Secondary Cities Program

Project Summary:

The Rwandan Government’s 2013 Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy envisions urbanization as a driver of growth. The KGGTF’s multi-year USD $650,000 program is providing technical assistance to Rwanda to develop the green growth economic potential of secondary cities. Rwanda needs a network of secondary towns to absorb rural migrants as the Government expects the agricultural workforce to decrease to 30% in 2040 from 50% in 2020. At the Government’s request, the World Bank had assessed investment priorities in six target cities. The KGGTF program will, in part, support further investment prioritization. The KGGTF support will support technical assistance and capacity building to the GoR in developing better and more sustainable, multi-sectoral urban plans, prioritizing investments and building capacity of local governments and the national ministries in developing and implementing their urban vision.

List of Activities:

• Increasing awareness on the application of green urban development approaches and tools among key policy makers at the national and sub-national levels of government
• Conducting feasibility studies for prioritized city level investments in secondary cities and linking the prioritization of resilient and sustainable infrastructure investments (e.g. transport, energy and rural development) that would foster the economic role and development of secondary cities in Rwanda leading to more balanced urban growth
• Hosting exchange visits between Korea and Rwanda in key areas of green urban development where Korea has relevant experience, including affordable housing, planning, use of ICT in urban development and transport management
• Providing a vision and implementation plan for the green, sustainable, and efficient economic growth for Rwanda’s secondary cities

Outcomes:

Output 1:

• 6 Economic Profiles/development plans

Output 2:

• 3-6 updated urban plans

Output 3:

• 6 Sets of Investment Priorities

Output 4:

• Capacity developed at national and local level

Outcomes:

Through this project, the Government of Rwanda will be better equipped to articulate and implement a national program aimed at fostering sustainable and resilient urban development to facilitate inclusive economic growth. This support has also better enabled approaches to integrated, multi-sectoral spatial planning and management, including integration of water and energy sector.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• Korea: Korea through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is advising the GoR on green growth broadly, and during the implementation of activities, the Bank will work closely with the Korean government to ensure synergies and complementarity between the programs.
• UN Habitat: UN Habitat is advising on urban planning and development of national urban policy and would be a partner in support on sustainable urban planning.
• GIZ: GIZ is advising on housing and this is an area of support by the World Bank requested by the GoR
• IFC: IFC is investing in housing development and housing finance in Rwanda
• European Union: The EU is supporting housing market development
• IGC: International Growth Center (Oxford University and LSE) are supporting knowledge work in urbanization in Rwanda in partnership with the World Bank.
• Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is developing a support program on green urban growth in Rwanda, mainly through advisory support.