SOUTHERN PROVINCE

HUYE – There is limited linkage between debt relief and poverty reduction in developing countries.

According to research titled, ‘Assessment of Poverty Reduction Strategies in sub-Saharan Africa the case of Rwanda,’ released last week at the National University of Rwanda [NUR], the debt relief is small compared to what is needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

The research was funded by the African Development Bank. It was conducted in six countries of Eastern and Southern Africa under the Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA). Participating countries included Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.

It aimed at analyzing the on-going poverty reduction strategies to provide guidance to policy makers and advocacy groups in the different countries.

Commenting on the report, Dr. Herman Musahara of NUR, who was among the three people who conducted the research in Rwanda, observed that there was need for the government to allocate more resources to agriculture, governance, institutional and human resource development.

The university don noted that the four areas have not been allocated enough resources despite being seen as priority sectors that are pro-poor. He argued that most resources seem to be allocated to education and health sectors with more emphasis on education.

Dr. Musahara said, "Despite increasing flows to education and to some extent health, little gets to the poor members of society." He added that for resources to reach the poor people there was need for consistent assessment of the impact of programmes targeting the poor groups.

Other researchers, who worked with Musahara in Rwanda, are Bernard Rutikanga and Ernest Rwamucyo, former director of planning in charge of poverty reduction in the Ministry of Finance. Rwamucyo is currently working with the United Nations in New York, while Musahara is also OSSEREA’s liaison officer in Rwanda. Rutikanga, whose work focused largely on ‘the role of good governance in Rwanda,’ underlined the importance of good governance in the country’s development.

Rutikanga observed that the decentralisation policy that empowers the local people, the strengthening of both classical and traditional courts (Gacaca) have contributed immensely to good governance.

Other government organs that have played a key role in entrenching good governance in Rwanda, Rutikanga said, are the Auditor General’s office, the Ombudsman’s office, the National Examination Council and the National Tender Board.

Speaking at the same occasion, Leonard Rugwabiza, the African Development Bank resident Macro-Economist, reaffirmed the bank’s resolve to support development policies in Africa. He underlined the importance of research institutions in finding out development loopholes. He said, "ADB supports result-oriented policies," but the importance of a certain policy is determined by the level of impact on the ground.

Also speaking at the function was the acting OSSREA Executive Director Dr. Akim Mturi. Mturi commended Rwanda’s economic growth rate that stands at 6 percent, saying it has good tidings for the region. On behalf of NUR, Prof. Martin O’Hara, the university Vice Rector in charge of Academic Affairs, reaffirmed their commitment to support research activities that benefit Rwandans.

Ends