Q and A: Meeting our water and sanitation promises in Rwanda
 These questions and answers give a snapshot of what we’re doing to help
provide water and sanitation in this small and landlocked country. Rwanda is
home to over 9 million people and it has of course a very troubled recent
history, with intermittent conflicts stretching back around 50 years,
culminating in the 1994 genocide, which claimed the lives of 800,000 people.
Although the country is verdant and beautiful, it is among the poorest countries
in the world. Most sectors remain a challenge, although good progress has been
made, for instance, in education, and the Government has set itself and donors
some ambitious goals within its new Economic Development and Poverty Reduction
Strategy.
1. What’s the current situation?
In 2008, a lack of hygienic sanitation across the country is a major problem.
Most people have latrines, i.e. open defecation is not a major issue, but these
latrines are frequently themselves a health hazard and a main cause of poverty
and disease. Infant and child mortality is high and poor sanitation plays a
major part in preventing girls and boys going to school, completing an education
and getting ahead in life.
2. How is DFID supporting the water sector in Rwanda?
DFID Rwanda funds specialists from the World Bank Water and Sanitation Programme
(WSP) to help:
- Develop a strategy against poor hygiene and sanitation, which
contributes to an infant mortality rate of 86 per thousand (2005), still
above the figure of 85 before the 1994 genocide;
- Facilitate and train local entrepreneurs to take over the management
of rural water supply schemes, to ensure that its investments, totalling
about £45 million from 2003 to 2007, are properly operated and
maintained;
- Co-ordinate the support of 11 donor agencies to the sector; and
- Carry out public expenditure reviews for the sector.
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 3. Is Rwanda on target to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for
water and sanitation?
According to the World Bank Development March 2007 indicator database, access to
an improved water source increased from 59% in 1990 to 74% in 2004, which is on
track to meet the MDG target. Access to improved sanitation increased from 37%
to 42%, which is seriously off track. According to the Government, an additional
2.2 million people were given access to a safe water supply between 2003 and
2007, while around 2.35 million people improved their sanitation to a basic
standard of hygiene, but we can’t sure about the figures until a new inventory
is completed later in 2008.
4. How is planning for the water sector co-ordinated?
In 2007 the Government spent about £5 million (1.5%) of its own budget in the
sector, and donor projects accounted for a further £17 million.
Co-ordinating aid to the sector remains a challenge. Although water and
sanitation both fall within the mandate of a single ministry, with separate
budgets for rural and urban areas, and clear targets have been set through to
2020, there is not yet a single master plan. The 2007 Economic Development and
Poverty Reduction Strategy anticipates that a master plan will be in place by
2009.
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 5. Does DFID provide direct funding to the sector?
DFID does not directly fund the provision of water and sanitation facilities,
but contributes approximately 12% of the Government’s budget through budget
support
6. What are the major challenges in the water and sanitation sector in Rwanda
today?
There are a number of challenges as we work with our partners and the Rwandan
Government to improve water and sanitation services to poor people. The first
issue is to ensure that these services remain affordable as well as sustainable.
Water tariffs will most likely have to be revised or water subsidies introduced
to ensure access to all.
Statistics on water coverage are not reliable and this makes planning difficult,
but we are working to address this with our partners. We also need to make sure
that the aid given to the sector makes a real difference to the lives of poor
people. Funds must be spent well and spent wisely. We need to work to reduce the
transaction costs to the Rwandan Government of so many separate donor projects
for water and sanitation.
Last updated: 6 May 2008
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