Peace, Economic growth: Rwanda, Nigeria share keys to success

By Kate Obande-Okewu

The Government of Rwanda has handed over to Nigeria the keys and strategies which led to the successes recorded by the country in the last decades.

Dr. Claudine Uwera, Minister of State for Economic Planning Rwanda who spoke on behalf of the country, advised Nigerian government to practice inclusive system of government to ensure sustainable development.

Uwera gave the advice on Tuesday in Kigali, while receiving Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of the Nigerian Civil Service.

The Rwandan minister said that gender equality, home grown innovations and solutions, good governance as well as visionary leadership was key to the success of Rwanda.

Uwera added that the visit was a platform to share knowledge and learn from each other’s experiences.

Earlier, Oyo-Ita who led a delegation on a Post-Conflict Learning Visit to Kigali, informed the Rwandan Economic Planning Minister how Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari struggled to restore normalcy to the North East.

She however said that Nigeria still needed to learn from a Country that had perfected its peace building having come from a devastating genocide, hence the need for the visit and experience sharing.

“Restoring Infrastructure in the frontline states that faced the crises is not enough, we also need to rebuild the public service.

“And Rwanda is the best country to study and learn from considering the genocide the country experienced in 1994,” she said.

Godfrey Kabera, Director General, National Planning and Research in the Rwandan Ministry, educated the Nigerian delegation on the National Planning Tools: Development vision, priorities and donor coordination framework of Rwanda.

He said that engaging of development partners in budget planning process to help identify priority areas was essential to development.

He added that the poverty rate in Rwanda had reduced drastically through their economic and result oriented policies.

He noted that one of the key factor to the success of Rwanda was the determination to succeed, accountability and sustainability on the part of government and the citizens.

Kabera said that the government had also reduced inequality and promoted regional and international integration in the country.

He disclosed that the country already has a development plan tagged vision 2050 which is aimed at making Rwanda a country with high living standards by 2050.

Part of the activities by the Nigerian delegation was a visit to the Ministry of Health in Rwanda to also learn from their health sector ways to rebuild the health system in the North East.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Rwanda Mr Nyemazi Jean Pierre said that the vision of the health sector was to provide equitable and accessible quality health care services.

He said the vision was in line with the vision 2050 adding that the health sector had been decentralised from National to the district levels.

He also said that every district in Rwanda currently has a hospital catering to the health needs of over 200,000 people.

The Permanent Secretary,told the delegation that it takes less than an hour for a citizen to access health facility and see a doctor.

According to him, the country utilises and harnesses home grown innovations for their development as well as citizen centered policies.