Up to $69 million (about Frw38 billion) has been earmarked for Rwanda’s transport sector development.

The funds will be provided by the World Bank through International Development Association ($11 million), Africa Catalytic Growth Fund (ACGF) ($38 million) while the government will raise $20 million through the Road Maintenance Fund.

A World Bank statement issued this week said the objective of the project is to improve the quality of the country’s paved road network and to generate sustained employment in rural areas through road maintenance works. The project will mainly help rehabilitate Kigali-Ruhengeri highway. 

It will also help establish a system for sustainable financing of road maintenance, improve management and operational efficiency in sector institutions through the establishment of management information and statistical systems, and targeted training. 

Approximately 83 kilometres of the Kigali-Ruhengeri-Gisenyi road will be rehabilitated and the maintenance of about 550 kilometres of paved trunk roads, including sections of Gatuna-Bugarama, Gitarama-Kibuye and Rusumo-Gisenyi road corridors, will be made.

The maintenance works will be undertaken through the execution of multi-year output-based management contracts. Infrastructure minister Stanislas Kamanzi praised the joint efforts between donors and government to improve the transport sector.Ends