Development partners rejoiced over Rwanda's achievements from recovery to resilience during the African Development Bank Group's 60th anniversary Rwanda country celebration, held in Kigali, on 28 November.
Rwanda's Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Yusuf Murangwa led the event and expressed how Bank-funded projects have propelled Rwanda's development journey.
"From energy and transport to agriculture, human capital development, and water and sanitation, the Bank's investments have significantly contributed to our economic growth, poverty reduction, and social progress," Murangwa said.
The African Development Bank and Rwanda share nearly 60 years of collaboration since Rwanda joined as one of its first member countries in 1965. The Bank financed its first agriculture project in 1974, and has a cumulative portfolio in Rwanda, to date, of nearly $3 billion invested across 114 projects.
"Our partnership includes investment in physical infrastructures such as building road networks, electricity access by both investing in grid and off-grid electricity generation, system reinforcement and transmission lines, and water and sanitation," the Bank's Governor for Rwanda explained further.
The Bank's Rwanda country manager, Aissa Touré Sarr, reflected on how pivotal Bank financing has been to catalyzing Rwanda's socio-economic transformation. She further detailed how the ties have strengthened since the opening of a Bank in Kigali in 2005.
"This milestone is not just about celebrating a long-standing partnership but also reaffirming our commitment to Rwanda's future," she said. "Today, we manage an active portfolio of 27 projects with a total commitment of $2.21 billion, closely aligned with Rwanda's development priorities."
The anniversary celebration also featured the launch of the Rwanda Country Development Effectiveness Review (CDER) 2012-2022, highlighting the transformative impact of the Bank's 37 operations across 105 geographic locations over the decade. These projects have played a pivotal role in advancing Rwanda's development goals, fostering economic growth, improving infrastructure, and enhancing the livelihoods of communities across the country.
Niyonsenga Wellaris, a beneficiary of the Kigali Bulk Water Supply Project, shared a personal account about how the arrival of the water treatment facility has brought improvements to the water supply, health outcomes and local hygiene standards.
"Without water, there is no life," the 45-year old said. "We couldn't keep ourselves or our clothes clean; We were forced to walk long distances to fetch unsafe water from traditional sources, or buy water from vendors who sold it by bicycle."
Thanks to the availability of clean water, no longer will families go into poverty to afford it, he said.
Focus for the future
The Rwanda CDER report showcases the nation's achievements in poverty reduction, economic growth, and human capital development.
Despite being landlocked, and Africa's most densely populated nation, Rwanda has maintained positive economic momentum with an average real GDP growth rate of 7 percent, surpassing the Sub-Saharan average of 4 percent.
In 2023, the country saw a GDP growth of 8.2 percent , with the services, agriculture and industry sectors contributing to this success.
According to the African Development Bank's 2023 Visa Openness Index, Rwanda ranks highest in its openness to travelers from the continent.
But while encouraging advances have been made, the report also recognizes persisting challenges. "To sustain economic growth and achieve middle-income status, targeted [future] interventions in addressing skills deficits and physical infrastructure are crucial to enhance productivity, innovation, and harness the demographic dividend of the youth bulge," it states.
Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina described the 60th anniversary as a "call to action" to build a brighter future: "Our work in Rwanda embodies the essence of development: impact-driven solutions that change lives. We celebrate not only the progress achieved but also the immense potential that lies ahead."
The Bank's interventions in Rwanda align with the country's long-term development strategy, Vision 2050, and its current National Strategy for Transformation 2017-2024 (NST-1).
Since its establishment in 1964, the African Development Bank has become Africa's most trusted development partner, supporting over 5,500 projects across the continent. In the last decade alone, the Bank has invested $77 billion in transformative initiatives, impacting the lives of millions.
