NAIROBI - Business executives and investors have commended Rwanda's zero tolerance policy on corruption and called on partner states to borrow a leaf.

The investors made the observation during a round table discussion chaired by regional media mogul Reginald Mengi at the just concluded 2nd East African Community (EAC) investment conference in Nairobi.

The executives also noted that Rwanda has offered enormous support to the private sector, which they said had provided a conducive environment for business.

"Rwanda has applied such measures which have ensured strict discipline and partner states should draw and learn lessons and apply such measures," the investors implored.

They called on partner states to act decisively against graft by exposing corrupt officials and taking prompt action against the perpetrators of the vice.

In a summary of their recommendations, the investors urged governments to partner with the private sector in the fight against counterfeiting and pirating of goods.

"The laws being developed by EAC should spell out punitive measures against the offenders and partner states should comply and adhere to the anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy policy and law once adopted,” the said.

They urged the EAC Secretary General Juma Mwapachu and the EAC Council of Ministers to follow up on the discriminatory treatment of Burundi nationals when entering Tanzania, particularly on the requirement of visas and yellow cards.

Meanwhile, in his closing remarks at the conference, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga assured the investors that East Africa remains committed to continued pursuit of macro-economic policies and implementation of appropriate regulatory reforms aimed at improving the region's investment climate.

"As I indicated earlier, we are determined to implement reforms across all our sectors in order to minimize the adverse impact on our economies from external shocks that may occur from time to time," Odinga said in a speech read for him by the Kenyan Minister for EAC affairs, Amason Kingi.

 The investment conference brought together policy makers, business leaders and the regional and international investment community to review the investment outlook of the EAC region and discuss investment opportunities.

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