From left: Apollinaire Mushinzimana (Coordinator of the National Decentralization Implementation Secretariat), Théogene Karake (Secretary General of Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities), Nadine Rugwe (Good Governance advisor, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Frans Makken (Ambassador of The Kingdom of The Netherlands in Rwanda), Christophe Bazivamo (Honorable Minister of Local Government), Jean de Matha Ouédraogo (Director SNV Rwanda), Beatrice Mukasine (Advisor SNV Rwanda) and Michiel Verweij (Advisor SNV Rwanda)
On 2nd December 2009, an agreement was signed for the implementation of the Joint Action Development Forum Strengthening Programme in Rwanda. The objective of this programme is to improve domestic accountability for improved service delivery and local economic development.
The agreement was signed by the Honourable Minister of Local Government of Rwanda, the coordinator of the National Decentralisation Implementation Secretariat, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Secretary General of Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities and Director of SNV Rwanda.
The Netherlands Embassy is committing two million Euros over the next three years to improve domestic accountability relations through the Joint Action Development Forum. All signing parties were happy that implementation can start after a process of programme design in which SNV Rwanda played a crucial role. Lessons learned in the implementation of joint action forums were instrumental in the programme design. SNV will present the official publication of the lessons learned at the inauguration ceremony of the Joint Action Development Forum program scheduled for early 2010.
SNV will focus on education and water, sanitation and hygiene. The Minister expressed his confidence that the program will contribute to the decentralisation process and achieve tangible improvements to the lives of the people in Rwanda. He acknowledged the experience of SNV and was pleased with our role in developing capacities of the Joint Action Development Forum Strengthening Programme.