Making the most of the prevailing business-friendly environment

An exhibition organised in line with Rwanda Patriotic Front’s Silver Jubilee celebrations got underway in Kigali on December 7 to showcase the country’s achievements, particularly in the business world, under the RPF leadership. More than 200 exhibitors are participating in the trade fair, dubbed Prosperity Expo. Over the last 18 years, the government has increasingly created an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, and actively encouraged citizens to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship. Today, Rwanda is recognised among easiest places to do business on the continent, with negligible corruption levels, according to several international rankings. As a result, the private sector has progressively assumed a pro-active role in the development process, through job creation, taxes and inspiring a generation of young business leaders. Indeed Rwanda’s reliance on aid has reduced over the years – now less than half of the national budget –, thus boosting the country’s efforts to ultimately become self-reliant and shake off the shackles that come with foreign aid. If the country is to achieve its development targets, both in the medium and long-term, there is need to keep up the momentum. The education system, for instance, should increasingly be tailored to the needs of the labour market and repositioned to produce job creators, rather than seekers. A competitive and business-minded populace will certainly take this country to another level. But the general public will need to smell the coffee and make the most of the government’s business-friendly policies and programmes.