The Dutch centre for promotion of imports from developing countries (CBI) has agreed to develop Rwanda’s export capacity. The programme which is being executed in a partnership with the Rwanda Private Sector Federation (PSF) is being conducted by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It is aimed at contributing to the equitable economic development of selected developing countries by providing export marketing and management to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

"The programme focuses on export promotion for the developing countries which is crucial at this stage of Rwanda’s development,” said Frans Makken the Dutch Ambassador to Rwanda. 

CBI will also provide services in various areas including market information, training, and export coaching and support service development.

Currently, the programme is running in 18 countries in Africa. The programme has also enhanced Kenya’s export capacity of tailed beans to the European market.

The cooperation between CBI, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the PSF has an initial cost of $1.5 million running for two years, forming a framework for capacity building of human resources in RDB and PSF particularly trainers, experts and market intelligence officers that will be available to both RDB and PSF as support network.  

"The joint cooperation will be more efficient, powerful to meet its obligations of increasing exports for developing countries,” said Hans Klunder, Managing Director CBI. 

The Dutch initiative has formed a regional cooperation between trade promotion bodies in their transformation effort from being a reactive to a proactive approach in their delivery of market information and advisory services.

"We have been dealing with nine tourism companies since our inception out of which four have participated in tourism tours in Netherlands and we are also looking forward to expanding in other sectors out side tourism,” said Bastiaan Biji, CBI Country Coordinator.

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