Rwandan, Turkish businesses seek closer ties

The Turkish business community has plegded support to Rwandan entrepreneurs to improve their export business. The business community, under Tuskon Trade Confederation of Industrialists of Turkey, outlined the key areas it will support. These include logistical and non logistical support, market linkages and product innovation among others. The pledge was made in Gazaintep in Turkey at the opening of a three-day first Turkey-East Africa trade meeting, dubbed Trade Bridge, on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by over 1,000 business delegates from all over the world The president of Tuskon, Riza Nur Meral, said Rwanda is a great place to do business in Africa and pledged to support Rwandan entrepreneurs. Tuesday’s Turkish announcement came a day after the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) unveiled new strategies to boost the country’s exports. RDB cited three key initiatives it plans to implement in the next two years, including capacity building programmes to help manufacturers build credible audits, a six-month advisory initiative and market linkages. Speaking to The New Times on the sidelines of the meeting, Fatih Yavuz, the Managing Director of Nil Gida packaging and manufacturing industries said Turkey is ready to do business with Rwanda. Ambassador Ceaser Kayizari, the Rwandan envoy to Turkey, said with a population of 23 million people in Istanbul alone, Turkey has a huge market for Rwandan entrepreneurs to exploit. Kayizari also encouraged entrepreneurs to form strong business partnerships with Turkish investors so as to scale up investments in both countries. Among the big businesses to launch and expand in Rwanda are Turkish Airlines which has seen a steady increase in flights in and out of Rwanda and Hope Kids Academy, a private school that has seen its student numbers triple within one year since it opened. At the event, Rwanda was joined by several other African countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. A delegation of 28 people came from Rwanda.

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Rwandan, Turkish businesses seek closer ties