Kigali, May 10, 2010
President Kagame today addressed the Rwanda Investment Forum organized in collaboration with the Common Wealth Business Council, which is taking place in Kigali at the Kigali Serena Hotel. In his remarks, the President welcomed all the participants to Rwanda, saying that the meeting was significant due to the fact that it is the first official event that Rwanda is hosting as a member of the Commonwealth.
“For the next two days, we will be talking about investing in Rwanda, and by extension, investing in the East African Region. My view is that a forum like this provides an opportunity to bring together entrepreneurs, both resident and non-resident in Rwanda, to explore new business ventures. The ultimate aim is to create wealth and prosperity for both the investor and the Rwandan people,” the President said.
The President pointed out that Investment and trade not only have enormous potential to increase income levels in Rwanda and the region in general and therefore improving livelihoods and giving people the decent living they deserve, but will also lead to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and expertise, as well as enhanced access to modern technology.
President Kagame assured the meeting that as those who have been doing business in Rwanda can testify, the business environment in the country is good, that Government is investor-friendly, and that returns on investment are higher than in many developed economies. “Most importantly, you can be assured that this is a new Rwanda, very different from the dark days of 1994,” he said