KIGALI - The Japanese government will continue extending support to Rwandans with the aim of eradicating poverty.

This was disclosed, yesterday, by the Japanese ambassador to Rwanda, Kunio Hatanaka, after signing a financing agreement between the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugee Affairs.

Minister Marcel Gatsinzi signed on behalf of Rwanda and Ashraf El Nour the OIM regional representative for east and central Africa, represented the oganisation.

The agreement will see all returnees and vulnerable groups in the Eastern Province assisted through training in various vocational skills as well as material things for domestic use.
IOM is the implementing agency.

"Japan has been supporting Rwanda in different ways and we are ready to continue extending the support, especially returnees and vulnerable groups to ensure they live a better life,” the envoy said in an interview.

In the agreement, Japan will inject $1 million in the new project to assist former Rwandan refugees in the Eastern Province.

This will be the second project of a similar nature.
In the first phase, $2 million was spent in helping returnees in the southern and western provinces, which saw the distribution of over 400 cows and 200 goats to hundreds of returnee families.

Gatsinzi commended the Japanese government for the support and said that this indicates the good cooperation between the two governments.

On the same occasion IOM’s Nour pointed out that his organization would not only offer material support, but also technical skill to the returnees.

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