Six members of the World Bank Group’s Board of Directors successfully concluded a three-day visit to Rwanda to learn first-hand about the country’s development journey and how the World Bank Group has been supporting the government in this journey.
The delegation met with the Right Honorable Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente, Honorable Minister Uzziel Ndagijimana, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and several senior government officials. They also met with representatives of the private sector and the civil society organizations and had the opportunity to visit several World Bank Group funded projects and interact with project beneficiaries.
The World Bank Group has a strong partnership with Rwanda. The current investment portfolio cuts across all key sectors and includes US$2.46 billion from the International Development Association (IDA), US$62.7 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and $23.4 million in guarantees from the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The IDA portfolio includes projects that, inter alia, increase access to basic infrastructure; strengthen the social protection system, reduce stunting and provide electricity to rural households as well as support the government’s COVID response program.
A highlight of the visit was the stop at the Kigali Bulk Water Supply (KBWS) Project, where the World Bank EDs were able to learn about how together the WBG was able to help address the acute water supply shortage in Kigali. This project is the only bulk water public-private partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa. It demonstrates the one WBG in action, with WB working with the government on the upstream policy environment; IFC acting as transaction adviser and MIGA as guarantor of the equity investment.
World Bank Group Board of Executive Directors:
The Board of Directors is chaired by the President of the World Bank Group and comprises 25 Executive Directors who represent 189 member countries of the World Bank. The Board has an oversight role and Directors work together to approve policies and projects that reflect the collective views and priorities of its member countries. They are also an institutional accountability body that ensures WBG management delivers the highest quality development support to the Bank’s clients and the ensure the Bank remains a partner of choice for its clients.
Visiting Board Officials:
The delegation of the Executive Directors included: Mr. NYAMADZABO, Taufila (Host Executive Director – Botswana; also represents Rwanda on the Board Rwanda); Mr. MANUEL, Armando (Executive Director-Angola); Ms. VALLE-MAESTRO, Eva (Executive Director- Spain); Mr. BOUVET, Fabien (Alternate Executive Director – France); Mr. FROTZLER, Joergen (Alternate Executive Director – Sweden); Mr. PUTSCHER, Nikolai (Alternate Executive Director – Germany). (End)