Alphonse Déo Nkunzimana

Alphonse Déo Nkunzimana is a distinguished expert in international development and governance, with over three decades of invaluable experience in developing and post-crisis countries. Currently the Managing Director of Papyrus Africa and Senior Governance and Partnership Advisor at Papyrus SA, he has cultivated an extensive network across Africa and Haiti. He specializes in project management, institutional capacity development, democracy, human rights, and policy reforms.

Mr. Nkunzimana’s career is marked by his unparalleled ability to unite diverse stakeholders, ranging from local communities to cabinet ministers. He fosters powerful alliances that ensure effective program and project support. His diplomatic and discreet approach consistently earns the profound trust of partners, which is critical to the success of every responsibility he undertakes. He has spearheaded high-level policy reforms, including assessing Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council and a $55 million public administration project funded by the Inter-American Development Bank.

He has served as a Senior Governance Advisor at USAID Haiti in both and Zimbabwe, providing expert guidance in public sector strengthening, financial management, anti-corruption, revenue mobilization, and human rights. He also directed critical human rights and anti-trafficking programs as Chief of Party at PADF Haiti and spearheaded rule of law initiatives at UNDP Haiti, overseeing significant security and policing projects. Currently, he is leading capacity-building initiatives for the Mastercard Foundation across ten African countries.

Alphonse holds an International Masters Program for Managers from McGill University, with a focus on international development, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Pittsburgh. His strategic vision and hands-on approach make him an extraordinary force in fostering resilient and transparent governance structures worldwide. He is fluent in English, French, Kinyarwanda, and Kirundi, has professional proficiency in Kiswahili, and has a very good comprehension of Haitian Creole.