Sustainable and inclusive urbanization are among priorities of the UN Agenda and Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST1). The future drivers of growth identified demographic dividend and secondary cities promotion as key determinants.
Much as the Government of Rwanda promotes secondary cities inclusive economic growth and diversification, expand economic base and anchor regional stability, the vision of RALGA is to have efficient Local Government entities where people and stakeholders are involved in development.
The Joint Action Development Forum (JADF) brings together Local Governments and local non-state actors (Non-Governmental Organizations, media, civil society organizations, faith based organizations and private sector) to enhance coordination, joint planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of local development programs and activities.
Private Sector and Higher Learning Institutions are key actors in secondary cities development, because they create wealth and knowledge. Accordingly, the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA) launched a series of trainings aiming at increasing the capacity of secondary cities in their effective engagement. This activity starting in Musanze District on 13th of October 2020, using a toolkit developed to that effect.
The activity is in the context of the Inclusive Decisions at Local Level (IDEAL) project supported by VNG International.
The Vice Mayor in charge of Economic development in Musanze District, Rucyahana Mpuhwe Andrew, opened the training together with the JADF coordinator Specialist at Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), Mr Peter Muhwezi.
In his opening remarks, the Vice-Mayor emphasized on the fact that ; the toolkit and the training should allow to address gaps in stakeholders’ coordination, advance the spirit of district competitiveness among stakeholders as well as inclusivity. He also thanked RALGA for supporting decentralized entities in achieving their mandate of inclusive governance and sustainable development.
The training sessions will also cover all the Secondary Cities districts, namely ; Rubavu, Rusizi, Muhanga, Huye and Nyagatare.
