The Government and the African Development Bank (AfDB) yesterday signed a US$1 million (about Rwf 753 million) emergency assistance to Burundian refugees in Rwanda.

The main objective is to respond to the urgent and immediate need of procuring sufficient wood to meet domestic needs of refugees and to increase the usage of energy efficient charcoal stoves to reduce deforestation.

"The increased refugee population, currently estimated at 148,000, and their demand for firewood has put a lot of pressure on the country’s environment and depleted available emergency finance assistance reserves in the National Treasury,” Claver Gatete, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning said in a statement.

The implementation of emergency humanitarian relief assistance will be entrusted to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees.

"The emergency support comes at an opportune time when we are looking at environmental friendly energy alternatives. As the number of refugees continue to increase, we need to come up with sustainable energy solutions,” Seraphine Mukantabana, the Minister for Disaster Management and Refugees said.

The African Development Bank Resident Representative for Rwanda, Negatu Makonnen, said, "The Bank stands in solidarity with the Government in responding to the emergency needs for Burundian refugees and has promptly approved this grant facility from the special relief fund, established since 1974, to help the Government cope with the refugee crisis.”

The AfDB maintains a good standing development cooperation with Rwanda for the past 41 years. The cooperation is mainly in infrastructure, transport, energy and water supply as well as human development agriculture and private sector development.

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