The continuing cooperation between the Government of Japan and the Government of Rwanda in the sector of transport through various projects, has yielded sustainable economic growth in Rwanda and the economic integration of the East African Community (EAC), according to Masahiro Imai, the Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda.
As part of the cooperation, three construction projects built in Eastern Province, including the Rusumo-Kayonza Road Improvement Project, a 5-years project that started in May 2017 and will take approximately $59.61 million, Ngoma-Ramiro Road Upgrading Project, a 2-years project that started in October 2021 and will take approximately $66.3 million, as well as the Project on Capacity Development for Trade Facilitation and Boarder Control in East Africa, a 5-years project that started in December 2017 and will take approximately $3.2 million – have been rolled out successfully.
According to Imai, the first two projects are loan projects which are flagships in Japan’s contribution to the transport sector for Rwanda’s economic infrastructure development.
Talking about the Project on Capacity Development for Trade Facilitation and Border Control in East Africa, which is technical cooperation, Imai said that Japan has strengthened the capacity of One Stop Border Post (OSBP) between Rwanda and Tanzania which is located near the Rusumo International Bridge, which was also constructed through Japan’s grant aid program.
"These projects are expected to increase the traffic volume in and around the routes between Rusumo and Kayonza as well as Ngoma and Ramiro, which are important parts of the Central and Northern Corridors,” said Imai.
"The projects have also eased and will further enhance the cross-border movement of people and goods, and strengthen further interregional trade, which will be a key driver for achieving Rwanda's goal of becoming an upper middle-income country by 2035.”
He noted that the infrastructure was constructed in sufficient ways and should survive as long as possible, urging local communities to take care of them.
According to Patrick Emile Baganizi, Deputy Director General of Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) which is among the implementation agencies, Kayonza-Rusomo road is 92 kilometres while the urban roads built in Kayonza, Ngoma, and Kirehe are equivalent to 20.6 kilometres.
He said that the Japan-funded projects also include lighting roads that equals to 112.6 kilometres, adding that they will improve cooperation between the three districts as well as Rwanda and its neighbouring countries which will facilitate their development and transport means.
Talking about Ngoma-Ramiro road, he revealed that the trucks coming from Tanzania will be able to use Rusumo-Ngoma-Bugesera-Rusizi route to reach DRC instead of Rusumo-Kigali-Huye-Rusizi which he said will shorten the journey hence reducing the price of goods they will deliver.
Hakiri Willy, a resident in Ngoma district who uses Ngoma-Ramiro road which is still under construction, said that before it was expanded, many vehicles would pass there which would sometimes cause accidents and he hopes that the challenges will no longer be present when the road gets completed.
Crossing Rusumo border is no longer time-consuming
According to Yvonne Gatera, the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Customs Operations at Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), the strengthened Rusumo One Stop Border Post has reduced the time spent on procedures to verify goods at the border from four hours to thirty minutes.
She noted that it has also helped the passengers who cross the border to save time taken to fill the forms required by authorities on both Tanzania and Rwanda sides.
According to her, 300 trucks cross the border and around 95% of products that come in Rwanda pass the border which she said shows how the facility has contributed to the country’s economy.
Bruno Rangira, Mayor of Kirehe, said that the OSBP has also employed Kirehe residents and people who pass the border, adding that the district lodges many employers of the facility which contributes to its economy.
Talking about the bridge, he said that since the time it has been strengthened, it has helped vehicles to cross directly instead of waiting for others to cross first which improved the quality of services.
Faustin Niyonzima, a truck driver who have been driving for over nine years, said that since the Rusumo OSBP was strengthened, things changed for the better, including that the Rwandan and Tanzanian side are working under the same roof unlike before when he would get his passport stamped in Rwanda and go through the same process on Tanzanian side and that the parking lot has increased which allowed trucks to park securely.
A view of the ongoing construction of urban road in Kabarondo, Kayonza district on March 16, 2022.
Construction ongoing urban road in Ngoma district under the cooperation between the Government of Japan and the Government of Rwanda in the sector of transport.
Masahiro Imai, the Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda visits Rusumo one-stop border post during the press tour.
Mr. Maruo Shin, the Chief Representative JICA Rwanda, Masahiro Imai, the Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, Patrick Emile Baganizi, Deputy Director-General of Rwanda Transport Development Agency, Nyemazi Jean Bosco mayor of Kayonza district.