page_title: Gaspard Cyimana
section_title: Career
hierarchical_section_title: Gaspard Cyimana / Career
caption_attribution_description: English: Abbie Rowe, scanned from original 8x10 file print on DAMS8 by DD.AR7468-C19 September 1962Meeting with the President of Rwanda, 5:04PM.Please credit "Abbie Rowe. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston"
context_page_description: Gaspard Cyimana was a Rwandan politician and businessman. He served as the 1st Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs of Rwanda from 1960-1968.
context_section_description: While an economics student in Belgium, Cyimana advocated for independence from Belgium and the dismantlement of the feudalistic Rwandan political system. In his two most prominent works, he argued for a more equitable distribution of political power between the three ethnic groups. Cyimana also favored democracy as a way to return power to the people. In the lead up to independence, Cyimana was selected to serve as Minister of Finance in the provisional government and then as the official Minister of Finance in the 1st government.  Cyimana continued to serve until his resignation in 1968.  
  During Cyimana's tenure, the government passed a balanced budget for the first time, made large investments in education, and financed the roads and infrastructure for the developing nation. 
  Cyimana entered the private sector while maintaining other government posts following his time as Minister.
caption: Official state visit of President Gregoire Kayibanda and Minister of Finance Gaspard Cyimana of Rwanda to US President John Kennedy in the Oval Office (1962)
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