In terms of development cooperation, a working visit by Minister Bettel to Rwanda from 18 to 19 June 2024 underscored the deepening of Luxembourg’s ties with Rwanda. The visit provided an opportunity to formally launch several new projects supported by Luxembourg and to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which set out the strategic objectives of Luxembourg Development Cooperation interventions in three key sectors: (i) education, technical and vocational training, and integration into the job market; (ii) climate resilience, adaptation and environmental sustainability; and (iii) inclusive and innovative finance. As part of the same effort to strengthen bilateral relations, Luxembourg’s embassy in Rwanda opened its doors in early September, strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Four new bilateral projects were launched in Rwanda in 2024 in the priority sectors. The projects, implemented by LuxDev, aim to:
- establish model schools for vocational training in agriculture, animal health and food processing (ISHEMA project);
- support the digitalisation of vocational training (Digital Skills project);
- support the sustainable management of forest plantations by improving forestry practices and increasing the production of fuels from wood and efficient cooking stoves (SFERE project);
- support the development of Rwanda’s financial centre by sharing Luxembourg’s expertise, with a particular emphasis on sustainable and impact finance (KIFC project).
In 2024, two delegated cooperation projects continued: the KWIHAZA – Feeding the cities project, funded by the European Union and Luxembourg and implemented by Enabel (Belgian development agency), and the AFTER II vocational training project, funded by Luxembourg and France and implemented by the French development agency (Agence Française de Développement – AFD). Luxembourg also provided financial support for the first-ever Kigali Triennial in 2024. At the bilateral level, Luxembourg Development Cooperation decided at the end of 2024 to increase its contribution to Basket Funding for Pro-Poor Development by €7 million, in view of the promising results achieved over the past year and the ongoing very high level of need. The fund, co-financed by Germany’s Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and the AFD, seeks to promote inclusive and sustainable growth by improving the quality of local (social) services in rural and disadvantaged districts of the country through the establishment of ‘pro-poor’ infrastructure.
At the multilateral level, the project entitled “Boosting Decent Jobs and Enhancing Skills for Youth in Rwanda’s Digital Economy”, implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO), was launched. The project’s main objective is to increase the number of young people with access to decent jobs in the country’s digital economy.
Four NGDOs are currently receiving co-financing from the MFA in Rwanda (Fondation Partage Luxembourg, Handicap International Luxembourg, Christian Solidarity International and Amitié am Sand). They are active in the sectors of education (school facilities, primary education, school construction), vocational training and health (rehabilitation and physical recovery). These actions are complemented by the activities of the NGO ADA, which specialises in empowering vulnerable communities through inclusive finance. Alongside its role in the bilateral KIFC, SFERE and KWIHAZA projects, ADA has been active in Rwanda since 2006, primarily through regional programmes and in partnership with local stakeholders.