EIA Submitted!!

Yes, the big day today. Andy and I went to Kigali where had the EIA reports bound and headed to the offices of the Rwanda Environmental Management Agency (REMA). Handed it in and had a chat with them. Hopefully we won't be waiting too long for a reply as they are apparently also now getting some more staff which is good news. Copies of the report also went to the Dir-Gen of ORTPN (tourism) and to RIEPA.

At RIEPA we also had a good chat with James, the director of Investment Facilitation. About the project, Investment Conference, the potential spin-offs from and just Rwanda business and investment in general. Quite nice to have the time to sit and have an informal but yet informative discussion at RIEPA.

Then I got a very worried call from Greg who was also in Kigali but with the overland group I'd met over the last two couple of nights. Their truck's engine had caught fire! Andy and I rushed over and found that in the end it had only been the starter motor but the latter was well and truly fried. We then took them around Kigali trying to find a replacement - nothing. Then there was the issue of where they were going to stay as they had already lost too much time to make the border.

In the end, they push started the truck and set off for the border and finding a place to camp along the way or sleep at the border and set off in the morning. Greg, Andy and myself then set off back to good old Musanze - one does really miss it after a day in the city.