world
Rwanda Lawmakers Urge Stronger Oversight of Royalties and Creative-Industry Rules
The Parliamentary Committee on Education, Technology, Culture, Sports and Youth presented its report on the 2015 National Cultural Heritage Policy on July 6, 2026. Lawmakers highlighted gaps in intellectual property management and urged faster implementation of recent reforms.
Audio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Rwanda's Parliamentary Committee on Education, Technology, Culture, Sports and Youth presented a report on July 6, 2026, on the implementation of the 2015 National Cultural Heritage Policy. AllAfrica reported that the committee called for stronger systems to manage royalties and protect creators' rights.
Chairperson Emma Rubagumya Furaha said the creative sector has made progress but faces significant gaps in intellectual property rights and royalty distribution.
She stated that creators need stronger representation through effective collective management organisations. "There is a need to establish effective collective management organisations or mechanisms," Rubagumya said. The report noted that the 2024 Intellectual Property Law and a ministerial order on royalties approved by Cabinet in March 2026 have been introduced, yet implementation remains weak.
Lawmakers called for stronger regulation of the creative industry to improve coordination among stakeholders and protect cultural works from counterfeiting and misuse. Rubagumya urged authorities to register cultural creations and secure international intellectual property protection. She also called for annual festivals celebrating cultural creativity.
The committee recommended linking the creative industry with community-based tourism and conserving traditional trees and plants used in cultural production, including Ficus thonningii, Erythrina abyssinica, Markhamia lutea and Agave sisalana. Deputy Chairperson Balinda Rutebuka urged the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement to complete the review of the 2015 policy within 12 months.
