Yasser El Gammal, World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda
Kigali: The World Bank Group Board of Executive Directors last week discussed the Rwanda Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for the period 2021-26. This CPF will guide the Bank Group’s work for the next 6 years supporting the Government of Rwanda’s strategic priorities as laid down in the National Strategy for Transformation. The CPF also supports the recovery from the COVID-19 impacts.
The new CPF is underpinned by a Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD), the World Bank’s comprehensive analysis of opportunities for achieving poverty reduction and shared prosperity in Rwanda as well the challenges that the country faces. It also builds on consultations with a broad range of stakeholders in Rwanda including the government, private sector, civil society, development partners and the academia.
The proposed program of engagement is built around 5 strategic objectives: i) improving human capital; ii) improving conditions for private sector development; iii) expanding access to infrastructure and the digital economy; iv) increasing agricultural productivity and commercialization; and v) intensifying urban agglomeration.
“These objectives will be at the heart of the Bank Group’s support for Rwanda under our new Country Partnership Framework. They are crucial steps in Rwanda’s journey towards middle income status by 2035 and thus fully aligned with the Government of Rwanda’s central objectives,” said Yasser El Gammal, World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda. “They are the objectives through which the Bank Group, with its resources and skills will contribute to the reduction of extreme poverty and increase shared prosperity in Rwanda.”
The Country Partnership framework also includes the following cross cutting themes that are of central importance in Rwanda and are corporate priorities for the Bank: i) governance and institutions; ii) gender and development; iii) supporting people with disabilities; and iv) supporting Rwanda to recover from the negative public health and socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prepared jointly by the International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), this CPF represents a shared view of how resources across the entire Bank Group can best support the Government’s effort to achieve its national goals.
“The CPF leverages and seeks synergies across the World Bank Group to support private sector led programs to increase competitiveness and to support business growth as well as for activities that promote human capital and making growth more inclusive and sustainable,” said Dan Kasirye, IFC Resident Representative. “IFC will continue to support private sector growth by increasing its competitive capacity and promoting a conducive investment climate to boost shared prosperity.”
The Bank Group’s portfolio in Rwanda currently includes 18 national projects and 4 regional operations with a net commitment of about $1.9 billion. Project objectives range from providing access to basic infrastructure and enhancing urban management in selected urban centers, to supporting the strengthening of the social protection system, reducing stunting and providing electricity to rural households. (End)