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Business Correspondent

KIGALI — The private sector in Rwanda has expressed excitement over the upcoming Rwanda-Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Conference saying the platform will provide business opportunities for both parties. 

Chairperson of Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation, Mr Robert Bapfakurera, said there were plenty opportunities for Zimbabwean businesses in areas such as manufacturing and agro-processing. 

The conference would provide a perfect platform for Zimbabwe businesses to identify these opportunities, he said. 

The Rwanda Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Conference will be held in Kigali, Rwanda from March 24-26 this year. Businesses in Zimbabwe are already signing up to attend the conference, which is being organised by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and ZimTrade.

“The private sector in Rwanda is very happy to receive businesses from Zimbabwe for the purpose of building capacity and networks,” said Mr Bapfakurera. 

“We know very well that Zimbabwe is in Comesa and Rwanda is in Comesa. We share a lot.” 

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa is a free trade area with 21 member states. As such, Mr Bapfakurera said the high-level conference would open avenues for business partnerships and collaboration between businesses in the two states. 

“Rwanda is a country where the business environment is very good and there is support from the public sector. 

“There are a lot of opportunities in various areas, manufacturing, agro-processing and trade. There are a lot.”

RDB head of export processing zones and exports department, Ms Diane Sayinzoga, said there were plenty of opportunities especially for cotton farmers in Zimbabwe as the demand for the crop in Rwanda is high.

“There are a lot of opportunities here in terms of fruits and for Rwandans as well there are opportunities in terms of ICT products and smartphones,” Ms Sayinzoga said. 

“Because we have direct flights, Rwanda Air is flying to Zimbabwe everyday it really makes the business partnership between our two countries easier.”

She said the demand for cotton was high in Rwanda. “In Rwanda we don’t have cotton and in Zimbabwe you have nice cotton so that is also another area where there are a lot of opportunities for Zimbabwean manufacturers and those who are in textile and the whole value chain of cotton,” Ms Sayinzoga said.

The East African country has one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, projected to grow above eight percent in 2020. With a population of 12.6 million people with a rapidly growing middle class, Rwanda has plenty of opportunities for Zimbabwean businesses intending to invest there. 

Rwanda is also the hub for ICT innovations, which Zimbabwe can benefit through joint ventures and partnerships. 

Rwanda is the first country on the continent to feature fully electric cars from Volkswagen. 

The cars were launched last year in October and are being assembled in Rwanda’s Special Economic Zone in Kigali. 

The Rwanda Zimbabwe Trade and Investment conference will unpack all the available opportunities in both countries, provide a platform to identify partnerships and bring a broader understanding of the friendly investment environment.