KIGALI - Dave Fish, the Director of the Department for International Development (DFID) for East and Central Africa, arrives in Kigali, today, for a two day visit. During his visit, Mr Fish will meet President Paul Kagame and discuss with him the DFID programme in Rwanda and other regional issues. He will use the opportunity to bid farewell to President Kagame as he is about to move to another post within DFID. He will also meet Government officials including Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, James Musoni. “As a regular visitor to Rwanda, I am very impressed by the tremendous achievements that the country has recorded since the genocide. I am very happy that the UK Government through DFID has played a significant role in these changes,” Fish said ahead of his visit. “We realise that there are still challenges, and we look forward to continue working with the Government of Rwanda to overcome them.” The UK, through DFID is one of Rwanda’s biggest bilateral development partners, providing predictable levels of resources in support of Rwanda’s Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS). According to Government figures, the UK is Rwanda’s biggest budget support donor. Bilateral assistance from the UK totals up to £50 million each year, of which £31 million is provided as direct support to the Government of Rwanda’s budget. Focus of the bilateral assistance is mainly on poverty reduction, with a specific contribution to education, agriculture, and land reform, as well as support for public financial management. The UK’s bilateral programme has provided around £380 million to Rwanda over the past 10 years. Fish, who is a regular visitor to Rwanda from August this year, he will move from his current position to head the DFID programme in Zimbabwe. Ends
