The African Development Bank (AfDB) on Friday, July 14, announced the approval of a $101 million loan to support water reforms in Rwanda.
The program, AfDB stated, is a policy based operation seeks to improve the water and sanitation sector in Rwanda.
Part of the program will feature policy reforms by key stakeholders in the East African nation.
Speaking during a board meeting, AfDB’s Director for Water Development and Sanitation, Osward Chanda, noted that the program would ensure better access to water and sanitation services in Rwanda as well as help to strengthen governance of the critical sector.
“This program will benefit more than 13.2 million people in Rwanda, providing better and long-lasting access to safe water and sanitation services,” the director noted while addressing the board meeting in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
“It will also support the management of water resources, reforming policies and enhancing governance in the sector.”
The future of Water reforms in Rwanda
According to a statement from the AfDB, it will pass the baton to Rwanda’s Ministry of Finance and Planning and that of Infrastructure and Environment for the implementation stage set to run through to 2026.
Furthermore, AfDB notes that the program is an indication of shared commitment from both parties and its implementation will be of mutual gain.
Whilst Rwanda is determined to complete the project as part of its long term vision to achieve the status of a middle income economy by 2023, the AfDB states that improving water reforms in Rwanda will help to achieve its goal of improving people’s lives and providing food in Africa.
The water and sanitation project will add to the list of several projects that AfDB as Africa’s premier development bank has financed in Rwanda.
The water deal came days after Saudi Arabia and the government of Rwanda signed a $20 million loan to finance the country’s social and economic development.