The Ministry of Natural Resources shall have the mission to ensure the protection and conservation of the environment and ensure optimal and rational utilization of natural resources for sustainable national development.

Specifically, the Ministry of Natural Resources shall be responsible for:

1. Developing and disseminating the sector policies, strategies and programs through:

a) elaboration and dissemination of national policies, strategies and programs that aim at conserving the environment and ensuring optimal and rational utilization of natural resources;

b) develpment of strategies to promote partnership and enhace capacity of private sector and attract operators to invest in activities of environment and natural resources for sustainable economic development;

c) exhaustive assessment of Rwanda ground and surface natural resources and establish appropriate mechanisms for their national extraction and promotion.

  2. Regulating the sector and related sub-sectors through the development of development of laws and regulations to ensure rational utilization of natural resources and ensure protection of the environment and conservation of natural ecosystems 

   3. Developing institutional and human resources capacities in the sector of environment and natural resources and sub-sectors. 

  4. Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of sector and sub-sectors policies, strategies and programs through:

    a) setting up and implementation of appropriate   mechanisms and systems for monitoring and evaluation of environment and climate change situation in the country as well as in the region;

    b) monitoring and assessing the implementation and mainstreaming of policies and laws that enhance the protection of environment and the rational utilization of natural resources in all cross-cutting sectors in the country;

    c) monitoring the sector performance indicators and  consolidating the data from decentralized institutions;

    d) submitting to the government periodic and annual reports on the impact of the sector policies, strategies, programs and projects on sustainable national social economic development. 

     5. Overseeing the institutions under supervision through:

   a) guidance and orientations on the implementation of specific programs to be realized by the institutions under supervision and Local Governments;

   b) supervision and orientations on functioning of sector public institutions and promote synergies between various actors intervening in the sector;

    6. Mobilizing resources for the development of the sector and related programs through:

   a) coordination of activities of mobilizing resources and supervise actions to ensure their rational utilization in the sector development;

    b) mechanisms put in place for promoting and    development in the sector