Rwanda and UK/DFID sign Development Partnership Agreement for 2 years.

The Government of Rwanda and the United Kingdom through the Department for International Development (DFID) today signed a Development Partnership Agreement for 2 years with £64 million (approx. Frw 69 billion) for the Fiscal Year 2017/18 and an indicative of £62 million (approx. Frw 67 billion) for the Fiscal Year 2018/19.

This Development Partnership Agreement (DPA) reaffirms the long term development partnership and sets out the shared and individual commitments made by the two Governments and provides a transparent framework for accountability between the two Governments and its people.

 Claver Gatete, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning said, “Our Relationship with the United Kingdom has been clear and predictable.

The United Kingdom has support us in several areas including putting in place a public financial management system, education and agriculture among others. We look forward to continuing the good relations as we continue to seek social economic development of our people”.

Sally Waples, Head of DFID Rwanda said, “On behalf of the UK, I am proud to be signing a new Development Partnership Agreement with the Government of Rwanda. This agreement frames Rwanda’s relationship with the UK in the spirit of open and honest partnership. The two countries will work together towards achieving Rwanda’s national vision of a self-financed exit from poverty by an open, inclusive society and private sector led growth.

 The Governments of Rwanda and UK jointly commit to:

•The reduction of poverty and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals;

•Good governance, respect for human rights and international obligations;

•The promotion of peace and stability in the Great Lakes region, and across other regions in Africa;

•Working together to strengthen financial management, accountability and transparency and to fight corruption;

•Promoting value for money in our initiatives and programmes;

•Demonstrating development outcomes, with policies based on evidence;

•Ensuring more inclusive development, and ensuring that the poor, marginalised and vulnerable, including women and girls, are not left behind;

•Advancing the aid effectiveness agenda (as reflected in the Paris Declaration and High-Level Forum commitments in Accra and Busan) in support of Rwanda’s second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS2) and successive development strategies and in line with Rwanda’s Division of Labour;

•Cooperating to enhance Rwanda’s trading links and participation in the East African Community and the global economy, and expanding trade and investment between Rwanda and the UK.

 As per the Division of Labor, DFID has been assigned prime responsibility over the Education; Agriculture; and Social Protection sectors. UK also provides support to the environment sector (FONERWA and Land Reforms) and Financial Sector Development. UK supports the East African Regional projects such as Trade Mark East Africa, an initiative that aims at supporting trade facilitation programs amongst EAC Countries.