News

GGGI Rwanda mainstreaming green city development for the GCF NDA capacity development

Musanze 22-24 January 2019

Rwanda’s urbanization is taking advantage of existing pillars of growth to support; structure and balance its system of cities and towns, including corridors (Musanze-Rubavu, Kigali, Muhanga, Huye) and gateways (Rusizi, Nyagatare, Rubavu). This led to the selection of Secondary cities based on strategic location, growth trends, unique assets, and potential to become regional economic development hubs. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) readiness supported by GGGI Rwanda is looking at advance the capacity of the National Designated Agency (NDA) and National Co-ordination Team (NCT) and increasing low emission development and resilience in one of Rwanda`s secondary cities as a model driving the green growth. The readiness support enables the government of Rwanda to assess the priorities for engaging with GCF, define roles and responsibilities, and build on Rwanda’s Green Growth and Climate-Resilient Strategy.  Recently GGGI supported Master Plan revision of Nyagatare with a spillover effect on the revision of other Secondary Cities Master Plans and is ongoing with public consultations at its core.

Members of the National Coordination Team and GCF NDA at the workshop to mainstream green city development for the GCF Readiness programme

GGGI Rwanda team in collaboration with Rwanda Environment Authority (REMA) hosted a three-day workshop for GCF Rwanda National Coordination Team (NCT) members capacity development and awareness creation on GCF funding opportunities for green cities development. This workshop is in line with ongoing implementation  “Readiness and preparatory support project to implement Green City Development Projects in Rwanda’s Secondary Cities” the NCT was formed by representatives of Rwanda Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), Rwanda Private Sector Federation (PSF), Rwanda Ministry of Environment (MoE), Rwanda Civil Society represented by Rwanda Environment Non-Governmental Organization Forum (RENGOF), Rwanda Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA), Rwanda Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI), Rwanda Water and Forestry Authority (RWFA), Rwanda Land Management and Use Authority (RLMUA) and Rwanda Climate Fund (FONERWA).

One of the fundamental results of the Readiness is to strengthen the capacity of the National Coordination team (NCT) to comprehend and take ownership of the green city detailed physical development plan process and outputs, as well as formulation and adoption of the monitoring and evaluation plan. Therefore, this workshop was planned specifically to cater for this. Following a series of results from the NDA capacity gap and needs assessment, members of the NDA and NCT have been provided knowledge on green city development and climate finance opportunities through the Global Climate Fund.

In her opening remarks, the Director General of REMA, Eng. Coletha Ruhamya welcomed the NDA and the NCT members to support the project evaluation and to build on current national and local efforts to low emission and resilient development in accessing GCF channels. She further encouraged the participants to “promote such climate finance opportunities for organizations that they represent to become project proponents and support Rwanda`s green and low emission growth”.

Director General REMA: Eng Coletha Ruhamya giving the opening remarks during the GCF workshop with NDA and NCT members

The workshop was delivered in three mediums of discussion, the first days conversation was led by the GCF Liaison Unit representative from GGGI providing  valuable contribution to the workshop setting out the basis of GCF engagement in the countries supported by GGGI, as well as the opportunities that Rwanda is expected to benefit from after the completion of the GCF Readiness. This dialogue enabled the NCT and NDA members to capture the essence of GCF processes and expected country-led efforts in achieving low emission and resilient development. This dialogue enabled the NCT and NDA members to capture the GCF processes and expected country-led efforts in achieving low emission and resilient development.

The second component of the workshop hosted in Musanze, was delivered by the GGGI Rwanda team focusing on the lessons based on prior experience of GGGI in GCF project preparation and submission. They shared their expertise on green city development and crucial elements in enabling green growth and achieving the international commitments Rwanda has ratified or signed. The GGGI Technical Assistant for Musanze Mr Andrew Kabera, elaborated on how rapid urbanization presents a great momentum to integrate low emission and resilient development to current development efforts.   

The final and third day of the workshop was carried out by the representatives of MININFRA and RHA, emphasizing on initiatives that Rwanda has aided  towards achieving green growth through establishment of different national policies, strategies and programmes of action with regards to green city development and encouraging multi-sectoral collaboration in programme composition and delivery. The session included a detailed presentations exemplifying climate finance for cities development in complex co-financed urban projects from GCF’s portfolio, that promote more inter-ministerial coordination for Rwandan cities to better access climate finance though the GCF opportunities.

Mr Edward Kyazze, Urbanization Division Manager at MININFRA emphasized that in order “to address the climate impact in cities, multiple players – including the civil society, private and public sector –need to collaborate together to synergies efforts. “In Rwanda, the secondary cities are prioritized to be developed as model green cities and their master plan revision will incorporate resilience strategies. Urban development initiatives are already implemented in Kigali such as car free zones, BRT, early warning systems, etc”.


Mr Edward Kyazze, Urbanization Division Manager at MININFRA

Mr. Okechukwu Daniel Ogbonnaya, Lead of Rwanda Programme Coordination emphasized that GGGI supports increasing capacity within the priority sectors of the Government of Rwanda to ensure the good progress in the country’s green growth is aligned with the GCF focus areas.  He reiterated that the national private sector be at the core of project development and delivery to ensure the GCF fund contributes to green growth.


Mr. Okechukwu Daniel Ogbonnaya, Lead of Rwanda Programme GGGI Rwanda

Dorothy Uwera, representative of Rwanda Private Sector Federation and co-chair of the National Coordination Team explicitly pointed out that “private sector access to GCF resources is more complex given the diversity and size of the activities of profit organizations” and more capacity needs to be delivered in improving the knowledge and meaningful participation of Rwandan private sector in climate finance implementation from GCF and other sources.


Dorothy Uwera, of Rwanda Private Sector Federation and co-chair of the National Coordination Team