The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP)-Rwanda, has praised the government for its efforts in fighting poverty and implementing the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), urging the winner of the upcoming Presidential polls to keep up with the pace. 

The UN backed international NGO, is an advocacy group that campaigns against poverty and advises governments on policies that foster community-based development.

In statement issued over the weekend, GCAP called on whoever wins the presidential elections to maintain the pace at which the Millennium Development Goals are being achieved.

"Anyone taking the presidential office should ensure the speed and the will that Kagame’s government had in the past seven years,” the statement by GCAP reads in part.

The NGO’s national coordinator, Rene Niyonteze, hailed the government for its exemplary steps towards achieving the MDGs, and the fight against poverty.

"GCAP is really grateful to the government of Rwanda on the political and practical will to implement the MDGs. That’s why UN appointed Paul Kagame to co-chair this important initiative,” he said.

"Rwanda has emerged the best in eradicating extreme hunger, promoting universal primary education, gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improve maternal health”.

Antoine Niyitegeka, another official from the NGO, praised the government’s poverty eradication programme of EDPRS, land consolidation and one cow per family.

He outlined education and women empowerment among the other achievements of the government.
"Rwanda now has 56.25% of women in parliament and girls are the majority, mainly in primary schools, which makes this country the best state to foster the MDGs gender equality,” Niyitegeka said.

The UN-championed MDGs are set to be achieved by 2015.

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