CBC’s Director General holds talks with President Kagame on Promoting Rwanda to International Investors
 
Dr Mohan Kaul, CBC’s Director General visits Rwanda to hold talks with HE Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, on how the Business Council can best support the Commonwealth’s newest member’s economic growth and development.  Speaking after the meeting Dr Kaul characterised the President’s plans for Rwanda’s economic growth as ‘well developed and with a strong focus on attracting private sector involvement in the country’s  future’. Speaking further he added ‘Rwanda’ s recent focus on enhancing English language education and government plans to reduce the operational costs of business, increasing the capacity to innovate, and widening and strengthening the financial sector, put the country in a great position to benefit from greater international interest'.

 

Dr Kaul’s visit follows that of the Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, who was in the country to complete the symbolic welcoming of the new Commonwealth member by handing the Commonwealth Flag to the President.

 

CBC took a strong lead in supporting  Rwanda’s application to join the Commonwealth, at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Kampala 2007 which helped kick start the country’s application process. The President and his Ministerial team have been frequent contributors to CBC Investor conferences worldwide including CBC’s flagship business event the Africa Business Forum, in London July 2009. 

 

President Kagame said “The Commonwealth Business Council puts together impressive programmes that bring together business and government leaders to explore the ways of making emerging markets competitive in the Commonwealth and global economy.”

 

During his 3 day visit to Rwanda, Dr Kaul also met with the Ministers of Finance, Trade, Industry, local government, agriculture and the Permanent Secretary for Finance, to discuss in detail areas in which CBC can make a practical and measurable impact on the country’s economic development. Following meetings with key private sector leaders in the country Dr Kaul, described their outlook as upbeat and very optimistic about the opportunities for increasing investment into Rwanda. Reporting that the international private sector’s presence in Rwanda was down to “the country possessing one of the best investment climates in the region, and having business friendly and responsive government departments.”

 

At a meeting with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda’s Investment Promotion Agency, Dr Kaul began the process agreement with RDB’s CEO that CBC would assist in promoting Rwanda’s investment opportunities to global investors and business leaders. It was agreed that CBC and RDB would organise the Rwanda Investment Forum in Kigali on 10 -11 May 2010.

 

The Forum will be the first large scale investor event organised in the country since Rwanda became the 54th Member of the Commonwealth.  Two years ago the CBC’s first foray in to Rwanda, the East African International Business Forum, attracted 500  business and government leaders, including 250 delegates from over 30 countries outside the East African region. This year’s Forum aims to build on Rwanda's expanding network of relationships created by joining the Commonwealth, and its reputation for stability and good economic management. Its purpose is to enhance foreign direct investment by communicating national development goals and by bringing international investors and operators face-to-face with Rwandan project holders and entrepreneurs to discuss new economic and investment opportunities.