The East African Rift presents complex environmental and human dynamics, especially in the western province of Rwanda where four systems interact: I) The Nyiragongo volcano, and its hazards, including surface lava flows towards the populated towns of Goma (DRC) and Gisenyi (Rwanda), the subsurface propagation of magma from the volcanic edifice to beneath Lake Kivu and the continuous emission of ash plumes from the crater lake, II) The Lake Kivu in the context of a potential so-called CO2-CH4-gas-driven limnic eruption and its CH4 reservoir exploitation, III) The volcanic soils (andisols) and the soil-borne diseases such as endemic podoconiosis, and IV) The communities depending on agriculture and fishing while facing health and environmental issues. These four systems and their interactions are poorly known. Studying these relationships in an integrated approach in order to fill the knowledge gap on the sustainability of Western Rwanda, thus targeting SDGs 3, 4, 11 and 1, is the ultimate goal. E-DOORS will use complementing approaches to pursue five objectives: 1) Assess the volcanic hazard through physical modelling of lateral magmatic intrusions, volcanic ash or gas transport and dispersion and related deposits constrained by climate models and remote sensing data, 2) Assess the likelihood of gas-driven plumes in Lake Kivu and predict their potential impacts under given climatic scenarios via physical modelling, 3) Identify links between volcanic activity, land use, soil properties and human health issues (such as Podoconiosis) through the mineralogical, chemical, soil biodiversity characterization of the andisols, and remote sensing, 4) Characterize the interconnections between health and environment in Western Rwanda through health/environment epidemiological studies, and 5) Integrate all these factors to produce a relationship diagram that promotes understanding of the interrelationships that underpin the dynamics of Western Rwanda. In doing so, E-DOORs will bring a framework to understand the synergies among the different systems of Western Rwanda and ultimately provide scientific advances and specific outcomes of service to the Rwandan governmental agencies responsible for the environment (Ministry of Environment), health (Ministry of Health) and emergency management (MINEMA). In practice, E-DOORs will embody and strengthen the research collaboration initiated in 2022 through the NYKSIHU project between the two institutes of the University of Rwanda (ICTP-EAIFR, CoEB) and IRD/ISTerre while linking with new local partners such as the School of Architecture and Built Environment (UR), Ruhengeri Institute of Applied Sciences (INES), Rwanda Meteo, the Rwanda Space Agency (RSA), the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Mugonero Hospital and the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA). Moreover, E-DOORs will include international collaborations with the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV, Italy), the University of Bari (Italy), the University of Antwerp, and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM, France). EDOORs will ultimately be a key component in the building of a sustainable international educational platform allowing student exchanges (Master and PhD), French academic contributions to the University of Rwanda curricula, reinforcement of postgraduate training, and joint organization of workshops and conferences.

Soil Science, Physical Volcanology