Between 2016 and 2023, disasters destroyed 451 bridges across Rwanda, according to the Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Risks in Rwanda (2024). Gakenke District alone lost 54 bridges, while Rubavu, Rutsiro, and Nyabihu recorded dozens more. Each replacement costs between Frw 80 million and Frw 300 million, depending on terrain, pushing the total bill into tens of billions of francs.
Every collapsed bridge means more than broken infrastructure. It means interrupted trade routes, delayed medical care, and food supplies stranded on the wrong side of rivers. For a landlocked nation that relies heavily on road networks to connect rural producers to markets, the cost of such destruction ripples through the national economy.
Over the past seven years, extreme weather has wiped out more than 46,000 hectares of farmland nationwide. Of this, about 23,400 hectares were lost to rainstorms, 11,100 hectares to floods, 6,400 hectares to landslides, and 5,400 hectares to hailstorms.
The western districts of Gakenke, Ngororero, Rubavu, and Nyabihu suffered the worst losses, sometimes losing entire harvests in a single event. Beyond the immediate food shortages, these disasters threaten Rwanda's key export crops, including coffee and tea largely grown in the highlands, most vulnerable to erosion and flooding.
The Disaster Risk Hotspots Assessment Report (2024) identified more than 70 critical public facilities, including schools, health centres, and power lines, built in high-risk zones.
Between 2016 and 2023, 104 water systems were damaged, nearly half of them in Gakenke District. Each repair can cost up to Frw 500 million, and when these systems fail, entire communities are left without access to clean water.
According to the Ministry of Finance, climate-related disasters reduce Rwanda's annual GDP growth by about one percent, primarily through losses in infrastructure and agriculture. Local economies bear the brunt: farmers lose income, traders face higher transport costs, and small businesses suspend operations as roads and bridges are rebuilt.
As the world marks the International Day for Disaster Reduction this Monday, October 13, Rwanda's experience offers a sobering case study in why resilience matters. The day, celebrated annually, highlights global efforts to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards and reminds countries of the cost of inaction. For Rwanda, it reinforces an urgent message: preparedness and prevention are far more affordable than recovery.
To curb future losses, the government is investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, including the relocation of 6,000 households from high-risk zones, slope reinforcement projects, and stronger bridge designs. New construction standards now require improved drainage systems and higher clearances to withstand heavier rainfall.
Through partnerships with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, Rwanda is also piloting anticipatory financing mechanisms, systems that unlock funds for repairs and mitigation before disasters escalate.
IGIHE
