Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen!

It is a pleasure to be with you this morning in this workshop.

On behalf of the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Fode Ndiaye and myself, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Rwanda and particularly to UNDP Rwanda.

I wish to thank Bautista Logioco and Mads Knudsen for all your efforts and your technical expertise towards developing this DRC-Rwanda Cross-border peacebuilding project proposal which will benefit us all, particularly creating opportunities for increased peace dividends for women and youth in the DRC –Rwanda border region.  

I wish to commend all your work around peace building from your respective Agencies: RCO’s of the two countries, FAO, WFP, UNDP country office in Rwanda, agency offices in the North Kivu, DRC as well as agencies’ Regional Offices, Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to the UN, MONUSCO and UNCTAD technical experts.

Dear Colleagues;

I am very impressed with your genuine desire to come together from across the Region and have a common understanding of the key drivers of conflict and peacebuilding challenges and recall the peacebuilding focus of the project, as well as agree on the project’s management and coordination arrangements at the end of the two-day workshop. The groundswell of goodwill among the participating Country Teams and Regional Offices will be instrumental towards progress and expected achievements that we are all looking forward to.

I sincerely hope that this momentum will be sustained in the future and lead to an effective and efficient implementation of this project to reach the targeted beneficiaries – the women and youth across the two boarders.

The UN in Rwanda is pleased to support in every possible way to see this project mature. Peace is a cornerstone for everything especially sustainability of the projects we deliver on to impact people’s lives.

Conclusion:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Once again, I express appreciation to you all participants here today for your strong commitment to finalize this DRC-Rwanda peacebuilding project and finally submit to within the timeline. As I count on you, Count on us as well.

I look forward to two days’ discussion and I wish you a fruitful workshop.

Thank you!