Message from H.E. Paul Kagame
President of the Republic of Rwanda

I am delighted to announce that the Government of Rwanda will be hosting the first Rwanda Investment Forum: “Accessing an East African Market of 150 Million and Accelerating Growth and Development” since joining the Commonwealth. The Forum, which will take place in Kigali on 10th-11th May 2010, is being organised in partnership with the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

Building on the strong relationship with the Commonwealth, we look forward to sharing with the international business community a number of opportunities for investment, and the chance to forge new business relationships.

Rwanda has chosen a path to development that has the private sector as its central pillar. To enable that, significant reforms have been undertaken to improve the business climate including cutting bureaucracy, strengthening institutional efficiency and promoting pro-business policies that make Rwanda one of the easiest countries in which to do business. Indeed, these reforms have earned recognition of Rwanda as top global reformer in the World Bank Doing Business Report 2010.

The Investment Forum will profile Rwanda’s national trade and investment strategies, as well as business opportunities in all economic sectors. Additionally, a Project Centre will be in place to enable bilateral meetings and group discussions, with on hand support, to facilitate business deals.

The forum will also enable investors to talk directly with senior Government officials on how to use Rwanda as a hub to access an expanding market of over 150m consumers in East Africa and the Central African market. In this respect, the forum will build on the first Commonwealth East African International Business Forum that was held in Rwanda in 2008 and drew over 500 leaders from business and government.

I therefore urge you to make every effort to participate in this important event and I look forward to meeting you in Kigali.

Paul Kagame

For More information please visit the event page

Rwanda Investment Forum