KIGALI - Representatives from over 20 Africa countries are meeting in Kigali to discuss measures of attaining human development as well as creating awareness of the concept.

The four day meeting has attracted key players from Finance Ministries in the participating countries.

The Director General of Economic Development and Planning in the Ministry of Finance, Leonard Minega Rugwabiza, told The New Times that the forum will help countries promote human development.

"There is a problem of determining national human development as most economies believe that the country`s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) automatically reflects human development,” Rugwabiza said.

He explained that human development goes beyond GDP to address the welfare of citizens. He cited the ability to access health services, education, rate of employment and standard of living, among others.

The meeting will enable participants share experience and challenges as well as put in place effective data collection measures to facilitate the compilation of Human Development Report (HDR).

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released the 2009-2010 report in November last year.

However, participants who spoke to The New Times expressed concern about the data used in determining the report, saying that it needs to be updated.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Investment Promotion in Zimbabwe, Dr. D. Mutize Sibanda, said data collection measures will help in capturing the development countries have registered.

"African countries have made tremendous development leading to increased GDP. It is therefore necessary for economies to make these developments impact on human development,” Mutize said.

He explained that the meeting is expected to devise means of making HDRs significant to the African continent.

Some of the countries represented include South Africa, Botswana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.  

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