Rwandan Engineers have launched an  umbrella association for their profession, the Engineering Institute of Rwanda (EIR).

The State minister in charge of energy, Engineer Albert Butare, who is also a member of the association, emphasized the need for unity during the meeting held at the Ministry of infrastructure headquarters in Kacyiru on Thursday.

"We really need this institution because it will help in creating a culture of professionalism by ensuring ethics and standards compatible with good engineering practice,” said Eng Butare, who chaired the meeting.

He informed the members that a similar association had been formed in 2003 but collapsed at its initial stage.

"We have special considerations this time, to see that this institution stands and functions properly, to serve the purpose for its establishment which centres around observing professional standards in the engineering fraternity,” Butare noted.

The creation EIR is partly a result of the deliberations of the previous Akagera retreat which took place early this year. The meeting called on every professional discipline to institute organs to observe professional standards.     

Present at the meeting were practicing engineers from the different disciplines in the country, who all agreed to the necessity of forming an umbrella association to oversee the affairs of their profession in the country.

A Tanzanian engineering consultant, professor AS Mawenya  was hired to guide the process of establishing the institution. 

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