At least 500 participants are expected to attend the East African International Business Forum in Kigali, Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency (Riepa) says.

The forum to take place at the Serena Hotel on October 29 to 30, is to attract participants from 53 Commonwealth countries.

With the theme "Trade and Investment Opportunities: Growth through Global Partnerships,” the meeting will focus on new opportunities for investment partnerships between East African businesses and those in Commonwealth countries.

"This forum is a unique opportunity for us to meet potential investors from the Commonwealth which is a very big organization composed of both developed and developing countries. It has a pool of people we have always been targeting,” Riepa Deputy Director General Claire Akamanzi recently told The New Times.

"It will also give us a chance to showcase our country to the investors here at home, since we have always traveled abroad looking for them.”

The Commonwealth Business Council is hosting the event in conjunction with the Government of Rwanda, the East African Business Council.

"With the growth of the global economy, national and regional boundaries are losing their relevance. Countries must increasingly take a more global view of opportunities for growth,” CBC’s website states.

Among its goals, the Commonwealth Business Council aims to increase international trade and investment by "reducing the digital divide and integrating developing countries into the global market.”

In addition, it facilitates a bridge between the private sector and governments in both emerging and developing markets. "CBC’s goal is to achieve economic empowerment for shared global prosperity through the enhancement of private sector contribution to social and economic development,” its website says.

Mohan Kaul, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Business Council, said October’s forum "provides unrivalled networking opportunities.”

The business forum comes to Kigali shortly after the country successfully hosted the East African Investment Conference and the East African Heads of State Summit which ended on note to boost trade and investment.

More than 1,000 participants attended the conference that started on 26th to 28th June.

It was called to showcase the available trade and investment opportunities, map out strategies of positioning the East African economic bloc as a world investment destination and market the region as one entity.

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