KIGALI – Transport and energy ministers gathered in Kigali on Thursday to endorse a Pan-African Action Plan for Active Mobility, aimed at revolutionizing how Africans move within urban centers.
The framework, backed by the African Union and UNEP, prioritizes investment in electric vehicles and non-motorized transport. For Rwanda, the host, the plan aligns with Kigali’s ambitions to become a “Green City.”
The endorsement comes as Rwanda seeks to lead the continent in EV manufacturing and charging infrastructure.
Meanwhile, in neighboring BURUNDI, a significant shift in refugee management was reported. The World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed the piloting of a “direct return” modality for Burundians repatriating from Tanzania.
Instead of being funneled through congested transit centers, returnees are now being moved directly to their home communes, where they receive mobile money transfers for reintegration.
The logistical shift is intended to ease the burden on Burundi’s strained social services. However, funding gaps remain a critical issue; the WFP reported that school feeding programs in Burundi reached only a fraction of their targets this month due to unresolved contracts and a lack of donor resources.
