After successfully organising the national trade fair in Kigali, the Private Sector Federation (PSF) in Eastern Province has opened a 10-day provincial "mini-expo” in Rwamagana District, dominated by locally made products.

The exhibition that runs from Tuesday this week to Thursday next week, was officially opened yesterday, under the theme: "Building sustainable economy by promoting locally made products.”

According to Jean Bosco Ndungutse, PSF Chair in Eastern Province, there are 214 firms showcasing their products, including eight from Israel, Japan, India, Kenya and Tanzania.

Jean Bosco Ndungutse, PSF Chair in Eastern Province 

"In these 10 days, we expect a great and impressive outcome, because the exhibitors and visitors will get a lot of lessons from here,” he said, adding that there are many innovations being showcased. "We are glad that now, more businesses understand the role of showcasing their products.”

Giving credit to the leadership of the country that promotes private sector and entrepreneurship in general, he predicts good fortunes ahead for the private sector, given the conducive business environment provided by the government.

"This (conducive environment) will make the private sector the pillar for the development of our country,” he repeated.

Fred Mufulukye, the Governor of the Eastern Province, said: "This exhibition is about showcasing our products, but it is also about learning from other exhibitors. You can learn from those who have attained a good level of quality of productions.”

He added; "We Rwandans have made strides in creativity, which has continued to facilitate the refining of their work.”

The mini-expo is different from last year’s with signs of improvement, the Governor said.

Governor Mufulukye (L) and officials in local government and PSF visiting the stands on Thursday, at the official opening event of the 10-day ''mini-expo''.

"If you visit the stands, you will find that there are youth who have good initiatives that are helping them to develop, visit them and learn from them so you too do something for your progress,” he pointed out.

Emmanuel Hategekimana, the Representing Ikirezi Natural Products, a Kirehe-based social enterprise that extracts essential oil from different plants, said they are exhibiting their products to demonstrate that there are plants that people ignore and yet could be transformed into something significant.

This is the tenth year the exhibition is being carried out in the Eastern Province.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com