Rwanda

Rwanda in its vision 2020 recognizes as one of the pillars the Productive management of land and effective basic infrastructure. In its chapter 2.3 “Vision 2020 by pillar and cross-cutting areas” it is stipulated that the Rwandan towns will have the tools to achieve sustainable urban management and planning and that the urbanization rate will rise from 10% to 30% of the population. One of the main priorities for decentralization in the PRSP, consists in mainstreaming capacity building for the decentralized entities to improve urban and Habitat management.
Currently, due to the fact housing is very dispersed, there is limited access to basic infrastructure for the majority of the population. To solve this problem, the Government's objective is to develop strategies to attract the rural population into improved urban centres. However, currently there are no policies in Rwanda guiding the urban development and planning sector.
Rwanda urbanization rate rose from 5.5% to 16.7% of the population between 1991 and 2002. This increase can partly be explained by natural population growth, rural exodus, and return of refugees who lived in foreign countries after the war in 1994.
Currently there is minimum or no control of the dynamic urban growth. There is lack of urban planning and management tools in Rwanda , this has a huge impact since it hinders sustainable urban development. In the urban areas, a big number of the population lives under the poverty line and more than 80 % of them live in slums without any land property.
Improving policies and decision-making capacities at urban planning departments can solve this situation. The national urban development policy will help to improve the living and housing conditions for the poor in urban area.

Development of a National Urban Planning policy for Rwanda
Procurement of services of urban Development and Habitat Advisor
Validation workshop, Publication of the Urban Development Policy and resource mobilization document.
Procurement of services of urban Development and Habitat Advisor.
Development of Urban Planning modules and programmes
Training of Urban and Habitat Service Personnel in Municipalities
Procurement of equipment for Urban and Habitat departments
Conduction of a National workshop on security tenure and urban governance