Rwanda’s Water Governance Sets Global Example in UN-Water Case Study
Rwanda has been recognized on the global stage for its significant progress in managing water resources sustainably, as featured in UN-Water’s 2025 SDG 6 Country Acceleration Case Study.
The report released in July, places Rwanda among only three countries selected worldwide this year, alongside Bhutan and Saudi Arabia commended for their accelerated action toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6); ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Rwanda’s selection comes in recognition of its remarkable transformation over the past decade. The country’s Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) implementation score has risen from 35 percent in 2017 to 68 percent in 2023, placing it well above the Sub-Saharan Africa average. This advancement is attributed to ambitious reforms in water governance, strengthened institutions, and a strategic focus on sustainability, coordination, and accountability.
In line with national priorities, RWB has helped Rwanda become the only country in both the Nile and Congo basins to achieve 100 percent operational cooperation on all transboundary rivers, lakes, and aquifers, a rare accomplishment globally. These efforts are made possible through active participation in regional platforms such as the Nile Basin Initiative and the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin Authority.
Institutionally, Rwanda has also digitized the administration of water use. Through RWB’s online water permit system, permit processing has become more transparent, timely, and accountable. The issuance of water abstraction and discharge permits is now governed by law, and the data is used for national planning, monitoring, and revenue generation. This system has strengthened enforcement while empowering both the public and private sectors to comply with national water regulations.
Rwanda’s growing investment in the water sector is another key driver of progress. Between 2021 and 2023, the national water sector budget increased by 64 percent from USD 45 million to USD 74 million. This boost in funding has supported infrastructure development, capacity building, and expanded monitoring networks, further enhancing national preparedness for climate-related water challenges.
At a technical level, Rwanda has embraced innovation to support integrated decision-making. Advanced catchment models are now used for hydrological simulations and early warning systems, guiding actions in flood management, storage, and land restoration. The country operates over 45 hydrometeorological and water quality monitoring stations, which feed into a newly launched online water portal that makes critical data publicly accessible. These systems support evidence-based planning across agriculture, environment, and infrastructure sectors.
In addition to these technical gains, Rwanda adopted a new National Water and Sanitation Policy in 2023, integrating water supply, sanitation, and water resource management into a single coherent framework. While water service delivery remains under WASAC and MININFRA, RWB continues to play a vital role in ensuring the sustainable availability of water particularly groundwater for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use.
The case study commends Rwanda’s whole-of-government approach, where sector targets are translated into local performance contracts known as Imihigo, ensuring that national policy is reflected in district-level planning and community development. Master plans such as the National Water Resources Master Plan and the Lake Use Master Plan guide these efforts, supported by ongoing collaboration with partners, researchers, and development institutions.
As highlighted in the UN-Water report, Rwanda’s experience demonstrates how clear institutional mandates, data-driven decision-making, and strategic investment can accelerate SDG 6 implementation. For RWB, this recognition underscores the agency’s continued mission; to ensure the availability of clean, well-managed water resources that support Rwanda’s inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable development objectives.
Read the full UN-Water case study on Rwanda here: