KIGALI - Rwanda is set to benefit from the recent 3rd East African Investment Conference held in Kampala, which saw several investors express interest in investing in the country.

Addressing a joint press conference on the outcomes of the annual meet, the Minister of East African Community, Monique Mukaruliza, said that Rwanda has marketed herself in the region as the leading choice for investors who want to do business in the region.

"The conference touched on a number of areas including supporting the growth of extractive industries, especially through improving local skilled manpower and enforcing import duty exemptions on mining equipment as part of removing barriers,” Mukaruliza said.

"We also agreed to market the bloc as a single tourist destination by speeding up processes of having a single entry visa for tourists. We also agreed to ease doing business by fast-tracking the development of infrastructure,”

According to the official, it was agreed in the meeting that the bloc develops efficient transport systems including roads, railways, water and air transport as a means of facilitating investors.

"Partner states will be required to remove all trade and non-tariff barriers and put incentives in place to facilitate investors go about their work without any hindrance,” Mukaruliza added.

She said that previous similar meetings have been vital in attracting investors to the EAC as it provides a platform for investors to meet, interact and share ideas on investing in the region.

The maiden conference was hosted by Rwanda in 2008 while last year it was held in Nairobi-Kenya.

During the Kampala meeting, partner states agreed to facilitate investment in the financial sector, scaling up special economic zones, enhance public private partnerships to become a vehicle for addressing infrastructure challenges.

Ends