The government has introduced a new ministerial order that makes both environmental and social impact assessments mandatory for major development projects, a move experts say will ensure that growth is not only ecologically sustainable but also socially responsible. Issued by the Ministry of Environment, the ministerial order of August 19, 2025, relating to environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA), repeals the order of 2019 which only focused on environmental impact assessment. ALSO READ: Environmental impact assessment central in planning As per the order, the list of works, activities and projects subject to full environmental and social impact assessment include buildings classified as residential, commercial, administrative or institutional, sports facilities, social, cultural, and assembly and religious buildings, educational buildings, or other publicly accessible facilities fulfilling at least one of the set criteria. The criteria include having capacity to host more than 500 persons; having a total floor area exceeding 1,500 m2; residential building of G+4 (with aground floor plus four upper floors) and above, non-residential buildings of G+3 and above; industries; health facilities; buildings with activities which can cause hazards; and warehouses for storage of hazardous materials and perishables, among others. Rationale and key changes Talking about the rationale for the new order, Thadée Twagirimana, Acting Director General of Environment and Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment, told The New Times that it repeals the ministerial order of 2019 establishing the list of projects that must undergo environmental impact assessment, instructions, requirements and procedures to conduct it, due to gaps observed throughout its implementation. The gaps include a lack of social aspects in its texts, lack of clear provision on requirements to be fulfilled by an environmental practitioner, and the need to improve the contents of its annexes, he indicated. He pointed out that the new ministerial order establishes the list of works, activities and projects subject to environmental and social impact assessment before they obtain authorisation for their implementation, and modalities to conduct an environmental and social impact assessment. The key changes made under this order, Twagirimana said, are the following: The Social aspect was added to the ministerial order and emphasis was put on environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) instead of environmental impact assessment (EIA) The full environmental and social impact assessment will be conducted by a licensed firm (firm of practitioners) while individual practitioners will be allowed to conduct partial ESIA. A new Article 5 requiring a firm to conduct a full environmental and social impact assessment was added. However, an individual practitioner may be allowed to conduct partial ESIA. However, an individual practitioner may be allowed to conduct partial ESIA. In the annexes of this order new aspects were considered, such as gender analysis and action planning, labour and working conditions, land acquisition and resettlement and grievance Redress Mechanism, among others. ALSO READ: Businesses to undergo environmental impact assessment Industry players’ reactions Speaking to The New Times, Victoire Akimanizanye, Managing Director at Global Development Consult and Supply Ltd, welcomed the shift, underscoring the importance of providing for social dimensions, in addition to environmental considerations. “It’s crucial to assess how projects affect the society,” she said, pointing out that understanding community concerns helps prevent land conflicts and builds consensus. She also appreciated the inclusion of land and resettlement related considerations, saying they are necessary for modern project planning to prevent conflicts between people who own land or property to be expropriated and the project implementers. Fabrice Kayisire, Deputy CEO at Engineers 4 Humanity Consultancy, told The New Times that the ESIA model demands collaboration across fields to evaluate the full impacts of major projects to be implemented in the country, underscoring the need for assigning full impact assessments to a firm of practitioners, including social and environmental experts. “We need that integration of different experts in order to improve the quality of work of that feasibility,” he said. “It's obvious and it's worth having different experts on different aspects that are included in this feasibility study of environmental and social impact assessment,” he observed. Expected benefits to the environment and communities Twagirimana said that ESIA is a vital tool for promoting sustainable development and safeguarding both ecological systems and human well-being, stating that the implementation of the new order is expected to generate positive outcomes. Including integrated environmental and social risk management. [It] prevents harm to people, communities, and the natural environment by identifying and addressing risks early, enhances project efficiency by streamlining implementation and reducing unforeseen obstacles, builds trust and support among local communities, fostering smoother collaboration and long-term acceptance,” he said. He indicated that it “minimises financial risks by reducing delays and avoiding costly environmental or social liabilities, attracts both domestic and foreign direct investment by demonstrating responsible and transparent project planning.” Also, he said, the regulation introduces targeted measures to reduce or eliminate adverse environmental and social impacts, such as pollution control, habitat restoration, and community safeguards. Other interventions include that it establishes a robust framework for tracking and enforcing environmental and social obligations throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring compliance and transparency; and strengthens the adaptive capacity of communities and ecosystems by anticipating future challenges and integrating proactive solutions into project planning.
