TOP STORY: Rwanda needs $1.7b to speed up the realisation of MDGs

MDGs refer to eight international development goals that 189 UN member states and at least 23 international organisations ratified in order to steer economic development and fight poverty in the world’s poorest countries Rwanda needs about $1.7b (Rwf944b) for its population to accelerate targets for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This mean that the country need an Official Development Aid (ODA) from donors of $190 (Rwf104,899) per capita (for each person) for an estimated population of 9 million people. According to information availed at the on-going, 2008 Government of Rwanda and Development partners’ meeting, at the Serena Hotel, Kigali some MDGs targets may not be attained by 2015 unless the financing gap of $1.1b (Rwf611b) for the entire population is closed. Figures that are to be presented today by John Rwangombwa, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury on the progress and challenges on the implementation and monitoring of MDGs in Rwanda about $123 (Rwf67,908) is needed for every person to spped up the attainment of MDGs. MDGs refer to eight international development goals that 189 United Nations (UN) member states and at least 23 international organisations ratified in order to steer economic development and fight poverty. They also aim to spur development by improving social and economic conditions in the world’s poorest countries. Some include eradicating extreme poverty, ensuring environmental sustainability, fighting disease epidemics such as AIDS and reducing child mortality rates. According to Rwangobwa’s document, reducing extreme poverty and fighting disease epidemics is still a challenge in Rwanda. The document reads that these targets may not be attained by 2015 unless the financing gap of $1.1b (Rwf611b) for the entire population is closed. Other MDGs targets in Rwanda according to government have registered progress estimated at 50 percent. According to information availed there is a decline in the rate of malnutrition in children under five years from 24 percent in 2000 to 18 percent today. The infant mortality rate also dropped from 107 babies per 1000 in 2000 to 62 babies per 1000 in 2008. This is against the MDG target of 35 babies per 1000. Despite progress of about 50 percent, government officials say that faster progress is required to accelerate MDG targets with improved and targeted investments, with more impact on growth and poverty reduction. James Musoni, the Minster of Finance and Economic Planning while addressing a pre-conference media briefing on Wednesday said that Rwanda will have to keep its momentum and fasten improvements in some key MDG areas. “This will require additional financing, particularly in agriculture, health, skills development and infrastructure, to stimulate a double digit figure,” he said. The assessment was based on the MDGs costing approach used when preparing the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS), which provides a medium term support. It was projected that the costing approach would require $1,765m over the EDPRS period of 2008-2012. The meeting between government and the donors pegs around the performance of Rwanda’s EDPRS. The document also reads that the current Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for the next four years (2009-12) shows a financing gap of $315m to finance some of the key priority areas directly related to the MDGs. MTEF is a transparent planning and budget formulation process within which public resources to strategic priority areas are credibly allocated by government. The meeting has attracted donors such as the World Bank (WB), African Development Bank (AfDB) and United Nation (UN) agencies. It is expected to provide a structure for predictable funding to successfully implement EDPRS. Ends

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TOP STORY: Rwanda needs $1.7b to speed up the realisation of MDGs