Rwanda wants to leverage digital technologies to reduce poverty and accelerate growth. In its various programs in that regard, it is supported by several financial partners.

Last Monday, the Franch Development Agency announced a financing agreement to support digital transformation in Rwanda. The agreement concerns a EUR37 million loan and a EUR1.7 million grant.

The loan will support the Rwandan government's digitization efforts."The financing we just concluded today with AFD will support Government of Rwanda’s efforts to modernize the administrative network infrastructure, operationalize a Geospatial Center of Excellence and a Drone Operation Center with the objective of improving government’s efficiency and capacity to deliver services, unlocking drone private sector development, and supporting policy design, monitoring and evaluation across government. It will also support innovation and economic development based on geospatial and drone-generated databases," said Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, Rwanda's Minister of Finance.

In recent years, Rwanda has undertaken a number of digital reforms, including the dematerialization of public services, the improvement of access to quality internet, and the improvement of digital adoption with a number of initiatives that focuses on digital access and inclusion.  The said reforms are part of the National Strategic Plan (2018-2024).

For Arthur Germond, AFD Director in Rwanda, the financing “will enable the delivery of quality public services in key institutions across the country, this project will help reduce access gap between the capital and the rest of the country. It will also make the country more attractive and create economic opportunities in Huye district thanks to support for the drone industry.”

Samira Njoya