Rwanda’s progress recognised

KIGALI - A report released by the Commission for Africa has recognised Rwanda’s progress, particularly the country emerging as the top global reformer in 2010, good planning and spending and promoting good health programmes. The 2010 report released by the commission entitled “Still Our Common Interest” published September 13th, puts Rwanda among the leading African countries that have registered steady progress. Rwanda’s reforms covered seven of the ten areas measured by the report, including easing the setting up of a business, importing and exporting, as well as transfer of property. “The Government of Rwanda, for example, has pooled its own spending on technical assistance into a single ‘Capacity Building Fund’, which it has aligned to its national development priorities,” the report reads. “Taking this one step further, the government is now drawing up a strategic assessment of capacity gaps in the ministries responsible for delivering key policy objectives, and will be looking at donors to align their spending and technical assistance with its capacity-building priorities and plans rather than their own.” Also recognised by the report as a sign of progress is the proportion of children under five sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets in selected sub-Saharan African countries from 4% in 2000 to 56% in 2008/9. Finance Minister John Rwangombwa welcomed the report, saying that it reflects the country’s efforts to move towards sustainable levels of development. “I am pleased that the Commission recognises the progress Rwanda and other African countries have made in health, education and the business environment. The report follows the recent MDG Africa Consultative Forum, convened by President Paul Kagame, during which a number of African Heads of State agreed on the need for the continent to own and lead its development agenda including innovating new means of delivering for their citizens. Ends

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Rwanda’s progress recognised