Rwanda

In this scenario, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation would focus primarily on vocational and technical training, inclusive and innovative finance and the environment and sustainable development. In addition, human rights and gender equality will be seen as cross-cutting priorities.

During the visit by the Prime Minister and Minister Fayot in June 2022 to Rwanda, Minister Fayot had two meetings with his Rwandan counterparts responsible for international cooperation, namely the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Among other topics, the meetings focused on renewing cooperation between our two countries. In addition, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs were invited to attend a presidential dinner, at which they expressed their concerns about respect for human rights in Rwanda.

Two delegated cooperation projects, with Enabel and the French Development Agency (AFD), were concluded in 2022. Thus, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation is co-financing the KHIWAZA (“feeding the cities”) project, together with the European Union. It is being implemented by Enabel, the Belgian development cooperation agency, thus demonstrating the “Team Europe” approach. The project aims to strengthen horticulture and aquaculture value chains in Rwanda. This contributes to Rwanda’s transition towards more sustainable agriculture, in the broad sense of the term. Rwanda’s population is largely dependent on subsistence agriculture, with about 65% of households practising agriculture. Yet, while the agricultural sector is an important pillar of the Rwandan economy, it is also a sector with very low productivity and low revenue. In order to support Rwanda in its quest for an agricultural sector that can feed the country (Rwanda is still largely dependent on imports to ensure food security in the country), the project seeks to strengthen the above-mentioned value chains through capacity building and through the development of more sustainable farming methods, as well as improved access to finance for small-scale farmers. To that end, Enabel has requested the expertise of ADA, a Luxembourgish NGO. In addition, the organisational capacities of small agricultural cooperatives in Rwanda should be strengthened to improve the marketing of smallholders. The project is also directly linked to the “Team Europe” initiative on the construction of a wholesale market in Kigali where smallholders could sell their produce. Luxembourg’s financial contribution amounts to EUR 5.5 million.

With AFD, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation is co-financing the AFTER II project, implemented by AFD and Expertise France. Luxembourg’s contribution amounts to EUR 6 million. The AFTER II project aims to help improve teaching and learning conditions in vocational and technical training (VTT) in order to offer young people high-quality training suited to current labour market requirements. The sites benefiting from the project are the Karongi and Muhororo VTT centres in Karongi district and the Kitabi and Cyanika VTT centres in Nyamagabe district. The project will enable the four beneficiary institutions to increase their capacity and offer better living and study conditions on campus through the construction and equipment of classrooms, laboratories and workshops, dormitories, canteens, infirmaries, recreational spaces, an early childhood development centre and sports facilities, and to help technology colleges to become centres of excellence. The buildings will combine both energy efficiency and environmental performance and will need to respond to climate change by having a reduced carbon footprint during manufacture, use and end-of-life disposal.

In addition, the recruitment of an internal expert by LuxDev in August 2022 launched the production of a roadmap that is to serve as a basis for the development of a future project in the field of inclusive and innovative finance. The final roadmap is expected in March 2023.

Since September 2022, LuxDev has been represented in Rwanda by a resident representative.