Development partners hail Budget

Rwanda’s development partners have hailed government for considering key priorities in its 2013/14 budget allocations.While presenting the budget before a joint parliamentary session yesterday, Finance minister Claver Gatete said the total budgeted resources for the 2013-14 fiscal year is Rwf 1.6trillion, which is Rwf 103 billion higher than the 2012-13 revised budget.Speaking to The New Times the European Union Head of the Economy and Governance section, Achim Tillessen pointed out that the budget was aligned with the government development priorities.“The budget is aligned with Rwanda’s second Economic Development and Poverty Eradication Strategy (EDPRS II) which we highly commend since it mainly focuses on economic transformation and rural development,” he said.Tillessen added that, “Rwanda needs to ensure increase on the capacity of domestic revenues.”The budget’s major focus is funding the EDPRS II which is critical to Rwanda’s long-term goal to attain middle-class income status by 2020.Half of the Rwf1.6 trillion will fund EDPRS II projects that will boost economic transformation, rural development, productivity, youth employment and government accountability.EDPRS II is, therefore, expected to propel Rwanda forward, ensuring the country attains real GDP growth of 11.5 per cent annually and a GDP per capita of $1,240 by 2020.The Swedish, Charge d’Affaires, Maria Hakansson said, “We are very impressed with what the Rwandan government is doing to lift people out of poverty. We share the same objectives in the areas of results and accountability. We look forward to working with Rwanda in implementing these policies and strategies in the budget.”The International Monetary Fund (IMF) held consultative talks with the government on budget allocation and has commended the final allocations saying that it reflected the consultations held earlier.“The new budget is in line with the IMF’s earlier discussions with the government, it sustains efforts of revenue mobilisation, minimises domestic financing, and protects priority spending and it’s as well based on prudent assumptions,” said the IMF resident representative, Mitra Farahbaksh.Pieter Dorst, head of development cooperation, the Netherlands embassy in Kigali also commended the budget, saying it’s leading to Rwanda’s self reliance.“We think the budget is in line with the ambitious development agenda of the government focusing on the need for economic transformation. We hope that economic growth in Rwanda will lead to increased domestic revenue and self reliance,” he said.

National

Development partners hail Budget