The 18th National Dialogue Council - Umushyikirano presided over by President Paul Kagame on February 27 and 28, 2023 came up with 13 resolutions. The gathering was an opportunity to reflect on government programmes and reorganise efforts to fast-track their implementation. Below are the resolves and their significance: Access to finance for farmers, fighting pests and diseases The dialogue resolved to boost agricultural and livestock productivity focusing on access to finance for farmers, facilitating farmers in increasing milk production, sensitising farmers to employ agriculture insurance scheme and responding to crop pests and diseases. The resolution comes at a time when diseases and pests continue to ravage some crops. ALSO READ: Crop pest infestation in Eastern Province linked to drought Access to finance for farmers is also still low as interest rates are high. Rwanda targets to double agriculture sector lending from the current 5.2 per cent of the total share of loans from financial institutions to 10.4 per cent by 2024. Rwanda will be producing 1,250,000 tonnes of milk every year by 2024, so as to satisfy milk demand. The target will also be aimed at catering for a milk powder plant that is under construction in Nyagatare District. Introducing inter-city buses in City of Kigali Improving public transport in the City of Kigali by increasing the fleet of vehicles and modernising main bus parks is one of the resolutions. ALSO READ: Public transport woes continue to dog City of Kigali Inter-city buses will also be increased to meet the growing demand. The resolution follows persistent complaints about public transport in the City of Kigali. Kigali needs over 500 buses according to regulator. Improving services at RDB One Stop Centre Umushyikirano recommended the improvement and integration of other required services at RDB One Stop Centre, including services needed by exporters. The Government of Rwanda has expanded the One Stop Centre at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to improve service delivery to clients and provide investors with a true one-stop experience. ALSO READ: Akamanzi pledges efficiency as business licensing goes to RDB With the expansion, clients can follow up on or pick up their licenses and permits at the One Stop Centre. All licenses and permits required for business setup or import and export operations will be issued at the RDB One Stop Centre. Inconsistent internet connectivity issue to be solved “Urgently solve the issues of inconsistent internet connectivity and affordability,” says the fourth resolution. Rwanda made the biggest leap in fixed broadband speeds, with the result that its position in the global rankings raised by 47 places, according to Speedtest Global Index by Ookla, a global network intelligence and connectivity research firm. However there is still room for improvement. Satellite-based internet provided by Starlink is about three times faster than the available products on the Rwandan market at almost the same price, which make it relatively affordable, according to the Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire. More services at Irembo The government has decided to ameliorate and introduce additional services delivered through Irembo. Irembo was created by RwandaOnline Platform Limited, a private technology company with a vision of becoming a catalyst of transformation in Rwanda through technology. Through Irembo, the government now offers better, quicker, and more convenient services to its citizens but some services are yet to be added to the platform. ALSO READ: How Irembo creates jobs Diaspora contribution to national development Supporting the Rwandan Community Abroad in scaling up their contribution to national development is among the resolutions. Rwanda’s diaspora is often termed as the country’s sixth province with a critical role in the country’s development. ALSO READ: How diaspora can be involved in Rwanda’s development Measures to curb inflation The government has also committed to continue to implement measures to curb inflation. The National Bank of Rwanda has increased its lending rate by 50 basis points from 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent in efforts to tame the persistently high prices. ALSO READ: Central Bank’s Chief Economist on strategies to keep inflation at bay Improve the quality of education The government has also resolved to improve the quality of education across all levels, and ensure it responds to market needs by increasing the number of students joining technical, vocational educational and training schools. Government will also partner with the private sector to organise and deliver internships that improve the quality of graduates entering the workforce, as well as advancing quality research for education. Rwanda seeks to have at least 60 per cent of students completing the Nine Year Basic Education join Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) schools by 2024. Currently, the enrolment is at 45 per cent. Fight against stunting Implementation of a targeted two-year plan to respond to the stalled fight against stunting has also been made a priority. This one includes a more focused use of community health workers for monitoring and the provision of needed essential nutrients. ALSO READ: Stunting in children below 5 years drops by 5% in Rwanda| Rwandan referee to officiate at CHAN 2020 Preventing non-communicable diseases “Reinforce preventative actions to deal with non-communicable diseases including early screening efforts for cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and increased participation in physical activities,” reads the 10th resolutions. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 44 per cent of all deaths in Rwanda but a big number of them can be prevented. Healthcare workforce welfare Improving infrastructure, workforce availability, cleanliness and customer care services at health facilities with a special focus provided to healthcare workforce welfare is among the priorities. Prevent family conflicts The 12th resolution focuses on building strong and secure families with focus on preventing family conflicts, reinforcing training of caregivers in home-based ECDs, campaigns to raise awareness against alcohol and drug abuse, enforcing laws to prevent illegal consumption of alcohol and drugs for minors, establishing more recreational facilities for the youth, and emphasising the need for timely reporting of child defilement cases. This includes increasing public awareness of available forensic services to help obtain evidence for prosecution. Fostering unity and reconciliation Putting more emphasis on unity and reconciliation, education about the history of Rwanda, the values of Rwandan culture, and National Itorero programs, in Rwanda and abroad has also been given priority in the 13 resolutions. The number of people who view themselves as Rwandans instead of using ethnic lenses increased from 95.6 per cent in 2015 to 98.2 per cent in 2020, meaning that those who did not agree with that statement were only 1.8 per cent.
