Rhineland-Palatinate state government will continue raising its support to Rwanda through contributing to educational development, health sector and other income generating activities, Doris Ahnen, the state’s Finance Minister has said. Ahnen said this during an interview with The New Times on the sidelines of an international conference on social networks and agricultural technology, which was organised by German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. The Finance minister was in Rwanda with the Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer, and a delegation of other officials from the German state. The delegation met with President Paul Kagame and other officials, and visited a number of projects that the state sponsors in Rwanda, most of which are in rural areas. “First, the quality of living conditions in urban and rural areas is very important to us and for that reason we also attach importance to the provision of good conditions of living,” Ahnen said, adding that education is a very important aspect in realising this. The minister highlighted that Rhineland Palatinate has initiated many educational projects through a longstanding cooperation with Rwanda, dating back to 1982. “They include projects in the field of education of young people, kindergarten and schools, social projects, as well as vocational training. Really the central point of our partnership has been education and transfer of know-how,” she noted. Ahnen said that their discussion with President Kagame focused on how to advance their support and cooperation in various fields. “We agreed on the partnership to continue supporting and enabling young people to actually shape their own futures. Already there are more than 200 school trainings that we have, where students have direct exchanges,” she said. Rhineland Palatinate currently supports construction of schools, renovation and income-generating activities in different districts of the country. The state also supports tourism conservation. The minister said they also want to bolster cooperation in the field of science and education, particularly in medical studies with the University of Rwanda. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
