President Paul Kagame on Thursday met with Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, the African Development Bank Group’s (AfDB) president-elect, for discussions on the future of cooperation between Rwanda and the continental lender. The talks took place at Urugwiro Village ahead of Dr. Tah’s official assumption of office in September.
A former Mauritanian finance minister, Dr. Tah was elected in May to succeed Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina, whose decade-long tenure ends later this year. Winning over three-quarters of shareholder votes in a closely contested race, Dr. Tah emerged ahead of four other candidates, including Senegal’s Amadou Hott and South Africa’s Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala. He will formally begin his five-year term on September 1.
The AfDB has been a key partner in Rwanda’s infrastructure and energy development, aligning much of its support with the country’s Vision 2050. In July, the Bank approved over €173 million (about Rwf 288 billion) for the government’s Energy Sector Result-Based Financing II program, with an additional €86 million in co-financing from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The project, valued at more than €260 million, aims to connect 200,000 households to the national grid, provide 50,000 off-grid power connections, distribute clean cooking devices to 100,000 households and public institutions, and install street lighting along 200 kilometres of roads in secondary cities.
This follows a $305 million AfDB-backed energy program launched in 2018 and contributes to the Bank’s High-5 priorities of “Light Up and Power Africa” and “Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.”
In June, the AfDB also approved a $500,000 grant for a feasibility study on Kigali’s planned 5.5-kilometre urban cable car system, expected to be the first in sub-Saharan Africa. The $100 million project, scheduled to break ground in late 2026 and open in 2028, is designed to reduce congestion, cut emissions, and provide affordable, rapid transit. The route will link Nyabugogo Taxi Park, the Central Business District, the Kigali Convention Centre, and major event venues.
The initiative aligns with Rwanda’s E-Mobility Strategy, Green Taxonomy, and Climate and Nature Finance Strategy, supporting the national target to cut carbon emissions by 38% by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050. AfDB officials have described it as a benchmark for sustainable public transport in Africa.
Dr. Tah’s early visit to Kigali is viewed as a strong signal of continuity in the Rwanda–AfDB relationship, with both sides expected to advance strategic projects under his leadership.
