TheCable

The government of Rwanda is seeking a stronger role within the continent on the back of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) ratified recently by all African countries.

During a national dialogue tagged: “Umushyikirano 2019″, which ended in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on Friday, President Paul Kagame listed the benefits of AFCFTA and urged Rwandans to prepare to take full advantage by ensuring local production of goods and services that meet global standards.

“Africa Continental Free Trade will open us to a market of almost a billion people. This provides huge benefits to us. However, we must be prepared to take full advantage by developing our own products and services that we can sell to others,” he had said.

“We started the Made in Rwanda Campaign about two years ago and I am happy about the progress we have made. Our standard organisation has certified more than 30 products in the last 2 years that are of export quality. We have a huge market with Continental free trade. We have so much work to do.”

Kagame, who is one of the African leaders that championed the continental free trade, solicited support of his people.

“We are doing well as a country. Our economy is growing and in GDP growth rate we are second in Africa after Ethiopia. On Ease of Doing Business we want to be number one in Africa. I think we have back-slided because we are now number 29 on global ranking,” he said.

Ministers responding to questions during the dialogue

“We should be moving forward. We should close the year with 8.5% growth in GDP. We should be targeting 10% growth. Our economy has maintained high growth consistently over the years since we launched vision 2020. As we plan to launch Vision 2050 from next year, it means we will become a stronger country on the continent. We will play more visible and stronger role in Africa and I seek your support for our country to be able to play her role well.”

Kagame described the economic success achieved by Rwanda as “amazing” despite the challenges the country and the people had passed through in building a country from the ruins of the genocide that claimed over 1 million lives in 1994.

“Despite the fact we are facing challenges of border, challenges of security our economy is growing. This is due to commitment of every one of us to build our country,” he said.

“We are now funding our national budget with our own revenue up to 84% within 20 years from a country that relied on donors. What we have achieved is good but we can do better. When we have achievements we celebrate them but they are not enough.

“We must keep running. We want to keep growing. We want to keep advancing. We still have a lot to do to provide roads, electricity, schools etc. We are called to run not to walk,” the President charged Rwandans.”