The British Department for International Development (DfID) has commended Rwanda for being on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s).

According to the DfID 2011 annual report, Rwanda achieved an agricultural growth rate of above 7 percent and is on course to become self-sufficient in basic foodstuffs.

"Over 60,000 poor Rwandan households received social assistance, in the form of cash transfers and wages for public works, through Rwanda’s Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP).  DfID was the biggest donor supporter of VUP in 2009-10,” the report reads.

The report adds that the country is on track to achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) where enrolment in primary schools has increased to 95 percent in 2010 from 73 percent in 2000.

DfID has been instrumental in supporting the Ministry of Education to achieve a primary net enrolment.

In 2009 DFID contributed £8.4 million towards the education sector which contributed to the construction of over 3,000 classrooms and supported the training of over 2,000 new primary and secondary school teachers.

 "Rwanda is third on the global Gender Equity Index and the gender parity has been achieved in primary education with net enrolment of girls exceeding that of boys,” reads part of the report.  "Rwanda has the highest percentage of female parliamentarians in the world, at 56 percent, in the judiciary of 52 percent, and over 30 percent in the Cabinet.”

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