More than US $1.7 million for rural development

Burundi Minister for the Rehabilitation and Resettlement of Displaced People and Returned Refugees, Dr Pascal Nkurunziza and Burundi UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Georg Charpentier last week approved three new community support projects in the provinces of Muramvya, Karusi and Ngozi totaling US $1,728,634 in support. The projects will be financed by UNDP via the community support programme of Burundi (Programme Cadre d’Appui aux Communautés du Burundi-PCAC) in partnership with NGOs CEFOGE in Muramvya, VISPE in Karuzi and CARE International in Ngozi. UNDP will contribute US $1,152,777, or 67 percent of the total costs, while local communities, NGOs and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will contribute US $575,857, or 33 percent of total costs. The three projects seek to rehabilitate 10 primary schools, 22 km of water pipes, 775 houses for as many families and a market. In addition, 480 households in Karuzi province will be involved in efforts to increase and diversify their agricultural production. These projects are in addition to 14 others in seven provinces already being financed by the PCAC. UNDP/PCAC contractual agreements thus far total US $6,654,903.