This document is a policy framework developed by Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) of the GoR to clarify resettlement principles, organizational arrangements, and design criteria to be applied to subprojects to be prepared during the implementation of the Government of Rwanda and World Bank funded project for the development of urban infrastructure in six secondary cities of Rwanda including Rubavu, Rusizi, Musanze, Muhanga, Huye and Nyagatare; and in Nyarugenge District of the CoK. The overall objective of the proposed project is to support Rwanda’s urbanization process by delivering basic services that will improve living conditions and promote local economic development. The project is guided by Rwanda’s Urbanisation and Rural Settlement Sector Strategic Plan 2013-18, which appropriately recognizes and calls for the need to ensure socially equitable development and environmental integrity in all urban infrastructure developments. The Sector Strategy promotes the development of secondary cities while creating a network of urban and urbanizing centers. Additional overall urban development guiding principles to be followed in preparing this project are: (a) designs which will encourage densification of the cities, resulting in reduced urban infrastructure and services costs, (b) local economic development must also be taken into consideration in the dialogue with the cities as to investment options, and (c) the investment options must be ranked as well using social inclusive growth as a major criteria. The document foresees different types of cash compensation for affected people in case of involuntary displacement under the project. Specifically, for agricultural land the compensation some of the measures are: cash compensation for the harvest or product from the affected land or asset, equivalent to average market value for lease holders of affected land equivalent to market value less than 20% of land holding affected and remaining economically viable; land for land replacement where feasible, or compensation in cash for the entire landholding for farmers and title holders suffering an impact on their land greater than 20%; and cash compensation for owners and tenants of crops affected by land acquisition or temporary acquisition or easement. Finally, regarding the implementation of the project, the Central Government, principally MININFRA, LODA and RHA, will have an oversight role over the implementing agencies which include the Districts of the six secondary cities and Nyarugenge District of the CoK. The oversight will include coordination and monitoring of performance of implementation of the respective subprojects and risk management, among others. On the other hand, the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC), will be responsible for the resettlement of historically marginalized people in grouped settlements in rural areas.
Rwanda · 2016-01-01