Advancing Climate Resilience in Kigali: Stakeholder Dialogue on Adaptation for Rwanda Urban Mobility Improvement Project

Event description

As cities across Africa grow and climate risks intensify, urban mobility systems must be reimagined to deliver not only on access and efficiency, but also resilience. Kigali, Rwanda’s fast-urbanizing capital, is at the forefront of this transformation. The Rwanda Urban Mobility Improvement Project—led by the World Bank and the Government of Rwanda with support from the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)—is investing in climate-smart infrastructure including the Nyabugogo Multi-Modal Terminal and dedicated bus lanes (DBLs), alongside e-mobility innovations. 

Yet, these ambitions face critical climate challenges. Urban flooding, heat extremes, and landslides are already disrupting mobility and threatening future infrastructure integrity. The Global Center on Adaptation is providing targeted technical assistance to climate-proof Kigali’s transport network—through advanced climate hazard assessments, infrastructure stress-testing, and the integration of nature-based and engineered adaptation solutions. 

Building the Resilient Transport Case 
This stakeholder dialogue marks a pivotal moment to present and validate preliminary findings from GCA’s technical work: 

• A climate stress-test of the Nyabugogo terminal and DBL design under future climate scenarios 
• A complementary hazard assessment, identifying high-risk zones and vulnerabilities 
• A first suite of pilot adaptation and resilience options, from enhanced drainage to green infrastructure 

Through robust spatial and climate analytics, the project links projected climate risks with practical solutions and co-benefits—strengthening the case for public and private climate finance. This dialogue is a chance to align evidence, design, and action across Kigali’s institutions and development partners. 

Objective 
This multi-stakeholder session convened by GCA in collaboration with the World Bank aims to validate technical findings and gather insights to ensure that climate adaptation is effectively embedded in the Rwanda Urban Mobility Improvement Project. It seeks to spark consensus around practical, high-impact resilience options and position the project to access future adaptation finance. 

Discussion Themes 
The dialogue will feature: 

• Presentations of findings from the hazard assessment and climate stress-test 
• A panel discussion with representatives from government, development partners, and technical experts 
• Interactive segments to gather feedback and discuss prioritization of adaptation options