Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente, on Friday, received in his office Natalia Kanem, Under Secretary General of UN and Executive Director of UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund). According to Claudine Uwera, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the visit aimed at looking at the current relationship between UN, UNFPA and Rwanda. UNFPA’s engagement in Rwanda mainly focuses on family planning and sexual reproductive health, among others. “Their discussions focused on the country’s effort in promoting family planning and empowering young people,” Uwera told the press after the meeting. Kanem also commended Rwanda’s effort in family planning and in the empowerment of women and girls. Speaking to the media, Kanem noted that; “UNFPA has had a long and productive relationship with Rwanda. We discussed what is happening in the country in terms of the investments in young people and in the sexual and reproductive health of women and girls.” Her visit to the Premier followed the one she paid at the First Ladies’ office early Friday. Kanem particularly thanked Imbuto Foundation for the partnership with UN and UNFPA, which she said, “eased the reach to people in rural areas; a move to ensure that no one is left behind when it comes to planning for families.” The official is in Rwanda to, among others, attend the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), which will bring together more than 10,000 people starting this weekend. “I’m delighted that Rwanda is hosting ICASA; which is a bigger opportunity for us to recommit to the prevention of HIV and to the compassionate caring to those who live with the virus,” she said.
