Government and One UN Rwanda assess the impact of collaborative efforts toward achieving the country’s development agenda

The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana and the United Nations Resident Coordinator to Rwanda Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo chaired the 2023 One UN Steering Committee to assess the impact of the joint efforts aimed at achieving the Rwanda development agenda.

The One UN Steering Committee Meeting is an essential time to review and reflect on the progress that the UN system has made in the implementation of the United Nations Development Assistance Plan Two (UNDAP II) which is fully aligned with the National Strategy for Transformation One (NST1).

The high-level gathering attracted government cabinet ministers from different sectors, Heads of UN Agencies in Rwanda, development partners, Civil society representatives, and Mr. Achim Steiner the UNDP Administrator who was on an official visit to Rwanda. 

While officially opening the meeting, Minister Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana underscored the significance of the meeting mentioning that it is a re-affirmation of the Government of Rwanda’s commitment to Delivering as One Initiative or the “One UN” as commonly referred to, since 2007 when Rwanda became among the eight pilot countries with the main objective of strengthening the effectiveness and coherence of the UN at the country level.

“The UN has been fully aligning its interventions with our medium to longer-term development strategies through the UNDAP with the Leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator. Today we have the opportunity to review, assess, and commit ourselves to act together with the main purpose of ensuring that the One UN becomes a reality in Rwanda which I am sure can be replicated elsewhere in the World”. He said.

Minister further mentioned that as the government focuses on achieving the targets in the remaining period of NST1 and preparation for the successor program “we will count on the UN’s collaboration in this Journey and I believe that our Meeting today is relevant for this reason”.

Through various agencies and the Resident Coordinator's office, the United Nations plays a crucial role in supporting Rwanda's socioeconomic development through a variety of programs and initiatives, especially in different areas like poverty reduction and economic development, health, education, youth, gender equality and women empowerment, environmental sustainability, and good governance among others.

The UNDP Administrator Mr. Achim Steiner who attended the conversation hailed Rwanda's resilience in advancing the country’s social-economic development and good governance pledging for more collaboration and support to the Country's development agenda.

“We feel very privileged as UNDP to have been a long-time companion to Rwanda in its various development phases and journeys that it has embarked on. UNDP has a very broad set of engagements across governance, the justice sector, and digital, but also green transitions and innovations. Very often, we are not just an institution that implements one programme. He said.  

 

Participants discussed several key topics, including the upcoming new National Strategy for Transformation2, financing needs, boosting public and private, domestic and external financing, and the Future Drivers of Growth especially how development cooperation can support these growth drivers to accelerate their ability to contribute to Rwanda’s transformative agenda.

Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo the UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda commended the government’s visionary leadership adding that it was indeed imperative for all partners to continue working together for the country to achieve its sustainable goals and development agenda.

“How do we move away from project focus to program focus? how do we give space to the development partners, civil society, and the government to collaborate and work together in the implementation of these decisions”.