Rwanda: Leading the Way for Developing Nations

Setting a good example

For the last 20 years Rwanda has unfortunately been mostly associated with its devastating civil war and the mass genocide of 1994, which ultimately led to the deaths of over 800,000 civilians and caused over 2,000,000 Rwandans to flee the country to escape the same fate. Despite this tragedy, Rwanda has quickly become one of the fastest developing countries in the world and is setting a prime example for other African nations how to approach growth sustainably and holistically. One of Rwanda's noted political commentators, Frederick Golloba-Mutebi, explained how the country’s economy has recovered after the devastating war and 1994 genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group. “The economy was destroyed and through the process of economic reconstruction, it picked up with a tendency to go very fast, faster than the economies which are already developed.”

With the 2022 census data projecting that Rwanda’s population will grow from 13 million today to over 23 million by 2025, underlining the importance of building public services and strong infrastructure. This growth paired with the ever-changing environment creates pressure on land, water, food and energy resources. Rwanda, being a small landlocked country in Africa that strongly depends on rain-fed agriculture both for rural livelihoods and its exports of tea and coffee. Making sustainability crucial for allowing growth and prospects for future generations.

However, it is undoubtable that Rwanda is striving to achieve their goals and create a better life for all their citizens. They have achieved this through a well thought out approach, looking not only at the GDP and financial growth of the nation but the overall development of healthcare, education and opportunities available to all Rwandans. To maintain steady economic growth for almost two decades, the government invested time and resources into soft and hard infrastructure to attract foreign direct investment. The government established key institutions that would help it achieve its objectives enshrined in Vision 2020.

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Economically, Rwanda has averaged around 8% growth yearly in recent years, creating a dramatic fall in poverty across the nation from 77.2% in 2001 to 55.5% in 2017 and in 2020 it was said to be as low as 39%. Despite this Rwanda is still one of the poorest countries in the world, with a GDP per capita of around $822 in 2021. When compared to the UK’s GDP per Capita of $46,500, there is a clear difference.

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Creating a sustainable future

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On top of Rwanda’s economic growth, their implemented strategy Vision 2020 stated that the government must place upmost priority in creating a sustainable growth within the nation through local sourcing, conservation, renewable and green energy with the intent of creating a circular economy where no waste is wasted. Viewing it as a win-win for the people and the planet, as it has the potential to create thousands of green jobs and vastly improve the health and well-being of communities. Rwanda already has one of the smallest carbon footprints in the world - producing just 1 million tons of CO2 in 2019. Per person, Rwandans generated less than 0.1 tons of CO2 in 2017, for a comparison, the average U.K. resident was responsible for 5.82 tons of CO2 that very same year. From this we can assume a typical Brit generates 58 times more carbon than a typical Rwandan does in a year, which is quite an astounding difference.

Something to think about here is who will have to deal with more of the catastrophic effects of this excessive carbon generation? Of course, it will be the Rwandans and the residents of other less developed countries that strongly rely on the agricultural industry for their income and livelihoods, whereas here in the U.K, we have the luxury of ignoring our impact due to our detachment from the immediate effects and the widespread accessibility we have grown accustomed to.

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Rwanda’s interest in prioritising the longevity and health of its land isn’t anything new either – In 2008 the country instituted a total ban on all plastic bags at a time when most of the world was still very hesitant on the matter and when many nations had simply settled for imposing taxes on the bags. It is taken very seriously nationwide, passengers coming into Rwanda are not allowed into the country with plastic bags – the fine for doing so is currently $150. Store owners found supplying plastic bags face a jail term of up to 12 months. These efforts paid off greatly as in the same year, the UN awarded Kigali the prestigious UN Habitat Scroll of Honour Award for its efforts in promoting an environmentally friendly city even as it was industrialising. This is quite the achievement as most fully developed countries seem to face continuous struggle with enforcing environmental regulations for the trade off of small financial gain.

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Some of Rwanda’s brightest, forward-thinking minds are coming from the younger generations. In 2017, while still a student, Ghislain Irakoze (17yrs) organized a volunteer campaign that recruited young people to produce ideas for creative waste recycling. The campaign attracted over 200 volunteers who in total repurposed more than 100 tons of plastic waste. Following on from this, the next year Irakoze teamed up with local software developers to found Wastezon, an app that connects households, recyclers and scrap dealers in an effort to repurpose electronic waste, such as old appliances. The UN once again saw this triumph and recognised Irakoze in its Young Champions of the Earth program for his innovative approach to circularity. All across Rwanda there are brilliant, eco-conscious entrepreneurs injecting their own ingenuity into this sustainability movement.

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Rwanda’s commitment to conserve the environment has also been seen through the protection and restoration of degraded ecosystems such as wetlands, lakes and natural forests. Forests such as Nyungwe, Gishwati and Mukura have been restored and upgraded into national parks. The promotion of these parks, home to such a vast variety of flora and fauna, has contributed massively to the growth of the tourism sector which is currently the main generator of foreign currency within the nation, with ￡304.9 million and $318 million revenue in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

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There is strong reason to believe that this talk of creating a sustainable development is far more than just greenwash. To pick a recent parallel, Rwanda’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak demonstrated the nation’s ability to action procedures on a society-wide level. Introducing a strict lockdown and an effective testing regimen resulted in only 26 Covid deaths per million citizens – again, compare this with the U.K’s 1,903 Covid deaths per million citizens. Due to the competence displayed by the Rwandan government during this time, their response has been held up as an example of how to correctly deal with the pandemic.

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By placing human well-being at the centre of development strategies it has made tremendous progress on national health, education and has extended global collective thinking about human progress beyond economic growth. As a fast-growing nation in the modern world, Rwanda has the opportunity to bypass old technologies and environmentally destructive development and build an economy that can withstand a changing climate and that provides prosperity for generations to come.

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Recent project – The Green City of Kigali

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In a large region (125 hectares) of the Capital city Kigali, Rwandan government is underway with a plan to cerate Africa’s first green city, this is a milestone in terms of changing the way developing countries in the future may industrialise and grow as a nation. With African cities becoming the new home to over 40,000 people every day, many of whom find themselves without adequate housing. Sustainable urban development means contributing to a more equitable, environmentally just world. Rwanda has decided to fundamentally change the way cities are built, following a holistic and integrated approach to green planning. This builds on innovation in future-oriented technologies, as well as a reliance on home grown solutions and local construction materials. Using this as a basis, the Green City Kigali is anticipated to become a model for sustainable and affordable urban development in the region. The three main priorities for the project are: development for social inclusion and reducing poverty, sustainably designed urban property and environmentally resilient development.

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The project is being developed by the Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA) with financial support from the German Development Cooperation through KfW Development Bank and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). With plans for 30,000 housing units to accommodate 150,000 people, with an expectation it will create at least 16,000 jobs.?Providing housing for not only the lower to middle income population of Kigali, but also for households and individuals at the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder that cannot afford a decent home at any price. Tapping into clean technologies, the green city project will incorporate multiple green aspects, ranging from biogas plants, urban forests and electric vehicles and motorcycle lanes. These measures will greatly reduce air pollution and environmental damage. A key challenge in the brief is to develop an approach to the sloping relief on the city which is typically underutilised in Rwanda in both urban and rural contexts. Urban integrated, green space will make the most of the hillside site, giving space for food production and breathing space within the city. It has been created with a deep understanding of Rwandese social structures and living patterns. This is ultimately creating an urban framework that allows for community to continue through life and activities that are cherished – whilst promoting opportunities for new activities and livelihoods.

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The project consists of two main phases – phase 1 will be 400-500 affordable housing units which will be built across an area of 13 hectares, starting this year and will house around 8,000 people. Under the second phase, green affordable housing will be set up across the further 125 hectares, followed by the construction of commercial areas as well as office space to accommodate innovative green businesses. If implemented, this will be the first green urban centre in Rwanda and the first of its kind in Africa. It is supposedly going to be complete by the end of 2023, and plans are already in place to replicate it in secondary cities.

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What can be learned from this?

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Following on from the development of this green urban city, it is clear to see that industrialisation and growth can be done sustainably without creating greater damage to our environment and climate. If Rwanda can do it why can’t further developed countries? Should this development be a success, it will be a prime case study for how cities should be expanded in the future. With the current climate crisis being felt all around the globe, now is the perfect time for more governments to take a similar holistic approach to what Rwanda has done - instead of only focusing on economical factors as a priority for progression.

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This mindset and approach aren’t just applicable regarding city building either, it should be integral in every aspect of our lives, as our actions and consumption has a much greater effect on the globe than just in our immediate vicinity. An example of this approach can be seen through how we work at Logical and how we tackle the ever changing energy world within the U.K. and the US, we choose to do the most we can to not only help our clients reduce costs and become more efficient within their own business, but to consider the wider impacts of their operations and what they can implement to reach net zero and contribute towards a better future. This not only benefits the planet and the people most effected by climate change, but also allows for your business to open more opportunities for working with progressive corporations who actively tackle the problems the planet is facing.

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Get in contact?

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If you would like to hear how you can make a difference within your industry and lead the way in terms of becoming a green business, please get in contact and see what the next steps could be. It will not only be beneficial for your bottom line, but will also have a much wider positive impact on the world.

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Or if you are aware of any other global initiatives regarding sustainability, my ears are always open and I am keen to learn more.

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Phone: 01242 546 557

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Email: [email protected]