The construction of the 97 km paved road connecting Rwanda and Burundi will open up the two countries, reduce travel time and general transport costs. The direct beneficiaries of the project are the inhabitants of Kicukiro and Bugesera districts in Rwanda and Kirundo Province in Burundi, which have an estimated total population of over 1 million. The project will increase intra–regional trade and benefit both Rwanda and Burundi, and the East African region in general through the movement of goods and persons. The official inauguration of the road took place on Friday at the border post at Nemba / Gisenyi in the presence of Diko Mukete the Resident Representative African Development Bank, Minister of Infrastructure, Linda Bihire and Burundi’s Minister of Public Works and Equipment of Burundi. Kicukiro-Kirundo road project involves 60 km on the Rwandan side and 37 km on the Burundi side and the development of 115 km of feeder roads were connected to the road with 69 km in Rwanda completed and 46 km ongoing in Burundi. The road project cost about $158 million and the AfDB approved a grant of about $45 million (28.5 percent) of the total project cost. The other donors who co-financed the projects include ADEBA/BADEA, OPEC, and Saudi Development Fund. Mukete urged the two governments to step up action to improve the institutional framework for the management of this facility, as well as carry out necessary reforms aimed at putting in place a robust institutional framework for road sector management in the two countries. In his speech, Mukete said, “The project will improve access to basic services, increase opportunities for commercial activities and facilitate the marketing of the region’s agricultural products.” Agricultural production in the Bugesera region is expected to increase substantially on completion of the ongoing Regional Integrated Rural Development (RIRD) project between Rwanda and Burundi. Ends
