Rwanda, Germany agree to new cooperation deal

The Government of Rwanda and the Federal Republic of Germany yesterday concluded development cooperation negotiations on Euros69.5 million (approximately Rwf60 billion). The money will help support sustainable economic development, including technical and vocational education, decentralisation, and financial sector development, Claver Gatete, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, said at the conclusion of the talks. The three-year framework (2015-2018) comprises Euro38 million allocated to Financial Cooperation while Euro 31.5 million has been earmarked for Technical Cooperation. Gatete said the grant will be aligned to the Second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II) and will help contribute to overall economic development through capacity building and job creation. This was the highlight of the two-day inter-governmental negotiations on development cooperation between the two countries where both sides agreed to work on the post 2015 agenda for sustainable development. “Capacity development is a key strategic objective of the government and we appreciate Germany’s efforts in this area both in the public and private sectors. We will continue to undertake appropriate reforms to enhance business and investment environment and help accelerate private sector development,” Gatete said. The head of the German delegation, Gudrun Grosse Wiesmann, regional director Sub-Saharan Africa, Federal Ministry of Economics and Development, hailed “the outstanding achievements Rwanda has registered in the past two decades”. “I am impressed by the visible results Rwanda made in its socio-economic development. Talking to the Auditor General as well as to representatives of local government and civil society, demonstrated how all stakeholders contribute toward accountable governance,” Wiesmann said. The commitment that we made today for the next three years will be a means for further progress relating to the priority areas and targets enshrined in the Vision 2020 and EDPRSII as well as post-2015 development agenda, she added. Germany has been supporting decentralisation through local infrastructure investments since 2006. It has also financed projects in education, health, and infrastructure among others, worth Euro27 million to date. In June, this year, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of Rwanda signed a Euro13.7 million (Rwf12.5 billion) grant to help combat climate change and promote rural development.

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Rwanda, Germany agree to new cooperation deal