India’s strong commitment to South-South Cooperation was applauded at the launch of a new development project in Kigali, Rwanda. Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, emphasized the country’s dedication to inclusive and sustainable development through national ownership.

The initiative, titled AIM for Change: Advancing Rwanda’s Midwifery, is funded by a $1 million grant from the India-UN Development Partnership Fund and aims to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in Rwanda. Implemented by UNFPA Rwanda, the two-year project will improve midwifery education, leadership, and healthcare access.

Indian High Commissioner to Rwanda, Mridupawan Das, and Rwanda’s Minister of State for Education, Claudette Irere, joined other dignitaries in supporting the initiative. Irere highlighted that midwives are essential to building healthier communities, noting an 80% drop in maternal mortality in Rwanda since 2000.

Since its inception in 2017, the India-UN Development Partnership Fund has supported 85 projects in 65 countries, reaffirming India’s role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals across the Global South.