Rwanda Development Board (RDB) inaugurated an investors’ forum last week aimed at attracting more private investments to operationalise some of the mega projects and tap into other areas of interest.

Dubbed ‘Rwandan CEOs Forum’, the forum will be taking place on a quarterly basis with the Government showcasing some of the opportunities to the private sector. The forum was launched at the Kigali Convention Centre last week.

Speaking at the event, Clare Akamanzi, the chief executive of RDB, said the forum will strengthen the partnership between the RDB and the private sector, but also gather all parties to solve the challenges they face.

"We shall be having this forum four times a year, and it is going to be a platform for all levels of Rwandan CEOs. On the other hand, we want to change the current perception where people look at RDB as serving international investors only,” she said.

"There’s another different understanding that people get a warm welcome from the Government when they are starting out, but forgets them when they start operations. We want to strengthen our partnerships and settle the challenges that our partners have,” Akamanzi added.

At the backdrop of the launch of the investors’ forum, the Government wants to mobilise more members of the private sector to take over most of the sectors of the economy.

According to Emmanuel Hategeka, RDB chief operating officer, the Government wants the private sector to take over most of the prioritised sectors of the economy, and that the platform will facilitate them to understand the work being done.

"This is a get-together of the Government’s strongest partners. We have set out plans and opened for the private sector to take over most of the sectors of the economy. This forum will assist them to know the available opportunities and access information,” he said.

The Government’s priority areas

The Government showcased some of the investment opportunities and unveiled major projects that the investors seeking to invest can look forward to.

In most of the areas, the Government will provide basic infrastructure and the private investments are expected to develop and operate the activities.

The Government targets to promote tourism, hospitality, and MICE [Meetings, Incentives, Confereing and Exhibitions] sector, industrial development and trade facilitation, agriculture modernisation, energy, road construction, and affordable housing, among others.

Some of the major projects that the Government displayed include the Kigali Innovation City development, construction of Kigali Cultural Village, Kivu Belt Tourism development, and establishment of Rwanda Trade Information Centre.

According to statistics, 1,000 investments have been registered with RDB, worth $7 billion, since 2010. Of these, 63 per cent are of foreign origin.

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