President Paul Kagame has said that Rwanda registered 172 investment projects in 2020, valued at $1.2 billion despite the Covid-19, which slowed business activity. The investments are expected to create 22,000 new jobs, the President said on Monday, December 21, 2020, as he delivered his annual state of the nation address where he broke down government’s achievements for the year. The Head of State also used the address to outline the government’s agenda for the coming year. Kagame reminded citizens that although he had hoped for a better 2020, he could not have predicted what lay ahead, citing the Covid-19 which Rwanda and the rest of the world have been dealing with for the bigger part of the year. He said that although the outbreak of the pandemic had forced the government to make some drastic changes, the nation continues to do well and there is evidence of that. He thanked Rwandans for their commitment and sacrifice in the fight against this pandemic. The President said that the achievements made so far in this crisis have been made possible because of the trust between the general population and its leaders. Achievements The Head of State broke down some of the gains made. For instance, he said that in the education sector, the government built 22,000 classrooms. The schools have now resumed following the temporary closure in March as part of the measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. Kagame said that the process to improve health care services continues, citing the new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facility, which is expected to reduce the number of patients travelling abroad for such services. He also pointed out the construction of three new hospitals; in Nyarugenge, Nyagatare and in Gakenke districts. Kagame reminded that the government has managed to pay community health insurance contributions for two million Rwandans from the most vulnerable families. In agriculture, he said, the country sustained strong output, while the increased ability to produce seeds locally has effectively bridged the import-export gap. Agriculture exports in 2020 alone fetched over $400 million, the President disclosed. To boost productivity in the sector, the country has imported 20 driers for harvest and also built storage facilities for harvest. In 2020, over 200,000 new households were connected to electricity, while the 4G internet connection was expanded across the country, Kagame said. The government targets universal access to electricity by 2024. On security and relations in the region, Kagame said that the country is secure despite issues on the Burundi-Rwanda border in the south. However, he added, talks between the two countries are ongoing to resolve the impasse. He said that in the northern part of the country, there were still small issues but they would come to an end as well since both countries want peace. In conclusion, he thanked Rwandans for their continued resilience and thanked development partners who have stood by the country during this challenging time.
