World Bank provides 68 mln USD grant to Rwanda for feeder roads construction

KIGALI, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank and the government of Rwanda on Thursday sealed a grant agreement worth 68 million U.S. dollars toward construction of feeder roads in 10 districts to connect agricultural production areas to market centers.

The funding is provided under the World Bank's Feeder Roads Development Project.

Yasser El Gammal, Rwanda country representative of the World Bank, said an estimated 1 million people in the 10 districts will benefit from the project.

He said rural roads are a transformational and catalytic engagement expected to impact on agriculture and other aspects of the lives of the people.

Besides linking agriculture to the markets, there are so many other benefits for the population such as ensuring access to health services, easing movement to schools, he said.

The construction of the roads will be completed in 2020, according to Rwandan minister of finance Claver Gatete.

The project supports government's seven-year target to construct a 3,000 km feeder roads network, said Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, minister of state in charge of transport in the Ministry of Infrastructure. Enditem