The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Stanislas Kamanzi has said that, the National Land Use and Development Master Plan, the first of its kind in Rwanda, is of great national significance.

He made the remarks yesterday while officiating at the opening of the Rwanda National Land Use stakeholders’ consultative workshop.

 "It will be a fundamental tool in achieving environmental sustainability economic growth and development, and social cohesion,” he said

Kamanzi added that, the plan provides planning standards and guidelines that will be used by all the implementing parties and will direct them in decision making. It will also form the basis for more localized plans at district level (Spatial District Development Plans).

"This plan reflects a move from old methods of conventional planning that were more product-oriented with limited stakeholder interaction to contemporary planning methods that are continuous and more action oriented, with maximum stakeholder participation,” he explained.

"Rwanda is a very densely populated country, with intense and constant pressure on land, makes proper planning of land use even more crucial in order for us to achieve Sustainable Development”.

He underscored that, the plan addresses various country-wide issues such as ecosystems management, distribution of population, and development of networks for rural and urban settlements, social services and infrastructure.

Speaking to The New Times, Christer Kjorneberg, the team leader, land use planner and architect, the project is now in its second phase where the results will be scrutinized by a wider audience.

""It will be used to identify suitable land for specific activities and show how land can be used to get the right income,” he said

Christer added that the map will be a vital tool to properly manage the activities on the land to protect the ecosystem.

The two-day workshop is organized by Rwanda National Land Use and brings together stakeholders from the local and central government, the private sector and the NGO’s.

The Master Plan was initiated by the government of Rwanda and Swedsurvey, a Swedish consultating firm, was contracted to do the architectural work.

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