Today on 08th  November 2019 , the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) in collaboration with the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA) held a meeting with more than 30 senior representatives from key local and international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) operating Rwanda, to brief them on citizen participation and engagement  in planning and budgeting processes.

The general purpose of the meeting was to strengthen the implementation and coordination of stakeholders’ interventions by the Public Sector, Civil Society Organizations and Non-Government Organizations while enhancing citizen centred planning and budgeting processes. The meeting shared with participants, who are key stakeholders and partners in different development sectors, the roadmap of the planning and budgeting process of the forthcoming Fiscal Year 2020/2021.

While officiating this meeting, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC), Mr. DUSENGIYUMVA Samuel, commended the contribution of NGOs and CSOs in Rwanda’s development journey, and he expressed the GoR’s expectations from them in these terms: “We have come to gather your views as our partners and stakeholders, to engage you in this process of gathering citizen priorities because we believe they are of much importance to streamline this citizen centered planning and budgeting process. […] Along the implementation of your respective programmes, citizen empowerment for every programme should be more focused on. We appreciate your support in citizen empowerment”.

The official launch for provision of public feedback and consideration of citizens’ priorities in 2019/2020 LG plans and budgets and identification of new priorities for 2020/2021 FY is scheduled on 12th November, 2019 in at Rwikubo Cell, Rurenge Sector, Ngoma District.

Figures available at LODA indicate that last year, Cells collected 11,559 priorities from citizens countrywide. However, merely 3,681 made it to Sector priorities, of which 2,514 Sector priorities were ranked "High"; and at last 269 of them were considered in Profile Project Documents (PPD) by Districts. Finally, only 91 priorities were considered in the final budget framework for 2019/2020 Fiscal Year.

 Under the supervision of MINALOC, LODA is a government agency mandated to implement the local economic and community development policies and strategies, social protection and poverty reduction programs. As part of its mission, LODA contributes to sensitizing the population in development activities meant for them. It is that regard that LODA presets guidelines on citizen engagement and feedback on planning and budgeting processes in decentralized government entities.