7015-02. EA Associations APEIER and RAPEP - Rwanda

The Rwanda Association of Professional Environmental Practitioners (RAPEP) was established by law in 2019 with the primary responsibility of licencing of ESIA/SEA practitioners. It also aims to support professional development of its members and asked the NCEA for technical support in this endeavour.   

Significant details

By the end of 2020, as an initial step, RAPEP and the NCEA agreed to carry out an assessment of the needs in capacity among the members. This assessment will inform the development of a capacity development plan, will help RAPEP find financing for its execution and will help identify how the NCEA can best support RAPEP in practice.

In the past, the NCEA used to work with Rwanda's association APEIER (l’Association pour la Promotion des Etudes d’Impacts Environnementaux au Rwanda). From 2008 till 2013, the NCEA supported national associations for impact assessment in Central Africa, including Rwanda, through the regional PAANEEAC programme.

When that programme ended in 2014, APEIER asked to continue the cooperation with the NCEA bilaterally. Primarily, APEIER aimed to contribute to strengthening the EIA system, help develop capacities required, and to strengthen its position as centre of expertise and partner to RDB and REMA, the administrative leaders in Rwanda. To this end, a MoU was signed that ran from 2014-2018. 

In September 2015, APEIER organised an introductory workshop on SEA for it's members. NCEA facilitated this session, which, for many participants, was the first encounter with the concept and possibilities for application in Rwanda at the time. In 2016, the cooperation was put on hold as APEIER awaited a newly required administrative registration in the Rwanda government system. Unfortunately, this registration was not formalised before expiration of the MoU with the NCEA in 2018.

 

Parties involved

Members of the working group

Technical secretary: Leyla Özay, MSc

Further details

Country: Rwanda


Last modified: 02 Jan 2024