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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Multi Sector Capacity Building Programme (MSCBP)?

  • It is a national capacity building programme whose preparation and design was necessitated by the desire of the national leadership to effectively and efficiently implement the development goals and objectives set out in MDGs, Vision 2020, PRSP, EDPRS and the National Investment Strategy (NIS).
  • The preparation and design process dates back to 2000, when HE the President met the WB President in Washington and requested for support to solve capacity building challenges facing Rwanda.
  • Its implementation arrangements were scheduled to be through a 5 year mid-term strategies.
  • This programme is unique and defers from the past capacity building initiatives because it is holistic, demand driven and based on a larger vision of the country’s economic and social development.

How does MSCBP package its capacity building support?

The MSCBP uses the following approaches to support capacity building:

  • Developing Human/ Individual Capacities: the process of equipping public servants with the right skills, knowledge, competencies and attitude that enables them to perform effectively and deliver the required services in line with the institutional mandate.
  • Building Organizational effectiveness: which entails clearly elaborated management structures, systems, processes and procedures, not only within central government institutions but also the management of relationships across government and other sectors of the economy e.g. financial management systems, M&E systems, sector strategies, strategic and annual action plans, procurement plans, operation manuals,…etc.
  • Putting in place an enabling legal and regulatory Institutional Environment: to enable the central government institutions at all levels and in all sectors to enhance their capacities.

What are the Projects that support implementation of MSCBP and which resources have been provided?

Out of the USD 77 million which is the estimated cost of the first five years of MSCBP, the following projects have provided support:

Name of Project Amount
Public Sector Capacity Building Project (PSCBP) USD 20 million
African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF):

Grant 65

Grant 143



USD 3 million

USD 4 million

Belgian Technical Cooperation Support 5 million Euros

Note that Government provides an annual counterpart contribution for each of the above Projects.

Who are beneficiaries of MSCBP support?

  • MINECOFIN
  • MIFOTRA
  • MININFRA
  • MINIRENA
  • MINISANTE
  • MINEDUC
  • MINALOC
  • MINAGRI
  • Parliament
  • Office of the President – SPU
  • IPAR
  • PSF
  • CCOAIB
  • RPPA, formerly NTB
  • RITA
  • NUR
  • SFB
  • RIAM
  • ORINFOR
  • All Public Institutions are eligible for support under Component 4, PSCBP and support from BTC Project based on the eligibility of their demand driven

What are the major interventions which have been undertaken with support of the above Projects

Strategic Intervention Major Capacity Building Activities
Strategic Human Resource Development Training of Public Servants
  • The target is to train 900 Public Servants : 1st batch of 200 have been trained in International Computer Driving License (ICDL); 2nd batch of 250 are undergoing training and soon to do exams.
  • 30 ICT Interns have benefited from the ICT Employment Fund (ICTEF) financed by MSCBP through RITA.
  • 48 public servants are being trained in IT professional courses.
  • 218 public Accountants and Auditors were trained in ACCA part 1
  • 640 public financial managers were trained in the new Organic Budget Law on State Finances.
  • 172 public servants (mainly members of Internal Tender Committees) were trained in Procurement regulations and processes.
  • 290 public Servants are being trained in public financial and procurement management functions by SETYM, an international firm.
  • 18 members of Parliament from the Committee on Budget and Finance) and their staff have been trained.
  • 30 Public Servants have been supported to acquire Masters Training (in-country and abroad) in various fields (MBA, Finance, Law, Procurement, e-Governance & Urban Planning
Strategic Human Resource Development (continued) Strengthening local training institutions
a. Academic Staff Training
National University of Rwanda
  • 21 academic staff have been supported for Masters training
  • 3 academic staff have been supported for PhD training

National University of Rwanda

  • 21 academic staff have been supported for Masters training
  • 3 academic staff have been supported for PhD training

School of Finance and Banking (SFB)

  • 8 academic staff have been supported for Masters training

Rwanda Institute of Administration and Management (RIAM)

  • 8 academic staff have been supported for Masters training
  • 2 academic staff have been supported for PhD training
Strategic Human Resource Development (continued) b. Training Modules and Facilities
National University of Rwanda:
  • Revised and updated Economics training modules
  • Procured training equipment for Economics Department.
  • Developed curriculum for short-term courses in Statistics
  • Developed training modules in Statistics

Rwanda Institute of Administration and Management (RIAM)

  • Extension of training space and acquisition of training equipment.

      • School of Finance and Banking (SFB)

      • Procured training equipment (35 computers)

      c. Strategic and Business Plans

      • NUR, SFB and RIAM have all been supported to develop strategic and business plans

      Supported MIFOTRA to conduct a national skills audit exercise in the public sector, private sector and civil society to pave way for the development of a national skills audit policy.

Improving the overall institutional environment for development management a. Support to MIFOTRA
  • The Ministry was supported to carry out a comparative pay study between the public and private sector to provide input for a long term remuneration policy for public servants.
  • The Ministry was supported to conduct functional reviews and institutional audit of ministries and now exercise is extended to cover all government agencies, commissions and departments.
  • The Ministry has been supported to develop Service Delivery Directories (Citizens’ guides) for Government services delivery
  • The Ministry was supported to carry out a Mapping of capacity building resources exercise to inform policy planning and investments in capacity building.
  • The Ministry is now being supported to undertake Public Sector Restructuring as a follow-up to Functional Review & Institutional Audit recommendations.
Improving the overall institutional environment for development management (continued) b. Support to MINECOFIN
  • Clearing of backlogs (for over 20 years) of public accounts, and consolidation of the 1st ever public accounts for 2006 and for 2007.
  • Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability Assessment– PFM Performance Measurement Framework
  • Supported the development of the Public Financial Management (PFM) strategy for Government.
  • Supported PFM Reforms Coordination through a long term Technical Assistance (TA).
  • Supported improvement of Inter Governmental Fiscal Relations to elaborate reporting Systems from Districts and Elaboration of Transfer Guidelines.
  • Supported the process to develop the Public Procurement Law, Regulations and the Standard Bidding Documents to guide the operation of the law.
  • Rwanda Public Procurement Authority was supported to develop a strategy and action plan, including capacity building needs assessment and plan to implement activities envisaged in the public procurement reform.
  • Ongoing support to the Public Procurement Reform Taskforce through a long-term Technical Assistance.
  • To further support PFM reforms, a Multi-Donor Trust Fund for PFM Reforms has been just set up and will be implemented by MINECOFIN.
Improving the overall institutional environment for development management (continued) c. Support to MINIJUST
  • Supporting MINIJUST with a long-term Technical Assistance to strengthen Justice Reconciliation Law and Order Sector.

d. Other Support

  • Support SPU, Office of the President with Senior Advisors
  • Supported the establishment of the Rwanda Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR-Rwanda) to facilitate the development of independent “Think-Tank” mechanism in Rwanda.
  • Civil Society Platform was supported to strengthen its institutional capacity to enable it play its role in national development.
  • Private Sector Federation (PSF) was supported to build capacity of Business Development Service Centres (BDSC), as well as its own organizational capacity.
Attaining sustainable improvements in capacity and performance of individual government organizations
  • Rapid Results Approach (RRA)has been initiated and currently under implementation in 5 Pilot Government Institutions (MINALOC, MINEDUC, MINAGRI, MINISANTE and NUR)
  • Communication Strategy for Parliament to enhance their outreach.
  • ORINFOR is being supported to develop a Strategic and Business Plan.
Meeting challenges and harnessing opportunities from new technologies and globalization
  • RITA was supported to develop its Strategic Plan, as well as ICT Sector Polices for Government Institutions.
  • RITA was supported to establish e-Rwanda, as one of the key projects in the implementation of NICI Plan II
Building capacity for effective coordination of the implementation of MSCBP
  • MSCBP currently has a team of specialists, professional staff and support staff
  • The programme has been supported to have an M&E Results Monitoring Framework, an IEC Strategy, a Financial Management System and a Programme Operation Manual
  • Offices premises were renovated and are located at Remera

What are the key planned interventions of MSCBP?

  • Support MIFOTRA to develop a national skills development policy
  • Support MIFOTRA to develop a long term remuneration policy and implementation strategies
  • Support MIFOTRA to train at least 250 public servants in leadership, strategic planning and performance management
  • Support MIFOTRA to train at least 160 public servants in English as an administrative language
  • Support RIAM to twin with Maastricht School of Management
  • Support MINECOFIN to train government accountants and auditors in ACCA and CAT
  • Support MINECOFIN to conduct on-the-job coaching and mentoring of staff of Rwanda Public Procurement Authority (RPPA)
  • Support SFB to twin with an internationally reputable procurement training institution
  • Support MINECOFIN establishment of an international M&E system to monitor progress of EDPRS indicators
  • Conduct second phase of Rapid Results Initiative
  • Support RDB – RITA to train public servants in basic and professional ICT

What is the legal and institutional framework of MSCBP given the recent restructuring of HIDA?

  • The GoR is in the process of carrying out various reforms with the overall objective of aligning public sector institution’s mandates, missions and objectives to the realization of the country’s development targets envisaged in the government’s programmes and projects.
  • HIDA which provided the legal and institutional framework for coordination of projects implementation under the Multi-Sector Capacity Building Programme has been restructured together with six other public agencies to form the RDB. However, the coordination role provided by HIDA in the public sector still remains operational under the MSCBP and is supervised by MIFOTRA.
  • The Government in close consultation with development partners is in the process of developing new legal and institutional arrangements to put in place a coordination framework public sector reforms and capacity building activities in the public sector.

What are the major challenges facing MSCBP?

  • Limited interpretation of what capacity building really entails, which limits the impact of interventions. The traditional approach of linking CB to only training and workshops is still prevalent in some sectors. This calls for a paradigm shift in the way capacity development is approached.
  • In the area of human resource development, capacity utilization and retention remain a major constraint. An insufficient skills base is compounded by inadequate skills development framework for utilization and retention. The public sector, in particular faces the challenge of attracting and retaining competent and highly qualified personnel.
  • Weak coordination of capacity building initiatives across all sectors of the economy which is still leading to duplication and overlaps.
  • Inadequate absorption capacity because of low levels of ownership on the part of some beneficiary institutions benefiting from capacity building resources.
  • Limited capacity of beneficiary institutions in planning, coordination and M&E