KIGALI - The Senate President, Dr. Vincent Biruta, arrived in the country yesterday bringing an award that was this week given to President Paul Kagame. Kagame received the prize at the just concluded 2008 World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (WSIE) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Speaking at his office shortly after arriving from Dubai, Dr. Biruta said that the Global Leadership team that organizes the WSIE choose Kagame as the best President worldwide in Peace and Innovation.

"President Kagame was chosen because of his innovation in different fields of political, economic and social creativity, among other fields, Biruta said. He added that Rwanda’s experience was welcomed as an inspiring experience emanating from a unique leader.

Biruta was accompanied to Dubai by the State Minister for Industry and Investment Promotion, Vincent Karega.

"He was also awarded for managing to put together a country that was totally destroyed,” the seemingly excited Biruta told journalists from his office at Telecom House in Kacyiru. He said that the summit aims at grooming future leaders.

The Senate president added that during the summit he gave a presentation on Rwanda’s achievements in development and poverty eradication, a case that interested many of the participants.

"It was an opportunity for us to showcase our country’s achievements and also highlight our plans of having a united community in Rwanda and reducing poverty by a high rate,” he said.

The high profile meeting was attended by the world’s biggest investors among them the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) (a multinational computer technology and consulting corporation and world’s largest computer company) and Dubai World.

Kagame’s award was the top prize given out during the summit, other winners being Dubai World’s Sultan Bin Sulayem for his state of art Palm City in Dubai, an ultra-modern city on water in the form of a laid down palm tree. The city’s waste treatment is taken care of responsibly.

Biruta said that Dubai World’s award was of great importance to Rwanda since they have invested big money in Rwanda. The company recently announced a $230 million investment in Rwanda’s tourism sector.

"Many investors developed interest in our country after realizing Bin Sulayem’s expression of interest in Rwanda,” Biruta said. He said that he would present the award to President Kagame who will personally unveil it to the public.

Kagame’s award is the latest in a series of international accolades he has won in recent times. The president is particularly recognised for lifting Rwanda from the ashes of the 1994 Genocide and turning it into a nation that currently inspires many countries, serving as a role model to them in various aspects.

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