Sustainable urban development in Rwanda - Green City Kigali

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In recent decades, urbanization in Rwanda has made a significant contribution to poverty reduction and economic development. At the same time, Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa and is more affected by climate change than the global average. The resulting decline in agricultural yields is intensifying the trend towards urbanization. Cities often grow unplanned, urban sprawl occurs and informal neighborhoods are often created. However, due to the high level of soil sealing, cities are particularly vulnerable to heavy rainfall events, which are becoming more frequent and more severe due to climate change. This increases the risk of landslides on the slopes of the country's many hills. Against this overall background, the Rwandan government is planning a sustainable and dense urban development, the Green City Kigali, on a 600 hectare site on Kinyinya Hill not far from the Rwandan capital. As part of a pilot financial cooperation project, a 16 hectare area of this area will be developed and around 1,680 housing units are to be built. The project serves as a blueprint for integrated, environmentally friendly and climate-friendly urban development while simultaneously increasing population density and creating affordable housing. It thus makes a concrete contribution to making Rwanda's cities climate-resilient. The target group that benefits from this includes up to 7,000 citizens of Kigali. They benefit from livable housing, public infrastructure and urban services in the immediate vicinity. This potentially results in improved conditions for employment and economic development.