The Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID), yesterday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see the latter provide £509,550 (over Rwf530 million) to support RGB’s institutional capability and Joint Action Development Forum (JADF) mechanisms. The funds, to be disbursed over 18 months, will particularly enable RGB to deliver on its new mandate and facilitate collaborative approach and enabling environment with its key stakeholders. Speaking at the signing ceremony, the chief executive officer of RGB, Prof. Anastase Shyaka, said: “One of the main objectives is to strengthen our own capabilities to deliver on own new mandate. Our mandate includes tracking and fast-tracking service delivery which means that, at our end, we too need to have some capabilities to allow us to meet those needs, so what DFID is doing is supporting us so that we can support different sectors to catalyse delivery.” Prof Shyaka further noted that, in the coming years, JADF will be central to the process of implementing the National Strategy for Transformation (NST), adding that having a project that is aimed at strengthening that initiative is crucial. JADF is a multi-stakeholder platform operating at the local level which works as a coordination entity to ensure delivery, proper use of resources and enhanced accountability so as to fast-track development. The head of DFID Rwanda office, Sarah Metcalf, noted that her country’s interest was to support Rwanda to achieve the objectives set out in the NST. “The relationship between citizens and government and the role of RGB and civil society in strengthening that is an important part of delivering on NST, and so it is something important for us to support,” Metcalf said. DFID programmes in Rwanda focus on supporting economic transformation, strengthening human capital and governance and accountability. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
