Gasheegu Muramila
20 December 2007
Kigali — The Belgian government has given 23.5 million euros (approx. Frw18.5billion) to Rwanda to support energy, criminal investigation and horticulture development.
The three financial agreements were signed yesterday by the State Minister for Regional Cooperation Rosemary Museminari and the Belgian Ambassador Francois Roux at the Foreign affairs ministry headquarters.
Under the three agreements, it was agreed that 15 million euros will be used to build hydro-power plants in Western and Southern provinces as well as electricity lines for connecting them to the national grid for local distribution.
The Rwandan National Police (RNP) will receive 4 million euros to support criminal investigation while another 4 million euros will go to horticulture activities.
Half a million euros will be used in availing study and expertise in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
Museminari described the donation as a positive step that would improve the export capacity of horticultural products as well as power supply in the country.
"We pledge that the support will be put to good use by improving directly the lives of the people of Rwanda," she said. Ambassador Roux reiterated his government's commitment to supporting Rwanda through her reconstruction process.
The donations come a month after the Belgian government also offered another Frw12.8 billion as budget support to the education and health sectors.
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