Rwanda ready for business- Kagame

PARIS-President Paul Kagame yesterday met members of Movement of French Enterprises (MEDEF), the largest union of employers in France, as he concluded his three-day official visit to the country. He told them that “Rwanda is ready for business”. In his opening remarks, President Kagame reiterated that Rwanda and France were determined to build a good relationship that is mutually beneficial to the citizens of both countries. The meeting was also attended by entrepreneurs from Rwanda. “The story of our new Rwanda is a continuous one, and many opportunities still abound for you to make your contribution,” said President Kagame. “For each of you, there will be something in your line of business. Whether in agriculture, financial services, infrastructure, construction and real estate, mining, ICT, among others,”. The Head of State invited members of the French business community to visit Rwanda, expressing confidence that each one of them would find a lot of opportunities in the country which is the centre of a wider East African Community bloc of more than 127 million people. Kagame told them them the Rwandan economy was ready for business, and encouraged investors to come and witness, firsthand, the strides the country has taken in creating an investment-friendly environment for all. “Rwandas Private Sector is the cornerstone of our economy. It is fully open to everyone, with no restrictions to international or Rwandan investors. As an international investor, its your choice either to own 100 percent of your business alone or in a partnership with someone of your choice. “We have significantly strengthened institutions to facilitate investment and fought against administrative red- tape. We invite investors to travel to Rwanda and see,” President Kagame said. The Chairman of the Rwanda Private Sector Federation, Faustin Mbundu, told the group that Rwanda today stands out as a strategic country to invest in as it is at the heart of both central and eastern Africa. “Rwanda is a good investment opportunity for a number of reasons, including the fact that she is a member of the EAC and CEPGL. You should consider the vast investment opportunities this presents,” Mbundu said. He also emphasised the fact that Rwanda is a country where investors and their investments are secure. The meeting, which was organised by members of MEDEF in conjunction with the Rwanda Development Board, centred on establishing partnerships that will lead to sustainable development. The CEO of Rwanda Development Board, John Gara, described the meeting as “extremely successful.” “The French business community got a chance to interact with President Kagame and directly ask him questions on Rwanda’s investment climate; particularly in the areas of energy, infrastructure, water management and transport,” “The one-on-one meetings that immediately followed with Rwandan business people clearly reflected strong enthusiasm on both sides. French business can easily penetrate the Rwandan market,” Gara said Following his meeting with members of MEDEF, President Kagame received the Secretary General of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), Abdou Diouf, on a brief courtesy call. Ends

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Rwanda ready for business- Kagame