The status of environmental information management

Policy framework for environmental information management

Article 34 of The Constitution of Rwanda (2003) provides for the right to information. Article 49 entitles every citizen to a healthy and satisfying environment, and further states that the State shall safeguard and promote activities to protect the envi- ronment.

The Organic Law No. 04/2005 on protection, conservation and presevation of the environment in Rwanda, provides in Articles 7, 44 and 63 for every person the right to information on the state of the environment as well as the right to partake in the de- cision-making strategies aimed at protecting the environment. The Access to Information Bill (2009) is expected to further en- shrine these values. It will, among other things, oblige public officials to release information to the media (RDG 2009).

These commitments confirm the Government’s recognition of the centrality of environmental information to effective partici- pation, decision-making and justice and its role in influencing the quality of life.

Institutional framework for environmental management

The Rwandan government has committed itself to support environmental management in the country and has provided a supporting structure for this purpose. REMA is in charge of supervising and managing environmental issues in the country and is supervised by a cabinet ministry. REMA is comprised of the following three organs: •

the Board of Directors whose role is to provide strategic vision and programme oversight.

• the Directorate, which is involved in the day-to-day implementation of environmental programmes. It is headed by a Director General appointed by the Prime Minister.

•

the National Consultative Committee whose role is to provide views and recommendations on concrete pro- grammes.

The Directorate comprises of five departments, through which it carries out its work at international, regional, na- tional and sub-national levels. The structure for environ- mental management in Rwanda is shown in Figure 1.

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