DUBAI 30 September 2019: The Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development, OFID, Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa has signed a US$20 million loan agreement to support water and sanitation infrastructure in Rwanda.
The loan will contribute to financing the Rwanda Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (Phase II) in partnership with the African Development Bank and the government of Rwanda. It will facilitate the construction of eight water supply systems to serve 14 districts, the installation of 7,600 connections and the provision of sanitary facilities in 10 schools, among other things.
The OPEC Fund-related financing aims to improve the living standards of approximately 1.5 million people.
Dr. Alkhalifa signed the agreement with Rwanda’s Minister of State in Charge of Economic Planning Dr. Claudine Uwera during a high-level mission to the country. Dr. Alkhalifa and the OPEC Fund’s delegation also met with Rwanda’s Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente.
Prime Minister Ngirente said that the OPEC Fund’s contribution to Rwanda’s infrastructure, “is greatly appreciated, especially towards key sectors such as transport, energy, and water supply and sanitation.”
In turn, Dr. Alkhalifa said, “Rwanda’s progress in recent years is remarkable and its ambition serves as an inspiration to others. The OPEC Fund is proud to be a longstanding partner of Rwanda and play a part in its success. We are able to support development projects via our public and private sector operations windows and will work with Rwanda as it continues on its journey of socioeconomic transformation.”
For his part, Dr. Uwera commented, “This financing supports and complements the government of Rwanda’s efforts and commitment to universal access to water and sanitation services by 2024 as stipulated in our National Strategy for Transformation. By the completion of this programme (Phase 1 and 2), it is expected that water and sanitation access will reach 81 percent of national coverage.”
Cooperation between the OPEC Fund and Rwanda began in 1976. To date, the OPEC Fund has approved 27 loans for a total amount of about $202 million. Dr. Alkhalifa also visited the OPEC Fund-financed project sites, including the Nzove and Kananze Water Treatment Plants, which were co-financed under Phase I of the Rwanda Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme.
OFID was established in January 1976 by the then 13 member countries of OPEC; including the United Arab Emirates.