This archive report was first published on 14 December 2019.
On December 14, 2019, the Netherlands granted Rwanda $10.8 million to support the development of four ports on Lake Kivu, a key step in increasing shipping, tourism, and cross-border trade between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The project, with a total cost of $24 million, is a collaborative effort between the Netherlands, TradeMark East Africa, and the Government of Rwanda. The Netherlands' contribution of $10.8 million accounts for 45% of the project's cost, while TradeMark East Africa and the Government of Rwanda will contribute 50% and 5%, respectively.
The ports are expected to be completed by 2020 and operational by 2022. The Rwandan Transport Development Agency (RTDA) has outlined ambitious targets for the ports, with three of them projected to handle approximately 1.5 million passengers per year, and the fourth port in Karongi district initially targeting 300,000 passengers per year by 2020, with a goal of reaching 400,000 passengers by 2036.
