Representatives from 88 parliaments from member countries of the International Organisation of La Francophonie are in Kigali to discuss effective processes of controlling government action to ensure proper management of public assets.

They are also looking at the integration of gender equality in the legislative and women’s empowerment process.

While officially opening the seminar, Donathile Mukabalisa, Rwanda’s Chamber of Deputies Speaker, said that the parliamentarians have an opportunity to share experiences on holding governments accountable.

The four-day training was organized by La Francophonie, the international organisation representing countries and regions where French is a customary language in partnership with parliament of Rwanda.

"The training is focusing on how to control government activities and gender mainstreaming in parliamentarians activities. We are discussing the challenges that we are still facing as parliamentarians and how we can seek the solutions together,” she said.

Maryse Gaudreault, the Vice President of National Assembly of Quebec who spoke on behalf of Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie, reiterated that they have to exchange the best practices among the parliamentarians.

"We have different parliaments, but the responsibility is the same. That is why we have to exchange the best practices to build our capacity,” she said.

MPs at the seminar said they expected to gain a lot by exchanging information.

Angélique Ngoma, the MP in the Parliament of the Republic of Gabon said that that the final objective of sharing experience is to ensure the general population’s welfare.

"We have to make sure that established projects ensure national development,” she said.

MP Jean Claude Ntezimana added that for MPs in the Public Accounts Committee, skills to hold government accountable are prerequisite.

The training will also look at efforts to invest in childbirth registration in Rwanda and Francophone countries.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com