MINIRENA met NGOs operating in Environment and Natural Resources Sector

Coordinating and aligning the efforts of Government partnership, private sector, NGOs will help in addressing issues relating to environment and natural resources management._ Caroline KAYONGA

On 7^th June, 2011, at Sport View Hotel the Ministry of Natural resources together with the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) co-organized the meeting with NGOs operating in Environment and Natural Resources sector to discuss the importance of establishing clear mechanisms, policies and Strategies in order to ensure genuine ownership of environment and Natural resources management for sustainable development .

During the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Caroline KAYONGA reminded the participants that MINIRENA and Environment and Natural Resources Sector Working Group (ENR-SWGs) including NGOs, have the priorities of Increasing Forest cover, Ecosystem Rehabilitation, Land reform, increasing the production of Mines and quarries, and water resources management.

She highlighted that these priorities cannot be achieved if the efforts of MINIRENA and ENR sector working Group remain scattered.

“There is duplication of activities, we miss out on synergies” Caroline said.

“There is a lot of good work done that is not documented and best practices that are not shared to improve implementation ” She added.

The meeting was also an opportunity to enable the process of completing the data base of all stakeholders operating in Environment and Natural Resources sector and provide a wider range of forum to discuss the sector issues in the short and medium term. In this case the ENR Working Groups have been appealed to register their organizations in order to get the real number of NGOs working in Environment and Natural resources sector and being recognized by the Ministry of Natural Resources as partners.

“If we want to be professional operators in Environment and Natural Resources, let us register our NGOs in order to be recognized and easily access our rights as NGOs operating in Rwanda Environment and Natural Resources sector.”Dr Rose MUKANKOMEJE from Rwanda Environment Management Agency appealed.

The registration of ENR SWGs, as explained by Rose Mukankomeje, will also help in addressing challenges met by those NGOs when competing for job opportunities related to Environment and Natural resources.

To further strengthen the Planning, monitoring and implementing functions and priorities across the ENR sector, NGOs have been advised to work hard while implementing their duties in order to achieve sustainable management of Environment and Natural Resources for income generation.

“From small scale organizations up to larger scale ones must take the conservation of Environment and Natural Resources (soil, land, forest, water, mines…) as priority in order to implement the objectives of EDPRS.” Said Caroline

“Let us implement what we say, because our practical works will contribute so much in the social economic welfare of Rwandans.” Caroline concluded.