UNEP and UNDP to eradicate poverty through sound environment management
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) are jointly supporting a project aimed to enhance the contribution of sound environmental management to poverty reduction, sustainable economic growth and achievement of MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) in Rwanda.
The Poverty Environment Initiative (PEI) Phase I successfully mainstreamed environmental concerns into the national five-year strategy, the EDPRS (Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy) and the District Development Plans under the EDPRS.
The second phase of the project aims at integrating the environment into national policy and district planning, policy and budget processes to implement the EDPRS. The second phase is ongoing and has been enriched with new and competent staff.
At the end of January 2008, the PEI 's Project Management Unit (PMU) received delegates from Uganda . They were mainly government officials dealing with environmental issues. The delegates visited the unit to understand why Rwanda environmental projects and strategy settings are going well and how the project is contributing to these achievements.
“The fact is that people are considering the project as a good practice is a symbol that the project is a success story”, said John Musemakweri, head of the UNDP Environment Unit.
They held discussion with people at the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), officials at UNDP Rwanda and other related institutions. They also got an opportunity to visit actual sites where environmental protection activities are implemented.
Rwanda
