Rwanda is studying Singapore’s experience to inform the development of the country’s secondary cities.

Prof Anastase Shyaka, the chief executive officer of the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), disclosed this while speaking about a consultative forum on secondary cities due to take place in Huye District tomorrow.

The consultative talks will attract officials from the central and local government, private sector as well as development partners. 

The forum, facilitated and hosted by the Rwanda Governance Board, will focus on foresight potential in the secondary cities’ urbanisation planning and implementation.

The day-long forum will also provide the participants an opportunity to learn about foresight methods and provide insights on practical values of strategic planning.

Prof Shyaka, said RGB was involved in the process to ensure that the cities are dynamic in capturing the opportunities, mitigating risks and having planned development.

"The dialogue we are going to have in Huye is the first of its kind in that it introduces foresight in strategic planning of secondary cities,” Shyaka said.

In a quest to develop the cities, he noted, Rwanda was studying Singapore’s experience to inform the choices, strategies and future.

The forum will be hosted in collaboration with Future-Moves Group, a Singaporean consultancy firm.

Shyaka added that the Government was keen on secondary cities due to their role in the achievement of goals outlined in the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy, decongesting the capital city and creating poles of growth.

There are numerous agencies involved, our role as RGB is to ensure that the plan is delivered as projected, Shyaka said.

Devadas Krishnadas, the chief executive of Future-Moves Group, said among the concerns to consider in the process is linking up the cities to ensure the smooth flow of people and goods.

He said from the experience of his country and larger economies such as China, connecting the cities is a way to ensure that they do not develop in isolation.

"At the end of the day, it is not that there is an economy of Kigali or an economy of Huye, it is a national economy,” Krishnadas said.

While in the country, Krishnadas will also launch his latest book titled, FUSE: Foresight-driven Understanding, Strategy and Execution. 

The Government, under the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II) is promoting regional centres of excellence as well as development of satellite cities in all the provinces by 2018.

The cities are supposed to facilitate in speeding up urbanisation which is currently at about 17 per cent, but is targeted to hit 35 per cent by 2018.

The satellite cities will also address mass migration to Kigali as the people will have alternative urban areas to settle in.

Musanze in Northern Province, Nyagatare in Eastern Province, Huye and Muhanga in Southern province, as well as Rubavu and Rusizi in Western Province have all been earmarked as satellite cities.

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