URUGWIRO VILLAGE - The members of the Young Presidents’ Organisation (YPO) yesterday paid a courtesy call on President Paul Kagame and discussed  the organisation’s interests in promoting business and enterpreneurship in Rwanda.

Dennis Overton, the founding CEO of Aquascot Ltd and head of the delegation of 12,  told the press at Urugwiro Village yesterday that the group discussed with the President about the on-going process of how YPO can help in connecting different development sectors  and seeing how they can work together.

"We discussed with the President how the Rwanda Action Forum (RAF) formed under YPO can be of importance to the promotion of agriculture in areas of water resevoirs, marshland production and crop storage among others,” Overton said.

The delegation arrived in Kigali on Wednesday on a visit aimed at cementing the  proposed projects and  identifying individuals who may be interested in taking up the projects that have been singled out.

The Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, who attended the meeting said  that the YPO are friends of Rwanda who will not directly donate money to these sectors but will instead use their expertise to connect and promote business and enterpreneurship.

"We have a lot to gain from their expertise. If the YPO connects Rwandans to their contacts, we definitely will benefit. If they get some people to come and invest in Rwanda, that means employment for Rwandans, taxes and so many other benefits,” she said

The Young Presidents’Organisation, which was founded in 1950 and has 18.000 members, provides education and networking opportunties that promotes exchange of ideas and experiences among young business leaders.

Each year, YPO honors a world leader who is making a significant difference.

President Kagame received the YPO award in 2003.

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