Kigali, May 17 2018:  Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Rwanda Dr. Peter Woeste, today signed the new agreement on technical cooperation for the next three-year period of cooperation between the two countries (2017 – 2019). 

The grant agreement worth 29 million Euros (equivalent to Frw 29.5 billion) will support areas of decentralization / good governance as well as sustainable economic cooperation including technical and vocational training (TVET) and private sector development. Germany also continues to advice on an improved macroeconomic and investment policy of Rwanda and supports a number of civil society organizations in their efforts to strengthen the rights of their target groups like women, young people or people living with HIV/AIDS. 

Minister Ndagijimana stated that the support will contribute towards government of Rwanda priority areas such as good governance, employment as well as capacity building which will contribute to the achievement of Rwanda’s long term development goals. “The sustained development cooperation as well as the current agreement signed illustrates, once again, the mutual trust and excellent relations shared by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of Rwanda."

The German Ambassador expressed his appreciation of Rwanda’s development results in the past and encouraged them to continue staying ambitious in implementing the new National Strategy for Transformation in partnership with the private sector and civil society. “I appreciate the open dialogue with the Government of Rwanda, even if we have sometimes different opinions on the best way forward. This is part of a real friendship.”

Bilateral Cooperation between Rwanda and Germany began in 1963. KFW and GIZ are the implementing Agencies on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany: GIZ through Technical Cooperation and KFW through Financial Cooperation. 

Every three years, both countries hold Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) to fix the modalities of a new development program. The current IGN for the period of 2017-2019 took place in Kigali in May 17th and 18th, 2017.  The German Government committed to contribute a grant of 81 million Euros. The 39 million Euros were earmarked for Technical Cooperation (GIZ).