Background and objectives
At the end of hostilities in Rwanda, UNCHS (Habitat) and UNEP undertook a joint programme identification mission to Rwanda in September 1994. That mission prepared the present umbrella project, providing support to the Government in four areas: institutional support to the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Social Integration and the Kigali Municipality; rehabilitation of public buildings in Kigali and other urban centres; site development in Kigali and other urban centres for the resettlement of displaced populations and returnees; and repair of war-damaged houses and construction of houses in urban areas for displaced people and returnees.
Activities
Because of the reduction in funds available for execution of the umbrella project, activities were concentrated on logistical support to the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Social Integration and the Kigali Municipality (first general cleansing operations), repair of a car and lorry park damaged by the war, provision of petrol and spare parts and rehabilitation of the former parliament building (Assemblée Nationale de Transition) and a few key ministries in Kigali. In addition, other proposals for improvement of public buildings resulted in the following sub-projects executed under the umbrella project.
RWA/94/B10 - Emergency rehabilitation of public buildings in Kigali and other urban centres; total cost $1,260,000. This sub-project aims to further rehabilitate the heavily damaged Assemblée Nationale de Transition in Kigali and public buildings in the prefectures of Butare, Byumba, Gikongoro, Gitarama, Kibungo and Ruhengeri.
RWA/95/B22 - Urgent urban resettlement programme; total cost $10,114,747. This sub-project aims to develop sites, road and drainage systems and water and electricity supply for settlement of displaced populations and returnees in Kigali and Butare. Kigali: Gisozi (25 hectares), Gaculiro (150 hectares) and Kibagabaga (150 hectares); Butare: Tumba-Rango (150 hectares), Rwabuye (200 hectares), and Sahera (300 hectares).
RWA/95/XO1-Rehabilitation of Amahoro Stadium, Kigali; total cost $100,000. This sub-project is funded by the United Nations Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR) funded and contributes to normalization of living conditions in Rwanda.
RWA/95/B20-Rehabilitation and equipping of communal buildings; total cost $3,600,000. This sub-project aims to strengthen institutions at the communal level through country-wide rehabilitation and equipping of communal offices and accommodation facilities for community officials and bourgmestres.
Results
Under of the initial umbrella project, major results have been achieved in the respective sub-projects. Institutional support to the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Social Integration and Kigali Municipality has been provided throughout implementation of the projects. The Assemblée Nationale de Transition has been rehabilitated, and numerous communal and public buildings, such as the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Social Integration, have been rehabilitated. About 3676 serviced plots have been made available in Kigali and about 1600 plots in Butare for displaced persons and returnees. About 90 houses have been completed in Kigali, while 40 houses are under construction in Butare. Cost-recovery mechanisms will be put in place to extend the project. The Government of Rwanda, together with UN-Habitat, has received $2,300,000 from the Government of Japan to provide services for the sites of Gisosi and Kimironko.