MUHANGA – The Minister of Public Service and Labour, Anastase Murekezi has said that the Regional Capacity Building (RCB) project will improve management and leadership of public services.

The minister made the remarks on Wednesday while opening RCB’s 4th project steering committee meeting held at the Rwanda Institute of Management and Administration (RIAM) in Murambi.

Murekezi said: "This project is commendable and a great leap in streamlining public service building. We wish to see a vibrant and performing public service that effectively responds to service needs in our respective communities.”

The minister also urged the participants to objectively take stock of the progress and set clear and realistic plans to achieve the project objectives in the next three years.

The committee was meeting to analyze the implementation of the 3rd year of activities stipulated in the 5-year project worth US $10 million. 

The largest part of the budget will be allocated towards Management Development Institutions (MDI’s) in the three benefiting post conflict countries of Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan.

The 3rd year involves curriculum and materials development, MDI Systems Development and Capacity Building.

It is projected that over 6,700 civil servants in the country will be trained in project management, financial management, human resource management and monitoring and evaluation during the project’s tenure.

They will also be hired, in other countries, to share the Rwandan way of managing post conflict scenarios, said Vincent Bayingana, the project coordinator.

Bayigana added: "On completion of the project, partner countries will have better training institutions, policies, systems, programmes and human capacity to continue developing their respective public services in the long term.” 

The project is sponsored by Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Public Administration, Leadership & Management Academy of Palama-South Africa, is the implementing agency working in close partnership with Management Development Institutes (MDIs) in 3 post conflict countries.

These institutions include: Rwanda Institute for Administration and Management (RIAM), Ecole National d’Adminstration (ENA) in Burundi and Southern Sudan Capacity Building Unit (CBU).

Angelina Muganza, the Executive Secretary of the Public Service Commission, said public service institutions are very important areas needed for the recovery of countries during the post conflict times.

Ends