Implementation Working Groups – Terms of Reference
Introduction
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) is spearheading the
creation of Implementation Working Groups (IWGs) to monitor the EDPRS
implementation period. Eight IWGs will be created: Skills for Knowledge-Based Society;
Health and Population; Rural Development; Private Sector Development; Macro and
Financial Sectors; Infrastructure; Productive Social Transformation; and Good
Governance (including and Public Financial Management (PFM) sub-committee). In
addition, there will be a Cross-Cutting Issues Working Groups. Through being more
closely aligned to EDPRS priorities and Rwanda Economic and Social Development
Council (RESC) Platforms, this leaner structure should facilitate the process of
monitoring. Figure 1 provides the structure of the IWGs.
IWGs are forums to coordinate between sectors and between government and
development partners, to discuss policy issues and monitor implementation. Each IWG
will comprise a number of sectors (including line Ministries, government agencies and
development partners), and is chaired by the Secretary General (SG) of the designated
lead Ministry, co-chaired by a lead Donor, and supported by a technical secretariat, based
in the Lead Ministry. Each IWG will comprise the stakeholders from related sector
working groups.
This, however, does not mean that SWGs will cease to exist. The SWGs role will be to
update the sector strategic plans in line with their logical frameworks and thereafter to
conduct annual Joint Sector Reviews and conduct Public Expenditure Reviews and other
policy review instruments. They will also ensure that their respective M&E frameworks
are operational on the ground. However, for coordination, alignment and harmonisation
purposes and joined-up thinking for implementation and monitoring, SWGs will combine
forces under their respective identified priority areas and work as IWGs. Table 1
summarises the different roles of IWGs and SWGs.
Table 1: Differing roles of IWGs and SWGs
Implementation working group
Sector working group
 Monitor implementation, particularly in  Develop, monitor and update the 5-year
areas
requiring
cross-sectoral
Sector Strategic Plan,
coordination
 Conduct annual reviews (including
joint sector reviews, public expenditure
 Discuss biannual reports on progress
against EDPRS Results and Policy
reviews),
Matrix,
producing
‘traffic-lights’  Annual planning and budgeting
reports.
 Establish and operationalise sector
 Update EDPRS Results and Policy
M&E framework
Matrix
 Develop the sector-wide approach
 Discuss policy initiatives
(SWAp).
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Objectives
The Implementation Working Groups’ (IWGs’) key function is to assist in the monitoring
of EDPRS implementation, with a focus on ensuring cross-sectoral coordination. Each
IWG will have an associated Secretariat, comprised of the EDPRS M&E Officers from
the IWG member line Ministries, which will report to the Secretary General of the Lead
Ministry, and be responsible for ensuring smooth functioning of the IWG and
coordinating the production of key outputs including the biannual reports on progress
with the EDPRS matrix. The Secretariat will be supported technically and financially by
the donors intervening in the IWG, coordinated by the Lead Donor.
The Cross-Cutting Issues (CCIs) Working Groups’ key objective is to attend the IWG
meetings and ensure CCIs are represented in the IWG discussions and actions.
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Figure 1 Structure of Implementation Working Groups
Working Group
Other participating institutions
Lead Government
Institution (Chair)
MINEDUC/MIFOTRA
rotating leadership
Lead Donor
(Co-chair)
DFID
2. Rural development
MINAGRI/MINITERE
rotating leadership
World Bank
3. Infrastructure
Energy
Transport
ICT
Habitat & Urbanisation
Water & Sanitation
MININFRA
EC
4. Macro and Financial Sector
MINECOFIN
IMF
5 Private Sector Development
MINICOM
USAID
6. Population & Health
MINISANTE
Belgium
CNLS, RAMA, Mutuelles de
Santé, PNLP, NISR
7. Productive Social
Transformation
MINALOC
DFID
MINECOFIN, HIMO,
MIGEPROF, FARG,
MINEDUC, MINISANTE
8. Governance (including
PFM Sub-Committee)
MINIJUST/MINADEF
rotating leadership
(MINECOFIN for
PFM)
MINECOFIN
UNDP (IMF for
PFM)
MINADEF, MIFOTRA,
MININTER, MINAFFET,
MIJESPOC, HIDA, HIMO,
Supreme Court, NURC, NHRC
HIDA, RIAM, MINEDUC,
MIJESPOC, MIGEPROF,
REMA
1. Skills for knowledge based
society
Environmental sustainability,
Gender, HIV/AIDS, Youth
Cross Cutting Issues
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UNDP
MIFOTRA, MINISTR, RITA,
MIJESPOC, KIST, NUR,
Universities
MINITERE, MINALOC (CDF),
MININFRA, MINICOM, HIMO,
TIG, OCIR The/Café, MIFOTRA
MINITERE, Electrogaz, RITA,
KIST, TIG, CDF, MVK & 4
Provinces
MININFRA, MINISANTE
BNR, RRA, SFB, MINICOM,
MINAGRI, HIMO, ILO,
CESTRAR
RIEPA, BRD, OCIR The/Café,
ORTPN, CAPMER, RPSF
Specific tasks and outputs
The specific tasks of the IWGs are to meet quarterly to discuss cross-sectoral
coordination issues and produce the biannual progress reports. The IWG Secretariats will
provide technical support to the fulfillment of these objectives, and brief the IWG on key
developments.
Biannual progress reports: the IWG will produce biannual progress reports on relevant
sections of the EDPRS Results and Policy Matrix. The first report, due in March of each
year, should report on progress towards indicators and policy actions in the previous year.
The second report, due in August of each year, should report on progress towards the
fulfillment of policy actions in the current year. The reports should be made using trafficlights indicators (see Figure 2 for an example). These reports will be communicated to
MINECOFIN/DPU for compilation into the EDPRS Annual and Biannual Progress
Reports.
Results and Policy Matrix updates: based on the annual and biannual reviews of progress,
the IWG will discuss and recommend necessary revisions of targets and policy actions.
These recommendations will be discussed and ratified by the Forum of Secretaries
General and Cabinet.
Quarterly meetings of the IWG: the Lead Ministry of the IWG will organise quarterly
meetings of the IWG. The lead Ministry should ensure that all government institutions
and development partners listed are invited to the Implementation Working Group or subgroup meeting. It should contact the following additional organisations to ensure they are
informed in time to send representatives to every IWG workshop:
- The five Province Steering Committees + Rwanda Association of Local Government
Authorities (RALGA)
- International NGO and local NGO platform organisations
- Rwanda Private Sector Federation
- Faith based organisations
- Prime Minister’s Office
- MINECOFIN (Development Planning Unit)
It is the responsibility of the lead Donor to assist the lead Ministry with the coordination
of the IWG and to ensure the donor community is fully represented in every IWG
meeting. Donors are also requested to provide technical support to the Secretariat, as well
as ensuring sufficient financial resources are available to support the process.
Each IWG Secretariat will, in advance of the IWG meetings, produce and circulate
quarterly briefings prior to the IWG meeting, on key developments relevant to the IWG.
The briefing should be no longer than 2 pages. It can include progress on key projects,
issues of multi-agency coordination, harmonisation and alignment with development
partners, new policies etc. The Secretariat will also produce and circulate minutes of the
meetings.
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Figure 2: Traffic Lights Indicator Reporting System
‘Traffic lights’ indicator of
progress
Indicator
(Examples)
Progress
(Description and assessment of progress)
Primary school net
enrolment
Primary school net enrolment increased from
72% in 2000 to 90% in 2006, and is well on
track to achieve the 100% target for 2010. The
challenge is to maintain rates at this high level
and increase the quality of education.
Gini coefficient of
income inequality
The Gini coefficient increased to 0.50 in 2006,
up from 0.47 in 2000. Even with concerted
efforts, it is unlikely that the 2012 target of 0.40
can be achieved.
Population growth rate
The population growth rate has reduced from 2.9
per cent in 2000 to 2.6 per cent in 2006.
too early to tell (‘bikeneye
Although the 2012 target of 2.4 per cent is
gukurikiranwa’)
within reach, actual population levels are beyond
target and a faster reduction in population
growth would be desirable.
on track (‘biragenda
neza’)
off track (‘ntibigenda
neza’)
Mechanisms of communication with stakeholders
The IWG will normally communicate with stakeholders through the quarterly meetings
and quarterly progress reports. The lead Donor should assist the Lead Ministry and
Secretariat in maintaining track of key developments on the donor side.
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