 on Arbitration and Conciliation in Commercial Matters; Law Nº51/2010 of 10/01/2010 establishing the Kigali International Arbitration Centre and determining its Organization, Functioning and Competence; Prime Minister's Instructions Nº 005/03 of 16/12/2015 governing the Organization and Functioning of the Committee in charge of Out of Court settlement; Practice Directions of the President of the Supreme Court No. 001/2025 of 03/09/2025 governing the Plea-bargaining procedure; Practice Directions of the President of the Supreme Court No. 002/2025 of 03/09/2025 governing Victim-Offender Mediation. The ADR Policy recommends enacting the ADR law (a comprehensive law on the ADR schemes, aligned to the Singapore Convention); reviewing the law relating to the civil, commercial, labour and administrative procedure to introduce pre-filing mediation in all civil, commercial and administrative matters and allow judge ordered mediation; reviewing the law on arbitration and conciliation in commercial matters to align it with current trends and demands in commercial arbitration and conciliation both at national and international levels; reviewing the Abunzi law to increase their material competence; enacting the law establishing and governing the body of private professional mediators; developing the regulatory framework for the ADR professional Body; enacting a Law governing mediation adapting the UNCITRAL Model Law; enacting a new law governing arbitration; enacting the ratification law for the Singapore Convention. In September 2025, a Mapping and Profiling of ADR Services Providers study was completed. The study found that mediation emerges as the most common ADR mechanism, accounting for 39.4 percent of all ADR cases, followed by conciliation (30.5 percent), negotiation (26 percent), and arbitration (4.1 percent). According to the study, since the adoption of the National ADR Policy in 2022, Rwanda has recorded significant progress, reducing court case backlogs from 62 percent in 2023/2024 to 49 percent by the end of 2024/2025, and lowering overcrowding rates in correctional facilities. On 5 January 2026, the Ministry of Justice, in partnership with African Peace Partners, convened a high-level dialogue and training session on Trauma-Informed Mediation and Restorative Justice as part of the continued implementation of Rwanda's ADR Policy. This is a training event, not legislative change. The event brought together representatives from the Justice Sector and other key institutions to explore the intersection between collective trauma healing and restorative justice, and to identify practical pathways for strengthening the implementation of the ADR Policy. Since its adoption in 2022, the ADR Policy has significantly improved access to quality justice through the expansion of court-annexed mediation, plea bargaining, and victim-offender mediation. The dialogue focused on two major provisions of the Policy: integrating a trauma-informed approach into all ADR processes and creating restorative justice options along the entire criminal justice chain. Participants reflected on how the country's post-colonial and post-genocide context continues to shape conflict dynamics and affirmed the relevance of ADR and restorative justice in addressing both the causes and consequences of historical trauma. Participants developed key recommendations to guide the next phase of implementation, particularly on mainstreaming trauma-informed practices in ADR mechanisms and expanding restorative justice options across the justice system.

While Rwanda operates under this legal framework, The Olive Branch's remote mediators bypass local court backlogs by providing swift, confidential, and mutually agreed-upon resolutions online.

Court System

The Law provides for functions of arbitration assistance and supervision. Article 8 outlines these functions. The court system supports arbitration through the legislative framework. Courts may refer parties to mediation through judicial discretion. Court-annexed mediation available through judicial system. The ADR Policy aims to address gaps in current legal framework.

Mediator Regulations

The Law defines conciliation as a process whether referred to by expression conciliation, mediation or similar import whereby parties request a conciliator to assist them. Professional standards established through the legal framework. Mediator certification follows statutory provisions with developing standards.

Cultural Approach

As the justice sector evolves, people and businesses are increasingly turning to ADR mechanisms of arbitration and mediation to solve conflicts faster, more privately, and often more cost effectively. The ADR Policy recommends modernizing the framework. Rwandan culture values efficient and amicable dispute resolution.

Typical Costs

ADR mechanisms increasingly used to solve conflicts more cost effectively. Costs determined by institutional rules and fee schedules. Costs typically shared between parties unless otherwise agreed. Professional mediator fees generally range from RWF 50,000-200,000 per hour for commercial mediation. ADR Policy recommends modernizing framework for cost efficiency.