Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation (PSF) and the Kenya Port Authority committed to collaborate in coping with disruptions in the global supply chains. The agreement was reached during a recent Golden Circle breakfast meeting held in Kigali.

The meeting themed "The Future of Logistics vs. the Ongoing Global Dynamics" was attended by bankers, policymakers, logistics professionals, business owners, government institutions, private sector representatives, delegations from Kenya, and staff from the Kenya Port Authority, among others. It aimed at having a clear understanding of the current global trends and establishing clear initiatives to enhance logistics efficiency and resilience through strategic interventions and partnerships that address key challenges.

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The Acting chairperson of PSF, Jeanne Françoise Mubiligi, applauded the collaboration between Rwanda and Kenya. She noted that despite the global crises caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and global economic crisis, both countries&039; businesses and logistics sectors worked hard to overcome these challenges.

"Rwanda was not left behind. As a country that has strategically identified the transport and logistics sector as one of the key drivers of economic growth, wealth, and job creation, and critical for within and cross-border trade, our collaboration with Kenya Port Authority will be of great importance and will contribute significantly to efforts to enhance logistics efficiency and resilience,” Mubiligi said.

She pointed out that the global logistics market size was estimated at $8.6 trillion in 2020, with Africa accounting for only $300 million, representing a share of just 4%.

The Managing Director of the Kenya Port Authority, William Ruto, expressed his delight with the collaboration, stating that it is critical for both countries to work together to exchange ideas, explore opportunities, and address challenges collectively to continuously improve the business landscape in the region and enhance transport logistics efficiency.

"This discussion will shape the future of our industry and lead to transformative growth and development. Both countries must use their collective wisdom and expertise to create a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable transportation and logistics ecosystem,” Ruto stated.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, emphasized the value of holding such a meeting as it helps in assessing and verifying the current state of logistics.

"The course has increased over the last two or three years due to serious external factors affecting the supply chains. Here, we are all assessing ourselves to see where we are and, of course, which projects we can implement at the government and private levels, even with our partners who are supporting us in establishing some ports inside Rwanda. The main goal is to determine where we are and where we can devote significant effort,” Ngabitsinze added.

François Twagirumukiza, the head of the commerce cluster at PSF, discussed Rwanda's challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic saying that as a landlocked country, the only solution was to use the internet to communicate with suppliers and ports.

"This discussion was about facilitating movement from our country to the port and vice versa. We made certain requests to the Kenya port administration and discussed the problems that will be overcome because we are all working together,” Twagirumukiza said.

He added that the organization and team worked hard to ensure that the business sector was not significantly affected.