Business round-up

Novotel hotel branded Laico Umubano Rwanda’s Novotel hotel Umubano, once Le Meridien Umubano, has been re-branded as Laico Umubano Kigali hotel. This comes after an investment by Laico Hotel Groups, a Tunisian based company operating a diverse portfolio product range of hotels. The rebranding and renovations currently ongoing is part of the group’s programme to get the hotel back into competitive hotel business, catering for the growing demand of lodges and conference rooms in Rwanda. Primus gets new label The management of Bralirwa, Rwanda’s sole brewery, unveiled a new label for its oldest beer product, Primus, marking the product’s 50 years of existence. The company’s Commercial Director, Alexander Koch, said that from now till the end of the year, all primus bottles will be displayed with a special 50 years anniversary label. As part of the celebrations, Bralirwa is also carrying out a national wide campaign under the crown ‘Consumer Promotion’.” For two months, special crowns with “50 Guma Guma” will be printed on the inside all primus bottle tops. This will enable consumers to obtain a tombola (raffle) ticket, where Primus consumers will be given prizes which include; phones, television screens, solar lamps and a grand prize of a Toyota Hilux Pick-up. Bralirwa has invested USD1 million (Rwf570 million) in the campaign. The company earned about Rwf 6 billion last year, of which the Primus beer contributed 30 percent. 20 trained on SMEs Toolkit learning programme The International Finance Corporation (IFC), through its Rwanda Entrepreneurship Development Programme (REDP) certified 20 trainers of trainers (TOTs) in Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Toolkit learning system. The trainees are expected to transfer the knowledge and skills to owners and managers of small, medium and large businesses in the country. According to IFC, training that involved provision of management skills and general business knowledge to run their businesses was an increase in support for entrepreneurs. Sylivia Zulu, IFC’s SMEs Toolkit Programme Manager, said that the training is an extremely powerful tool that brings out the entrepreneur in everyone. She observed that small businesses are the growth engines of economies yet their success rate is not as good as it could be, simply because they lack access to good business management practices. The Web SME Toolkit site enables users to search and browse content, list their businesses, and create Web pages in a searchable business directory. Users are also able to network by participating in multilingual community forums on key business management topics. PSF is partnering with IFC to see how the program can be rolled out to all SMEs especially at the local level. EAC countries to negotiate modalities for regional market The High Level Task Force (HLTF) will negotiate implementation modalities for the regional Common Market Protocol, after approval from the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State. The decision follows Tanzania’s unwavering persistence that the partner states and not the Ministerial Council should conclude regulations or directives and annexes, which are necessary to give full effect to the provisions of the protocol. It is therefore believed that the decision was part of the solutions for the outstanding issues of the protocol. Others include national identification, the access and use of land, and the issue of permanent residence (article 19), which lays a foundation on the conditions and length of residence of non-citizens among others. Rwanda’s Chief Negotiator, Prudence Sebahizi, said the regional secretariat has scheduled four meetings to discuss the implementation modalities and Rwanda is the first host in the first week of June. Implementation modalities dubbed, ‘annexes’ in the Common Market Protocol, are guiding principles for free movement of capital, persons, labour, goods and services across the regional economic bloc by 2010. Intensive search for gold continues The Ministry of Natural Resources has said that the intensive search for gold is still ongoing countrywide, in a bid to increase minerals export receipts. “Companies with exploration permits are still searching for gold depots. The soil samples are positive with high gold value and hopefully depots will be found soon,” Vincent Karega, State Minister for Natural Resource and Environment said. According to statistics, gold contributed USD 0.3 million (Rwf170 million) to the mineral revenues in 2007 compared to USD1million (Rwf568 million) last year. Minerals were expected to generate about USD 100 million (Rwf56.8 billion) this year, slightly above the 2007 earnings of USD 95 million (Rwf53.96 billion). However due to the biting global economic crisis, the Ministry projects about USD 60 million (Rwf34.1 billion). Gold is an increasing treasure that supplements minerals revenue, following indications of its abundant presence in various parts of the country such as Karongi Gicumbi and Kirehe. SMS costs on electricity purchase SMS Media, which provides Short Message Services (SMS) with MTN-Rwandacell is set to cut message costs on electricity purchasing, from the current Rwf65 per message to Rwf18, a 72 percent discount. The new tariff will be effective starting from May 15, 2009, as the two organisations seek to increase their points of sale. SMS Media which has been in the partnership with Elctrogaz in the sale of cash power through SMS for a year is targeting 70 percent of electrogaz clients. As of to date, 40 percent of about 110,000 electrogaz clients use SMS Media to pay for their electricity bills. The company is currently working with different companies in Rwanda such as Sonarwa, Ecobank, Cogeabanque, and Serena Hotels. It also has partnerships with other regional companies like Zain, MTN Uganda and Celtel in Democratic Republic of Congo. Ends