Kigali 20^th September, 2016 –The Ministry of Infrastructure and the World Bank (WB) officially launched the Rwanda Urban Development Project (RUDP), a project approved by the WB’s Board of Executive Directors in March 2016. It is a 95 million US Dollar loan to support Rwanda’s Urbanization Sector Strategy through targeted infrastructure development, enhancement strategies for local economic development in the Six Secondary Cities and capacity development for strengthened local urban infrastructure management. One of the project’s components is to upgrade the unplanned settlement (Agatare area), City of Kigali (CoK) in Nyarugenge District. Under the implementation of RUDP project, 81Kms of roads and footpath will be constructed, 44Kms of Drainage will be constructed and 86Ha upgraded.

According to the Minister of Infrastructure, Honorable James MUSONI, the RUDP will support the provision of basic infrastructure services to enhance the living conditions for residents & support local economical development in the Six Secondary Cities namely, Muhanga, Rubavu, Rusizi, Nyagatare, Huye, Musanze, and upgrading of unplanned settlement area in Nyarugenge District over the course of five years.  To this aspect the core urban areas of the District like Agakiriro Centers, commercial transaction areas in their urban cores, industrial parks, and Business Development and Employment Centers will be connected.

The project will be implemented in two phases, and the priorities for the projects to be implemented in the first phase have been established through a local community participatory process and these incudes 26.6Km of paved roads and 10.62Km of standalone drainages in secondary cities.During the project implementation process, technical assistances to secondary cities will be provided by the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA) to which the eligible investments are directly under their mandate. Depending on plans of secondary cities, solid waste management and sanitation services will be included in phase 2.

The hands-on capacity development component will help the local governments to strengthen project and financial management. The Secondary Cities will be supported to better position themselves as locations which will attract private investment through a specialization of their services and through “city branding” based on each of their unique conditions.  

To create an enabling environment for local economic development through public infrastructure improvements, 118,805 people in secondary cities will be provided with all-weather access roads in a range of 500m under the project area.

More than 88,000 people in the six secondary Cities and CoK, Nyarugenge District will directly benefit from the project. Additional project beneficiaries include employment opportunities during the project implementation. More off –farm jobs will be generated through sustainable investments by private investors which will enhance the economic development of secondary city Districts.