PIP: This document presents the address of the President of Rwanda, Major- General Juvenile Habyarimana, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the National Office of Population (ONAPO), observed on January 16, 1991. ONAPO's mandate was to study population growth and its impact on socioeconomic development, create awareness of population problems through an IEC program, ensure good use of family planning methods, study methods of integrating family planning services into the public health system, suggest ways of balancing population and production, and develop population education programs for all educational levels. ONAPO in its 1st 10 years succeeded in drawing to the attention of officials and administrators the interrelations between population and development and creating awareness among the population of the imbalances between population growth and available resources. ONAPO has tried to develop an awareness in all citizens of their individual responsibility for population control. ONAPO has put into place a vigorous IEC program based essentially on volunteer motivators. The proportion of users of some family planning method has increased from 1% in 1983 to 10% in 1990, and family planning services have been integrated into 80% of health facilities. ONAPO has conducted significant studies on the impact of population growth which are invaluable for development planning. Despite the accomplishments, Rwanda's family planning program is faced with enormous challenges. Rwanda is currently the most densely populated country on earth. From 1 million inhabitants in 1990, the population increased to 2 million around 1950 and over 7 million in 1990. It will exceed 10 million in 2000 at current rates or growth. Among foreseeable consequences is widespread famine, already experienced in the most populated areas of Rwanda. ONAPO and the Planning Ministry have jointly prepared a document spelling out Rwanda's population policy. Its basic objectives include promoting use of all authorized contraceptive methods, improving health and reducing mortality rates, increasing the knowledge of population problems through family life education, increasing the contribution of women to development, and seeking improved population distribution through internal migration and emigration. Specific objectives for the year 2000 are to reduce the total fertility rate from 8.5 to 4, raise the contraceptive prevalence rate from 10% to 40%, reduce the rate of population growth from 3.7% to under 2% and increase life expectancy from 49 to 53.5 years.