Korean government is to build an information and communication technology (ICT) centre at the National University of Rwanda (NUR). Through the Korea International Cooperation Agency, the centre will be used for training and offering ICT services to the university and the community. The development comes at a time Rwanda has integrated ICT in its national development strategy, dubbed Vision 2020. It is hoped through ICT, Rwanda is to become a knowledge-based economy. “Rwanda and Korea share many things. Seventy percent of Korea is hilly. We have no natural resources. Our country is small and over populated. Korea was like Rwanda 50 years ago, but we managed to develop the economy through human resource development,” Kim Sung Chul, resident representative, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Rwandan office said. Already Koreans experts in ICT, engineering, computer, marketing, food processing are in the country. Others in business management, electricity and administrative planning also arrived.Sung Chul said by sharing professional know-how through different fields, Rwanda can realise effective promotion of economic and human resource development. “Rwanda has good political will with a clear vision towards development and I am optimistic that best experience in Korea can be tapped in Rwanda”. Last year, the Korean government trained 23 Rwandans in different fields; including IT development, e-business, economic development strategy, trade and investment promotion. This year, 25 Rwandans are to be trained in developing IT literacy, statistical training, water resource management and e-business in Korea. Through Korea Overseas Volunteers (KOVs) programme, 31 volunteers from Korea are to be dispatched this year.Ends
