Hundreds of business operators from Europe and Rwanda will gather in Kigali, from June 26-27, 2023 for the EU-Rwanda Business Forum to explore investment and trade opportunities, as well as partnerships with businesses in the country, according to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). This first-ever forum is organised by the delegation of the European Union to Rwanda and the Government of Rwanda through RDB. It will convene private sector companies from the European Union member states and Rwanda. ALSO READ: Rwanda, EU sign four-year deal worth €260m Held under the theme: Rwanda-your gateway to Africa, the two-day interactive event, open for all companies to attend, will feature plenary sessions on Rwanda’s business environment and investment opportunities with a focus on sectors with outstanding growth potential including agribusiness, mining, health and pharmaceuticals, financial and digital services, green and sustainable economy. In a press release dated June 9, RDB indicated that the European Union is the biggest source of Foreign Direct Investment to Rwanda, with investments worth $210 million registered in 2022. ALSO READ: Rwanda secures EU funding for vaccine production Commenting on the forum, the Ambassador of the European Union to Rwanda, Belen Calvo Uyarra, said that the EU-Rwanda business forum will further strengthen Rwanda and EU trade relations. “With the organisation of the first EU-Rwanda Business Forum, the EU underpins Rwanda’s development vision to involve private sector more prominently in the economic transformation of the country,” Uyarra said. “We are inviting EU businesses to come to Rwanda to explore business opportunities and invest in jobs and growth in Rwanda. The event will also promote the establishment of partnerships between Rwandan and EU companies to cooperate with and develop thriving businesses,” she added. Clare Akamanzi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board, said the EU-Rwanda Business Forum will be a great platform for the European private sector to explore the trade and investment opportunities in Rwanda and exchange knowledge with their Rwandan counterparts on how to do business together sustainably. “For the economy to thrive, Rwanda can benefit from the expertise and resources at the disposal of the private sector of developed EU countries and this forum will be a great starting point as we look to create more jobs and improve livelihoods of our people,” Akamanzi observed. Meanwhile, the event will also offer opportunities to set up structured business to business (B2B) and business to government (B2G) networking meetings, RDB stated. In addition, it said, development finance institutions will attend to showcase the opportunities linked to the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD+) – a financing tool of the EU’s Global Gateway investment mobilisation framework for partner countries.
