The United Nations country team, yesterday, donated blood to the National Centre for Blood Transfusion (CNTS) in an effort to save lives in the different health facilities across the country.

The blood donation initiative that was held at the World Food Programme (WFP) premises in Kicukiro, attracted an estimated 400 staff members from 21 UN agencies working in the country.

Speaking during the exercise, UN Resident coordinator, Aurélien Agbénonci said: "The blood donation drive is part of our UN week activities aimed at showcasing UN work in the country, people are an integral part of our work and we want to express our solidarity with them. We are aware that there are people who are in hospitals, who need the blood we are giving today.”

Agbénonci added that the blood donated would serve as a symbol of peace and an indication that never again should blood be shed through violence.

"We are encouraging our staff and indeed other people to voluntarily give and share blood freely with those who need it and are suffering from lack of it,” Agbénonci said.

"I believe it’s important to voluntarily donate blood to assist the people – that is why I decided to join this action today and I am thankful to the management for the initiative, I urge all Rwandans to also donate blood,” said Jimmy Mugisha an employee of WFP.

This joint UN action is part of the week-long events set to mark the organization’s creation that is celebrated annually on October 24.

In the same context a Development Debate will be later today held at Laico Hotel.

This year’s UN week theme is: "How the Delivering as One in Rwanda has contributed to both policy formulation and service delivery”.

It is aimed at highlighting UN achievements in the process of the UN Delivering as One, a programme to which Rwanda volunteered to be among the nine pilot countries.

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