Parliament approves donor projects

The Lower Chamber of Deputies on Monday gave the green light to a US $35m project to fast track the Nine Year Basic Education programme. The Government received the grant from the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Agency (IDA). The two are arms of the World Bank. According to Finance Minister James Musoni, following an agreement signed between the government and the two organisations on October 30, the funds will also help the country achieve the Millennium Development Goal of ‘education for all’. The house also approved a US$10m loan agreement between the Government of Rwanda and the Arab Bank of Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). The agreement will see BADEA give a $10m to fund national electrification programmes. The money will be used to finance electrification programmes in the City of Kigali, Northern and Southern provinces. The project is one of the several government programmes under the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategies (EDPRS) through urban and rural electrification, using energy to empower businesses and development projects. The project will avail power to over 18,000 consumers in the 3 provinces. Areas to benefit from the project include Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge districts in Kigali. Others include Nyamagabe, Kaduha, Mushubi, Musebeya, Cyanika, Muko and Gakoma in both the Southern and Northern provinces. The money will be used to extend electricity lines. Parliament also passed amendments on the law on import duty on specific imported products, thereby slashing taxes on imported automobile lubricants from 76 percent to 37 percent. Ends

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Parliament approves donor projects