Rwanda can weather financial storm

This week the German Minister for Environmental Affairs and Renewable Energy, Sigmar Gabriel, vowed to attract European businessmen to invest in the Rwandan energy sector. “Part of the reason I am here is to explore what can be done to attract investors from both Germany and across Europe to invest in Rwanda, especially in renewable energy,” Minister Gabriel said. In the light of an international financial crisis, are such promises unrealistic? The answer is no. While a global recession would be spell worldwide crisis, if that can be avoided Rwanda will remain an excellent place to invest. On the face of it, the credit crunch is having a noticeable impact in Africa. Stock markets across the continent have seen big falls since the start of the year. In South Africa, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange share index has fallen 40 per cent.