In recent times, the world has faced significant challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the ongoing cost of living crisis. These events have impacted global economies, including Rwanda. Now, more than ever, there is an urgent need to scale up financing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Vision 2050.

To address this need, UN Rwanda is supporting the Government of Rwanda in setting up and implementing the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF). This innovative gateway will provide a framework for financing national sustainable development priorities and the SDGs at the country level. By doing so, the INFF is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in how Rwanda mobilizes and allocates funding to implement its national development agenda. This includes targeting poverty eradication, reducing economic inequalities, improving education and health, tackling climate change, and promoting economic growth.

Max Gomera, the Head of UNDP in Rwanda, one of the leading agencies supporting Rwanda's INFF, commends the Government's efforts: "The Government has done a remarkable job in outlining its political and development priorities and ambitions, including a commitment to an inclusive, more greener and resilient economy and society." He added, "Achieving these goals requires financial investments. The INFF describes all possible sources of funding, public and private, for financing that ambition."

Our Joint Programme (JP) on Enhancing Development Finance and Effectiveness in Rwanda has provided significant technical support to the INFF elaboration process. The UN Rwanda, through my office and the Participating UN Organizations (PUNOs), has contributed financial resources and technical support to the Government of Rwanda (GoR) and line Ministries. This collaboration has facilitated diagnostic works on the funding landscape, capacity building in Public Financial Management (PFM), and the development of innovative financing strategies.

Rwanda launched the INFF for SDGs in September 2020 and has been working to turn its building blocks into reality. The INFF's draft Integrated National Financing Strategy (INFS) and Roadmap have been developed and are currently under review by the GoR. Once operationalized, the INFS will provide the basis for the GoR to activate policies and instruments to mobilize, invest, and influence public and private financing from both domestic and international sources.

The JP has also supported SDGs 13 and 16 by reinforcing governance structures, promoting transparency around budget allocations, and strengthening institutions and systems for effective service delivery. Moreover, it has contributed to mainstreaming climate action and risk management in budget plans and the costing of sectoral targets, such as for the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector.

As we move forward, the INFF will play a crucial role in setting the stage for policy and strategic implementation. It will specifically contribute to having a policy framework in place that supports investments in poverty eradication, sustaining economic growth per capita, strengthening domestic resource mobilization, and enhancing policy coordination for sustainable development.

I am confident in the sustainability and scalability of our JP results. The strong governance structure, led by the GoR and the continuous engagement of public institutions and civil society organizations, will ensure the INFF's sustainability. Furthermore, the integration of the private sector into the INFF highlights their role in revenue contribution and demonstrates a commitment to local ownership.

As the UN Country Team, we recognize the critical importance of the INFF and have agreed to adopt a whole-of-UN approach to mainstreaming the INFF in our development work. We are looking forward and remain determined to explore the innovative financing space, paving the way for a brighter and more sustainable future