The role of government in sustaining transport mobility and accessibility in Rwanda

• The need to avoid congestion blighting efficiency is the greatest challenge to business development in Rwanda

• Journey times and costs as well as rapid urbanisation pose a significant impediment to business productivity

• IGC researchers suggested a number of ways to improve policies and implementation

Journey times and costs as well as rapid urbanisation and the need to avoid congestion blighting efficiency are the greatest impediment to business development in Rwanda. IGC Rwanda was asked to host a conference on the key issues Rwanda must face in order to urbanise successfully. MINECOFIN (The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning) requested that one panel address urban transport.

The IGC researchers reviewed planned road sector improvements and recommended how policies and implementation could be reformed to meet ambitious road sector targets.

The study highlights the importance of proper sequencing and synergy-building across priority investments. In Kigali, the researchers recommend optimising the use of existing road capacity through improved traffic engineering and management, in parallel with increasing the reliability and coverage of buses; these measures would establish the proper foundation for the planned bus priority schemes and parking supply management. The researchers recommended compact, mixed-use neighbourhoods with adequate walk and bicycle facilities and suggested how this might be achieved as well as the means to improve prioritisation of more rural road investments through a multi-criteria assessment, and means to improve institutions managing transport by, for example, reducing institutional overlap and ensuring clear lines of accountability.

The President’s Strategy and Policy Unit contacted the IGC to recieve a briefing on the contents of this note. The government requested further work in this area, and it is now integrated into the IGC’s on-going work on affordable housing in Kigali.