Kigali, 25 February 2020: The Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) in partnership with the International Growth Centre (IGC) organized in Kigali Marriott Hotel, a one-day workshop on Electric Mobility and neighborhood roads to discuss scaling up electric mobility and financing mechanisms of neighborhood roads to achieve green and sustainable transportation system in Rwanda.

The official opening of the workshop was graced by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Eng. Patricie Uwase and attracted national and international players from the Government of Rwanda, the private sector and development partners.

The workshop was organized at the time when Rwanda is making efforts to scale up electric mobility while also working hard to upgrade urban roads to improve the accessibility and reduce harmful air pollution effect, particularly during sunny season.

In her opening remarks, Permanent Secretary Eng. Patricie Uwase mentioned that “currently, all transport modes consume energy, and the most common source of energy is from burning of fossil fuels such as coal, petrol, diesel, etc. The relation between air pollution and respiratory disease have been demonstrated by various studies and the detrimental effects on the planet earth is widely recognized recently”, she said.

Eng. Uwase highlighted that the combustion of fuels releases several contaminants into the atmosphere, including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen, and other particulate matter. “Particulate matters are minute solid or liquid particles that are suspended in the atmosphere. They include aerosols, smoke, and dust particles. These air pollutants once emitted into the atmosphere, undergo mixing and disperse into the surroundings”, she added.

Eng. Uwase noted that “The Government of Rwanda recognizes the Transport Sector as one of the key enablers of the green economy. The quality, reliability and environmental friendliness of Transport Infrastructure and Services are cornerstone for improved air quality, enhanced access to economic opportunities and reduced transport costs and externalities”.

The Country Director - International Growth Centre, Richard Newfarmer noted that “Rwanda is a technological country where innovations and services that are emerging are welcome and that due to the political will, the green transportation once seen as a dream in African countries is becoming a reality in Rwanda”.

It was noted that transport sector in Rwanda is rapidly growing and mostly dominated by the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles (vehicles that use fossil products), which in turn result in overdependence on imported petrol and diesel for transportation services.

While significant developments were made towards making transport systems more environmental friendly, the challenges still remain. The key challenges that affect green transportation include but not limited to: limited budget to implement sustainable infrastructure and limited knowledge on the matter.

Concerning neighborhood roads financing, different options were discussed and these include but not limited to community contribution, government and private investors involvement.