Advisory team calls for investments

CAUSE:Accelerating growthThe tenth meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) ended yesterday, under the chairmanship of President Paul Kagame, with members calling for renewed efforts in areas that are key to the country’s development.The two-day forum focused primarily on strategies that would help derive maximum benefits from Rwanda’s tourism and mining potential.Speaking to journalists after the meeting at Village Urugwiro, last evening, Prof. Paul Davenport, a PAC member, from Canada, said the country had a great opportunity to ride on its minerals and tourism treasures. “We discussed with the Head of State how we can put in more effort in transforming the mining industry because Rwanda is rich in that area,” he stated.He added: “We are very excited for what Rwanda has achieved in a short period of time, most especially in economic development and poverty reduction.”Prof. Davenport is an Honorary Professor of Education at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. According to the third Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey, released earlier this year, 11.8 per cent of the population crossed the poverty line since 2006, a reduction rate six times faster than what the country achieved between 2000 and 2006.But he said equally important is tourism “Among the ideas that came forward were tourism; we believe there are tremendous opportunities for Rwanda to expand its tourism, we have a safe country and tourists prefer secure places.”He said PAC members agreed on the need to diversify the country’s tourism, to include cultural and historical sites, museums, among others. These would add to the traditional tourist attractions such as the mountain gorillas, the flora and fauna of Nyungwe National Park and the Akagera wildlife.“We decided that when tourists arrive at Kigali International Airport, they should always find enough information on Rwanda tourism, for instance, showcasing a (tourist) site on big television screens, brochures and other materials. This would enable them to move to those areas with ease and enough information,” he explained.According to Claver Gatete, also a PAC member, and Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR), the country, last year, earned over $150 million from mining industry, and $252 million from the tourism sector.“This means that if we continue to expand these sectors we can generate more revenues that would contribute to economic development,” he noted.Earlier in the day, PAC members went on two field tours in the Southern Province.One team visited a wolfram mining site and processing facility run by Pyramides Mining Company, in Rutobwe Sector, Muhanga District, while another visited the Kings’ Palace in Nyanza District.PAC was formed in September 2007 and meets twice a year, with the aim of taking stock of recent developments and identifying new and practical interventions that will drive forward Rwanda’s socio-economic transformation. It has 22 members.