Rwanda and the Kingdom of Belgium on Friday, May 20, signed a Rwf18.8 billion bilateral agreement to create decent job opportunities and increase social protection in Rwanda. Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Uzziel Ndagijimana, alongside Bert Versmessen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Rwanda, signed on behalf of both countries. The development, the Ministry said in a statement, aims to enable young people and women of working age to engage in decent work, to be better protected by labor rights and to benefit from social protection and a more inclusive social dialogue. “Social protection remains one of the main priorities of the Government of Rwanda,” said Minister Ndagijimana, adding, “We have built an integrated social protection system to ensure vulnerable groups have access to decent employment, improved living standards, and are resilient to shocks and have opportunity through increased human capital development and equitable growth.” Today’s support, he added, will enhance the existing social protection programs to ensure that no one is left behind. Enabel, the Belgian development agency, will be in charge of executing the programme, in close cooperation with associated authorities, the private sector, CSOs and players at local, national and regional level. The programme targets four sectors including manufacturing, construction, mining and trade. “Social rights are human rights. All activities in the portfolio will be cross-checked to contribute directly or indirectly to the realization of human rights and SDG particularly No 1.3 and 8.5, Vulnerable groups take a central position, so that no one is left behind, and special attention will be paid to specific problems faced by youth and women,” commented Ambassador Versmessen. Rwanda will function as the hub for the regional initiatives, such as the sharing of best practices and peer-to- peer learning, the statement added. The long-term ambition of the programme is to improve the living conditions and resilience of the most vulnerable populations in the Great Lakes Region by bringing about a positive change and access to decent work for more people, beyond the scope of the portfolio.
