UNESCO. General Conference; 30th; Records ... - unesdoc - Unesco

finely tuned and geared towards reconciliation, understanding, tolerance and the promotion of justice and shared
values. This has assisted the Government of National Unity tremendously in its endeavours to reunite the people
of Rwanda, easing the process towards the all-important goal of reconciliation, preparing us more fully to face
the challenges of the future. As an example of UNESCO’s dedication to the development of Rwanda, in October
last year UNESCO organized a seminar on shared values in Kigali. The paper describing this seminar will be
presented during this Conference. During this transitional period, the promotion of shared values will, no doubt,
be the key to reconciliation and lead to the improvement of the future prospects of the nation. We applaud
UNESCO for identifying this area as a priority and, most importantly, for taking action.
36.3 There is considerable work ahead for Rwanda during this transitional period, which will necessitate
major reforms. We have had significant help from UNESCO at all levels of our reforms, including our education
policy review, national curricula, human resource development and the whole development framework, and even
taxation reforms. Once again, we are sincerely grateful for this, since it is reinforcing our efforts in the promotion
of stability and peace. In the area of good governance it is important to point out that the present Government of
National Unity organized a successful local election at grass-roots level in April this year. This election had a
very high turnout, as witnessed by the international community, and this would not have happened without
confidence in the operation of the system. It is pertinent to dwell on the stability which the Government has
brought to the country and maintained. Confidence is being built rapidly in Rwanda through the maintenance of
peace, and this is evidenced by increased investment and expanded international community presence and
activities. UNESCO has played a significant role in bringing about this situation in Rwanda and we are extremely
grateful.
36.4 Madam President, I am pleased to tell you that the Action Plan developed and signed jointly by the
Government of Rwanda and UNESCO has been activated. In particular, thematic discussions have taken place in
Kigali, as an event within the framework of the Action Plan, during which the Government and the Ministry of
Education were given the opportunity to describe to potential donors, and to the United Nations system, how the
education sector is attempting to overcome the ravages of 1994 and build on this for a brighter future. Within this
Action Plan, we have identified and prioritized the areas we need to tackle. The main areas that demand
immediate attention are human resource development, in particular teacher training (including in-service
training), curriculum development and identifying needs in respect of teaching materials. We still require
significant assistance to ensure that we reach our goals in these reforms. We are requesting UNESCO to continue
with the tremendous support it has given, particularly over the last year, so that we can remain on our charted
course of reforms.
36.5 Madam President, human resource development, as stated earlier, is a priority for Rwanda, a country
that lost a significant proportion of its skilled personnel in 1994. I reiterate the appeal that my predecessor made
at the 29th session of the UNESCO General Conference. Capacity may only be built through the resuscitation of
the entire Rwandan educational infrastructure. An example to mention is the establishment of a number of new
institutions at tertiary level, such as the Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and Management, the Kigali
Institute of Education and the Kigali Health Institute. The National University of Rwanda at Butare has also been
strengthened and its capacity increased. The Rwandan Government is totally committed to this huge endeavour,
but it can only achieve success, particularly with its plans for the higher education sector, if continued assistance
is forthcoming.
36.6 At this juncture I wish to pose a question and offer a plausible answer to it. How will Rwanda, a country
that has gone through so much devastation, prepare itself for the challenges of the new millennium ahead? Well,
Madam President, none of us can foretell the future, but we can prepare for it. The firm foundations that we are
laying, with the help of UNESCO and others, will prepare us to face squarely the difficult challenges ahead. We
shall continue to reinforce aspects of reconciliation, we shall continue to promote shared values, we shall strive
towards good governance and do our utmost to ensure justice for all. For this to become a reality, however, we
shall have to rely on assistance from UNESCO and other international agencies, at least in the short term. It is
with this in mind that I appeal to UNESCO, and to other agencies, to support Rwanda so that we may ensure a
brighter future for all Rwandan people.
36.7 Finally, Madam President, I should like to express our sincere appreciation to the outgoing Director-
General of UNESCO for his tireless efforts, his admirable contribution and a job well done during his tenure in
office. We wish him well in all his future endeavours. Incidentally, he was one of the first people to visit Rwanda
just after the genocide in 1994. The forthcoming year is a pivotal one for Rwanda, and we hope that it will be one
that we share with UNESCO and its continued support. May I take this opportunity to express our support for the
Japanese candidate for the post of Director-General. Thank you for your attention.
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