FUNDING:Rwanda looking for US$5 billion

World Bank Country Director, Johannes Zutt, yesterday, announced that the global financial institution will continue working with the government to provide technical and financial support for the development of the energy sector. Zutt made the announcement during a meeting with Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi.He said the country was developing at a fast pace and thus required more energy to sustain its growth "It’s very hard for a low income country to develop to medium income without adequate energy. We have realised that Rwanda has a lot of opportunities in the energy sector and we shall be working closely with the government to ensure it exploits the natural resources,” he disclosed to The New Times, adding that by investing in the energy sector, it would also create employment.Zutt pointed out that Rwanda possess resources, citing Lake Kivu that is capable of providing methane, geothermal and other sources of energy that can help spur economic growth. "We have worked and assisted various countries in the energy sector and we now want Rwanda to also benefit from our assistance,” he said. Zutt is WB’s Country Director for Rwanda, Comoros, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles and Somalia. Rwanda is seeking funding worth US$5 billion for key energy projects for the next seven years as it moves to address its current energy deficit.The government, targets to add at least 1,000MW by 2017, with 50 percent of its population having access to electricity, up from the current 11 percent.