afrol News, 21 November - Rwanda has shown sluggish progress in attainment of Millennium Development Goals, with poverty, hunger and malnutrition remaining major challenges, finance minister James Musoni told local officials.

He said Rwanda may run a risks not meeting some of the crucial MDGs if decentralised units do not reorientate their planning processes to target special areas of improvement in the country.

Minister Musoni expressed his confidence on performance targets which highlights Rwanda's strides towards attainment of MDGs though he said major challenge was improving livelihoods through economic development and halting malnutrition among children.

He said decentralised units show programmes ranging from environment conservation, income generating projects, hygiene, to security and social harmony, having positive progress.

However, he said independent assessments suggest that many of African countries including Rwanda are not by far to reach most of the goals.

"The high rate of population growth in Rwanda has outpaced the rate of poverty reduction meaning MDG 1 on eradication of extreme poverty and hunger remains in doubt," he said.

Minister also said Rwanda continues to struggle with high maternal mortality, saying the country is also lagging behind on malaria treatment, access to safe water, and improved sanitation.

He further said despite significant progress in bridging gender parity, country has to embark on intensive sensitisation of public on importance of gender equality, saying Rwanda should focus on programmes that would accelerate economic growth.

Rwanda is one of leading African state that has over 50 percent of women represented in parliament.

In 2000, United Nations embarked on eight ambitious MDGs programme aimed at fighting the root causes of poverty, hunger, disease, and inequality by 2015.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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