Rwanda, Germany sign new Rwf30B grant agreement for climate action
The Rwandan government signed a grant agreement with the German Development Bank KfW, on Wednesday, to provide EUR 20.97 million (about Rwf30 billion) for the "Green and Gender-Sensitive Public Spaces" project.
The new agreement follows a previous grant of EUR 20 million, also signed between the two parties, aimed at supporting reforms in green financing and investments.
The funding enhance contributions to climate action through the Rwandan-German Climate and Development Partnership, established in 2022 to assist in achieving Rwanda’s national climate adaptation and mitigation targets.
Yusuf Murangwa, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning noted that the funding has the potential to catalyze investments in climate resilience projects.
“Given Rwanda’s vulnerability to climate change, the government has set ambitious targets to enhance resilience. Mobilizing sufficient resources to achieve these targets will be a top priority in the near future. Our partnership with Germany spans various sectors, and our joint efforts to combat climate change remain a key focus," he stated after the signing in Kigali.
The "Green and Gender-Sensitive Public Spaces" project aims to promote urban development through nature-based solutions, including tree planting and soil unsealing.
These measures will address urban challenges related to climate change, such as landslides and heat retention.
The project seeks to enhance urban resilience, improve the quality of life for city inhabitants—particularly women—and increase urban biodiversity.
Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) will oversee the project’s implementation in selected secondary cities across Rwanda.
German ambassador to Rwanda, Heike Uta Dettmann, emphasized the growing Rwandan-German development cooperation, particularly since the establishment of the bilateral Climate and Development Partnership in 2022.
"This partnership currently exceeds EUR 260 million and is being implemented alongside our Rwandan partners through KfW and GIZ. Today’s signing of implementation arrangements for KfW-funded projects totaling over EUR 40 million further demonstrates the strong commitment of Germany and Rwanda to combat the adverse effects of climate change through concrete actions," said Dettmann.
Rwanda has received additional funding for climate initiative focused on accelerating investments in climate action and nature conservation, through budget support to improve relevant policies and regulations.
