World Bank funds infrastructure improvement in Rwanda's secondary cities

Rwanda Tuesday launched of a project worth 95 million U.S. dollars to develop road and sanitation infrastructure in six designated secondary cities funded by the World Bank loan.

The project dubbed Rwanda Urban Development Project (RUDP), will also see upgrading of one unplanned settlement in Kigali City's Nyarugenge district, over the next five years.

The project is expected to benefit more than 88,000 people in the six secondary cities and 19,000 residents in Nyarugenge district whose unplanned settlements will be upgraded on 86 hectares.

Under the implementation of RUDP, 81 kms of paved roads and 44 kms of drainage will be built in six designated secondary cities of Muhanga, Huye, Rubavu, Rusizi, Nyagatare, and Musanze, according to officials.

Speaking at the launch, Mesky Brhane, a senior urban specialist at the World Bank and the bank's program and team leader on the RUDP project said key stakeholders were involved in the design of the initiative to ease its implementation.

"I am very confident that the implementation of the project will be very smooth," she said.

James Musoni, Rwanda's Minister of Infrastructure said government expects the project to bring benefits to citizens and the economy as it is expected to attract private investment. Endit