In a bid to strengthen its monitoring capacity to boost revenue collection, Rwanda Revenue Authority on Friday received assorted equipment worth $760,000 (approximately Rwf750 million) from the Japanese government.

The donation was made through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which includes a patrol boat, an x-ray baggage scanner, land patrolling vehicles, Personal Protection Equipment to protect border patrol officers against Covid-19 and assorted IT equipment among others.

Speaking at the hand over, the Japanese Ambassador to Rwanda, IMAI Masahiro, said that the border control equipment is in line with JICA’s cooperation for regional trade facilitation in the East African region of which Rwanda is part.

 "Japan will continue to work closely with the Government of Rwanda, the provision of equipment is in line with JICA’s cooperation for regional trade facilitation in the East African region, which includes technical cooperation and capacity enhancement of RRA, in terms of infrastructure development facilitation,” he said.

The country representative of JICA to Rwanda, Maruo Shin said that the facilities provided will not only help boost revenue collection, they will also help in terms of security mainly due to bolstered patrol.

"The project also aims at achieving efficient border procedures by improving the capacity of border control at targeted borders in the region,” he said.

The Commissioner General of Rwanda Revenue Authority, Pascal Ruganintwari commended the existing collaboration with the Japanese government, and said the equipment will assist in fighting smugglers, create a better environment of doing business in Rwanda and help his institution to fulfill its mandate.

"JICA’s contribution has been vital to Rwanda’s social economic agenda, and also played a big impact, because in the last 10 years our customs revenue increased by 11.2%.” he said.