United Nations Poverty-Environment Initiative

Please download the PEI Country fact sheet on Rwanda (PDF)

Basic facts of the PEI in Rwanda

PEI in Rwanda is a joint GoR, UNDP Rwanda and UNEP project.
PEI I started in November 2005 and was finalised in May 2007. Total budget: USD 610,000.
The main purpose of the first phase was to ensure the integration of environment into Rwanda’s new PRSP, the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS).
PEI II started in June 2007 and runs until December 2009. PEI II is articulated around Rwanda’s medium term needs, namely capacity building for sound environmental management at the local, district, and national level, in collaboration with other ongoing initiatives to enable the implementation of the EDPRS and its expected environmental commitments. Total budget: USD 2,300,000.
Main national partners are Ministry of Environment, Lands, Water, Forestry and Mines, Rwanda Environment Management Authority, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Ministry of Local Government and Good Governance, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Infrastructure, Energy, Transport and Telecommunications and Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Cooperatives.
The project is executed by Government of Rwanda through Ministry of Natural Resources and implemented by Rwanda Environment Management Authority in close collaboration with Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
Donors: Government of Belgium and Government of Norway (through UNEP), UNDP-Rwanda. Government of Ireland (through UNEP) is providing the majority of the funds for the second phase with contributions from UNDP Rwanda.

The context of mainstreaming of environment in Rwanda

Rwanda’s “Vision 2020” is the country’s overarching national planning and policy framework into which other strategies, plans, programmes and policies should fit. Developed in 1999, The Vision 2020 document recognises that the environment cannot be tackled in isolation. The document states that Rwanda will endeavour to “mainstream the environmental aspect in all policies and programmes of education, sensitisation and development and in all the processes of decision-making”.
Rwanda’s first PRSP was finalised in November 2001 and endorsed by the World Bank and IMF in July 2002.
In the development of PRSP I, environment was considered a cross cutting issue but not an independent sector. However, it is widely agreed that Rwanda’s first PRSP did not adequately integrate environmental issues and consequently, the planning processes did not adequately take into account sustainable natural resource management.
In September 2007 the Rwandan Cabinet approved the EDPRS, where environment is a cross-cutting issue and representing an independent sector as well.
PEI has been heavily engaged in the EDPRS process and played a crucial role in supporting the work of both the Environment and Land Use Management Sector Working Group and the Cross-cutting Issues Sector Working Group.
Rwanda is one of the eight ‘One UN pilots’. Environment is one of five focus areas for the UNDAF.

Main activities of Rwanda PEI Phase I

Development of a knowledge base on poverty and environment linkages in Rwanda through e.g. an economic analysis of costs of environmental degradation, identification of poverty-environment-energy linkages, and a pilot integrated ecosystem assessment.
Development of environmental mainstreaming tools for the EDPRS process.
Extensive Environment-for-Development media events (radio and TV programmes) to sustain the visibility of the mainstreaming agenda and raise public awareness about poverty and environment linkages.
Increase stakeholder participation through EDPRS Sector Working Groups.
Capacity building through training workshops such as integrated ecosystem assessment, poverty-environment (PE) indicator development and on-the-job training and technical support by the PEI Technical Advisor/Officer and National Project Manager.
Support to the UNDAF formulation and actively participation in the One UN process.
Capacity building at national and district level for understanding and analysing links between poverty and environment and integrate environment into development planning.
Increase awareness and more effective participation of stakeholders in environmental policy and planning processes.

What has been achieved to date?

Environment is mainstreamed in the EDPRS. The evidence and advocacy provided by PEI were instrumental in this accomplishment. Most sectors have taken on board environmental recommendations and included actions at activity level.
Environment Sector strongly supported in the EDPRS process and clear priorities have been developed
Establishment of a cross-ministerial Task Team and a Stakeholder Consultative Group ensuring effective stakeholder consultation and strong collaboration between GoR, UNEP and UNDP.
Compelling advocacy papers, had a significant impact on the EDPRS process.
Guidelines for mainstreaming and checklists for all sectors were produced to ease the facilitation of environment as a cross-cutting issue in the EDPRS formulation.
PEI ensured the participation of environment mainstreaming specialists in the logframe development process conducted by each sector further facilitating the integration of environment across all sectors.
A number of District Development Plans supported to mainstream environment.
PEI II has been formulated through a consultative process and funding secured for phase II.
Environment is one of five focus areas for the UNDAF, which PEI actively was involved in the formulation of PEI has also been fully engaged in the One UN process.

Lessons learned

Involvement of key stakeholders from the very start of programme development ensures broad ownership and improves the efficiency and effectiveness of project implementation.
It is crucial to clearly demonstrate the links between poverty and environment at the national level in a language familiar to planners and policymakers. Assessments such as economic analysis of environmental degradation and integrated ecosystem assessments are essential evidence-based advocacy tools in convincing policy-makers about the importance and benefits of sustainable natural resource management.
It is necessary to provide sustained support over a longer period. PEI-Rwanda’s continuous engagement in the EDPRS process ensures better mainstreaming results by closely monitoring the process and responding to specific needs from the other sectors pertinent to integration of environment.
The production of tools such as mainstreaming guidelines, sector specific environmental checklists and P-E indicators provides concrete guidance to the sectors and relevant ministries and enhances the mainstreaming process.
An adequately staffed PEI project management unit is crucial for the achievement of the goals.

Key documents for PEI Rwanda

Way forward

Building capacity of local government authorities to integrate environment into district development plans, including support for communities to implement projects promoting environmental sustainability and poverty reduction.
Continuous support and monitoring of the EDPRS implementation for environmental mainstreaming at both national and district level.
Specific and targeted support to focus sectors (as mentioned above) for environmental mainstreaming activities in sector programmes.
Support the implementation of the UNDAF, with special attention to the Environment Thematic Group which has UNDP and UNEP as the co-chairs.