From 17^th to 18^th June 24, 2010; the environment commissions from both the chamber Deputies and the Senate of the Parliament in the partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Lands and Rwanda Environment Management Authority, organized the workshop for exchanging ideas in relation to the State of the Environment of Rwanda and other environmental issues in the country.

The workshop was opened by the President of the Senate Dr. Vincent BIRUTA, who invited all participants from both the Senate, the chamber deputies and the East African Parliament deputies to participate in exchanging the ideas in order to get clear understanding of the issues concerning the conservation and protection of the environment in Rwanda and to find solutions to these issues through interference of the both Senators and deputies with other government policy makers.

The minister of Environment and Lands, Hon. Stanislas KAMANZI, the Director General of REMA Dr. Rose Mukankomeje and the REMA staff, were present.

The first day, the workshop started with a presentation of the State of the Environment in Rwanda and the issues of the Environment sector such as pressure on the environment due to increase of population, soil erosion, air pollution, misuse of wetlands, lack of clean water and other human activities that are contributing to the degradation of the Environment in general. The participants of the workshop analyzed some of the solutions to these problems facing the environment as away of promoting sustainable development of the country.

On the second day, the participants visited some good environment practices that were initiated by the Ministry of environment and land as well as Rwanda environment management authority, which are the rehabilitation and restoration of the environment in different districts of the country such as Bugesera, Gicumbi and in Burera; where the environment faced deterioration in the past. These environment initiatives, resulted in the great improvement that changed the living of the population that were affected

At the end of the workshop, the members of both Senate and chamber deputies made the following recommendations:

1. The participants from both Senate and Deputies agreed to formulate a joint commission in the parliament that is in charge of handling the Environment issues;
2. Continue monitoring the environmental programs and activities for the protection of the environment at all levels of the responsible institutions, the performance contracts that are given annually in relation to the promotion of environmental protection;
3. Increase the sensitization and mobilization of Rwandans to know all environmental laws;
4. Monitor the implementation of organic law determining the modalities of the protection, conservation and promotion of environment in Rwanda;
5. Sensitize all Rwandans in different sectors to comply with the environmental laws.
6. Encourage collaboration with other parliaments in the region to promote protection of environment and sharing the available information.
7. Indicate in the Ministries budgets the portion of the budget dedicated to the environment;
8. Verify if all laws formulated contain the idea of management of the environment that will lead to the sustainable development.
9. Mobilize the private sector to engage in conservation and protection of environmental activities;
10. Request the addition of environmental subjects in the national curriculum of primary secondary, and institute of high learning;
11. Sensitize and encourage the population to construct the dams for rainwater harvesting from hills and mountain areas to avoid loss of soil but also to collect all rain water;.
12. To stop all agricultural activities in the dried northern part of lake Cyohoha that is currently recovering and to increase the area of the original size of the lake Cyohoha;
13. Sensitize Rwandans to the activities of tree planting and management of forests.

In conclusion, the participants ended the workshop with a commitment to continue to monitor the implementation of their recommendations.