Kigali, 8 November 2020: Minister of Infrastructure, Hon. Claver Gatete together with Minister of Environment, Hon. Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya and the Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), Juliet Kabera visited Nyandungu Urban Wetland Eco-Tourism Park project which is being implemented by REMA sponsored by FONERWA, UNEP and Italian Government. The project is currently at 35% progress and is expected to be completed by April 2021.

Nyandungu Urban Wetland Eco-Tourism Park will be composed of ornamental ponds, gallery forests, medicinal plant gardens, paved walk ways and cycle lanes, restaurants, information center, recreational and other biodiversity services. It is meant to attract both foreign and local visitors in the City of Kigali.

The project will not only provide social and economic benefits to the communities but also support innovative approaches to restore and conserve wetland ecosystems on 120 Ha of land organized in 5 sections, promote the sustainable management of natural resources and support livelihood diversification to enhance incomes for local communities.

After walking the entire wetland, the two Ministers commended the tremendous work being done by the project contractor (Afri Landscapes Ltd) and they both appreciated the fact that the project will not only conserve the wetland ecosystem with so far about 62 local plant species but also promote greening of the City of Kigali through provision of  a tourism park and its other associated services.

The creation of Nyandungu Wetland Eco Tourism Park is part of Rwanda’s efforts to restore and conserve ecosystems while promoting the social economic development. Once completed, Nyandungu Urban Wetland Eco-Tourism Park will become the City’s main public open space.