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Rwanda
At the heart of the Great Lakes region, Rwanda experienced sustained growth for more than two decades and substantially improved the living conditions of its population. The normalization of diplomatic relations between France and Rwanda enabled AFD to resume its activities in 2019 and to reopen an office in Kigali in 2021. AFD is working with the Government of Rwanda to support health, vocational training and climate initiatives.
Context
A landlocked and densely populated state in the Great Lakes region, Rwanda has experienced strong development since the end of the genocide against the Tutsis in 1994. Thanks to Rwanda's effective governance systems, economic growth has been sustained at 9.5% per annum since 2000, allowing for significant social progress.
GDP per capita has grown at an annual rate of 4.7%, reducing the poverty rate. Health conditions have also improved thanks to the social security system, while Rwanda has almost reached the goal of universal basic education. Rwanda has long been a trailblazer in terms of combatting climate change.
To achieve the objectives of its Vision 2050 project, Rwanda partly relies on funding and technical support from its development partners. The normalisation of diplomatic relations between France and Rwanda, materialised by the visit to Rwanda of the President of the French Republic in May 2021, has made it possible to initiate a new phase of ambitious cooperation. AFD aims to mobilise 400 M€ in Rwanda for 2024-28.
AFD's Rwanda office is directly attached to the East Africa regional office in Nairobi.
Our approach
"AFD and Rwanda: supporting an ambitious development trajectory for the benefit of the population"
Aftercontributing to the response to the Covid-19 epidemic, AFD is committed to improving access to healthcare for the most vulnerable communities. Its flagship initiative is the rehabilitation of the Musanze hospital, the country’s second largest city. AFD enables peer-to-peer exchange through the mobilization of French medical practitioners.
With around 60% of the population under the age of 25, education and training for the youth are government priorities. AFD supports vocational training by financing a higher vocational training institution and TVET (Technical and Vocational Educational Training) schools in the Rulindo district to improve the employability of the youth which benefits to 4,400 students. A second phase of the programme, targeting learning institutions in other parts of the country, is under way. Enhancing the teaching and learning of French language also helps to increase the professional skills of young Rwandans. Finally, AFD is supporting the deployment of the school sports policy through the Isonga program.
Rwanda is particularly vulnerable to climate change and has made ambitious commitments in the framework of the Paris Agreement. AFD’s action is two-fold:
- Support the resilience of territories, targeting those most vulnerable to climate change (rural districts and informal settlements in Kigali);
- Alignment of investment flows, public and private, with the country's climate trajectory, through a structuring dialogue with the government of Rwanda (sustainable procurement, inclusion of climate in investment choices, etc.) and the National Bank of Rwanda (implementation of the roadmap for sustainable finance), as well as a strategic partnership with the Rwanda Development Bank (BRD), notably through the Ireme Invest initiative.
In the field
News & Press Releases
Confronting Gender-based Violence in Rwanda and Reigniting hope for the Future
Published on march 8 2024
France's Half Billion euro Boost to Rwanda's Health, Training and Climate
Published on february 5 2024
Key figures
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504 504 million committed between 2019 and 2023
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4,400 students per year have access to enhanced TVET facilities
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47,000 inhabitants will have improved living conditions in informal settlements more resilient to climate change