Housing policies in Rwanda Riding the urbanisation whirlwind

Rwanda is the second most densely populated country in Africa, with one of the continent’s lowest urbanization rates; moreover, the average farm size is not sufficient to sustain a family. As a result, Rwanda’s extremely rapid urban growth is not surprising. What is perhaps surprising is that, unlike 87 percent of African countries, it does not have policies that attempt to restrict rural-urban migration; in fact, its development strategy takes urbanization as a fundamental pillar of development. Indeed, this view is taken even though the difficulties of urbanization are compounded because Rwanda is a low-income country with a nascent financial system.

But, even with the difficulties posed by urbanization, the evidence is clear: Rwandan policy points unambiguously in the right direction. Designing urban housing policies to accommodate the whirlwind of rapid urbanization is an essential task even though the process may be disruptive. It is essential because urbanization is almost impossible to stop, and the costs of trying to do so are extreme. But not only is trying to obstruct urban growth futile, but urbanization is necessary to achieve middle-income status. That status can only be achieved if a country becomes significantly urban, and if the urbanization process is well managed. Thus, Rwanda’s urban policies are a crucial part of its inclusive growth strategy.

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