Rwanda has on several occasions been voted the best place to be a woman on this continent; and with good reason. But as women the world over yesterday celebrated the International Women’s Day, most of our highly empowered women put the celebrations aside; something more important awaited them.

By mid-day, they were boarding buses to drive east towards Gabiro for the annual National Retreat (Umwiherero). Hopefully, the Prime Minister remembered to reserve them some little surprise.

It is not by chance that Rwanda has the highest representation of women in politics in Africa, as well as in education and the workplace. It is exactly in places like Umwiherero that bore gender equity and other ground-breaking policies.

It is a place that the country’s leadership and opinion leaders meet to chart the nation’s course, dissect its problems to seek shortcomings and come up with solutions. If there was any one thing that has a right to take credit for the country’s achievements, it is Umwiherero.

The business community is very much aware of the fact. They have gone to Gabiro equipped with their grievances, especially the high cost of production that greatly hinders their market competitiveness.

Horticulture exporters, however, see some light at the end of the tunnel; they say that transporting fresh produce on RwandAir is much cheaper than on other competing airlines, sometimes by as much as 70 per cent.

This is an opportunity for the national carrier to conquer the market and there is no better stage to sell their ideas to decision makers than in the current meeting. All help is needed for RwandAir to increase its cargo footprint and all the solutions are gathered in Gabiro