Plans by the Government to streamline aid interventions to ensure development assistance is more effective could not have come at a better time. Often development support fails to achieve its intended objectives because there are no clear mechanisms to channel funds into sectors that invigorate growth and improve people’s lives. Also, tracking the performance of disbursed funds becomes a problem in cases where proper indicators are lacking. So, the move by the government to document and monitor all projects funded by donors will enhance performance and help achieve set goals. It’s also important for such projects to be in line with the general national budget objectives to avoid channeling funds to non-priority areas. Some sectors could also get more funding than is needed in a given period if there is no collaboration between the government and development partners. Besides, it can be hard to ensure accountability for projects that are not well monitored. This could possibly be a breeding ground for inefficiency and corruption. Uncoordinated project or sector funding can be counterproductive, especially when money is allocated to non-priority sectors. As the second phase of the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS2) gains pace, collaboration and coordination between the government and development partners will be key in meeting the objectives of EDPRS2. It also calls for the involvement of all Rwandans, particularly those individuals and sectors that benefit from donor funding, to make a positive contribution to spur the country’s economy.
