The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the government of Rwanda have signed financing agreements worth US$131mn to support the Rwanda Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme as additional funding
The fund includes US$130mn from the AfDB window and US$0.9mn from the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative Trust Fund, the bank said in a statement.
The additional funding will support water supply infrastructure, and provide 1.5mn more people with access to reliable and sustainable water supply services. Of those beneficiaries, 700,000 live in peri-urban/rural areas, it added.
The fund will cover strategic cities and address water challenges in areas with a low access rate of 45per cent, which is well below the national average of 85 per cent.
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 increased resources bring the number of beneficiaries of improved water services to 2.6mn and of improved sanitation to 475,000 over the programme’s duration.
Wambui Gichuri, the bank’s director for Water Development and Sanitation, said, “The Bank’s support for this programme deepens and consolidates the impact of its investments in enhancing resilience to climate change and inclusive growth.”
The bank also supports sub-projects in the city of Kigali and the strategic satellite cities of Rubavu, Rusizi, Nyagatare, Muhanga, Huye, Musanze and Karongi.
Kigali will benefit from the development of the first centralised sewerage system in Rwanda. In addition, to promote sustainable financing of water and sanitation investments, the bank, through the Kigali Bulk Water Project, is helping the government to mobilise private capital for groundwater extraction, treatment and supply to the Kigali network through a public-private partnership.
Following the signing of the financing agreements, the bank’s country manager for Rwanda, Martha Phiri, stated “This additional financing increases the on-going Bank support for the water and sanitation sector in Rwanda to US$321mn, demonstrating the bank’s desire and readiness to match the government of Rwanda’s ambitions to achieve speedy socio-economic transformation.”
