KIGALI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan government on Saturday welcomed credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings for reaffirming Rwanda's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating at "B+" and revising the country's outlook from negative to stable.
In a statement released Saturday, Rwanda's Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning said the agency's decision, announced on Friday, signals that international financial experts see a clear path of stability and growth for Rwanda despite a challenging global and regional environment.
"The revision to a stable outlook is a significant acknowledgment of Rwanda's resilience and the effectiveness of its diplomatic and economic strategies," the ministry said.
The ministry noted that the easing of uncertainty over Rwanda's access to external funding reflects continued strong confidence from the country's multilateral and bilateral partners.
According to Fitch, Rwanda continues to receive robust financial support, with net external disbursements reaching about 1.2 billion U.S. dollars in the last fiscal year.
The agency also cited the government's commitment to regional peace as a factor behind the improved outlook.
According to the ministry, this commitment to peace and stability reinforces investor confidence and ensures that national resources remain focused on development priorities.
Fitch projected that Rwanda's public debt will stabilize in the coming years, noting that the country's debt burden is significantly eased by its highly concessional nature, resulting from substantial financial support from international financial institutions and bilateral development partners.
The rating agency also painted a positive picture of Rwanda's economic fundamentals. It estimated that Rwanda's real GDP growth rose to 8 percent in 2025 and expects growth to remain above 7 percent through 2027, driven by construction, agriculture and tourism.
The ministry said this performance outpaces the median for countries in the same rating category.
"While acknowledging challenges such as the need to continue narrowing the fiscal deficit, the agency's analysis underscores that Rwanda's policy framework is working and our partnerships are solid," the ministry said. ■