The Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) has endorsed Rwanda as the headquarters of the ICT Centre of Excellence of the US-based Carnegie Mellon University.

According to the State Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr. Mathias Harebamungu, the decision was reached during an annual regional meeting held last week in Bujumbura, Burundi.

He revealed that during the meeting, the other two partner states of the bloc, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi, gave their full support to Rwanda hosting the school.

"We have already got written approvals from the two countries to have this Centre come here. It will be the leading ICT institution because all teaching staff will come from the Carnegie Mellon University,” Harebamungu said in a telephone interview yesterday.

The Minister said that it is the first of the five centres that Carnegie Mellon University will extend to Africa.

The Minister said that a provisional study has been conducted and the government will now start submitting proposals to development partners to assist in funding the establishment of the school.

"We are looking at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other potential partners to help in this important undertaking. The Centre will not only benefit of Rwanda, but the whole region,” he added.

During the meeting, a decision was also passed that a regional Polytechnic school be built in Gisenyi, Western Province, to be funded by CEPGL.

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