More Rwandese will have access to safe water and improved sanitation. This follows the African Development Bank approving financing agreements worth €115 million towards Rwanda’s government to support sustainable water supply and sanitation projects.
According to a statement from the bank, the funding will cover strategic cities and address water challenges in areas with low access rate of 45% a figure that is well below the national average of 85%. The objective is to support Rwanda to achieve universal access to reliable water and sanitation services, by 2024 in line with the objectives of the National Strategy for Transformation.
“The bank’s support for this programme deepens and consolidates the impact of its investments in enhancing resilience to climate change and inclusive growth,” said Wambui Gichuri, the Bank’s Director for Water Development and Sanitation.
African Development bank is one of the leading development partners that have extended financial support to Rwanda in key strategic areas, water and sanitation being one of them.
Benefiting cities
Under the first Rwanda Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation programme, the bank is supporting sub-projects in the city of Kigali and the strategic satellite cities of Rubavu, Rusizi, Nyagatare, Muhanga, Huye, Musanze and Karongi.
Under the Water and Sanitation program, Kigali will also benefit from the development of the first centralized sewerage system in Rwanda. Furthermore, to promote sustainable financing of water and sanitation investments, the Bank, through the Kigali Bulk Water Project, is helping the Government mobilize private capital for the extraction of ground water, its treatment and supply to the Kigali network through a public private partnership.
Commenting on the financing agreement, the bank’s Country Manager for Rwanda, Martha Phiri, said, “This additional financing increases the on-going Bank support for the water and sanitation sector in Rwanda to €282 million, demonstrating the Bank’s desire and readiness to match the government of Rwanda’s ambitions to achieve speedy socio-economic transformation.”
Under Agreement African Development Bank will be extending about €114.27 million and the rest €0.8 million from the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative Trust Fund.
