Kigali, 17^th December 2021- The Ministry of infrastructure signed a Record of Discussions (a technical cooperation agreement) with JICA to improve Urban Mobility in the city of Kigali. The agreement was signed by the ministry Permanent Secretary, Eng. Patricie UWASE and Mr. MARUO Shin, the Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Rwanda.  

The project is aimed at improving transport mobility in the city of Kigali by promoting the use of public transportation through proper traffic management. This will ease connectivity as well as boost future sustainable development.

The population of Rwanda is expected to increase by 50% to 17.6 million by 2035 and double to 22.1 million by 2050 according to the National Institute of Statistics. Also according to World Bank, a large scale of urbanization has already started in Rwanda. Therefore, Kigali City is expected to face transportation issues caused by urbanization and an increase in population. Thus conditions would not only lead to an economic and environmental loss but also to inadequate urban development. To tackle these issues, the project aims to provide strategic and practical solutions through developing efficient operational systems and increasing investments in infrastructure.

Rwanda has been working to improve public transport infrastructure. In 2012, the government approved the Public Transport Policy and Strategy and the Ministry of Infrastructure ensures the national road network is expanded, rehabilitated, upgraded, and maintained. The same direction was reiterated in the overall National Transport Policy and Strategy for Rwanda adopted by Cabinet in April 2021, where the infrastructure development aims to ensure public transport connects different areas of the country, thus contributing to sustainable economic growth.

The project comes at the right time, when Rwanda is actively implementing urban planning policies including Vision 2050, NST1, Smart City Rwanda Master Plan, and Transport Plan 2020.

To expedite the implementation of these plans, the project will support the city of Kigali increase the number of bus stations, upgrading the existing infrastructure, and improving the quality of public transport systems by accelerating the use of technology, improving route planning, fostering a better vehicle mix and introducing a scheduled service.

The Government of Rwanda is working with a range of partners including JICA, to achieve sustainable mobility and an efficient and resilient transport system. JICA has been co-chairing the Transport Sector Working Group, a platform chaired by MININFRA to promote the cooperation of the development partners and other stakeholders since 2020. JICA has been supportive of various other infrastructure programs including energy development projects, road construction, digital map development, capacity building among others.