|
Kagame, Mkapa launch Rwanda project
2007-05-30 08:47:40
By Austin Beyadi
The Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, and Tanzania`s Third Phase President, Benjamin Mkapa, on Monday launched the Rwanda Investment Climate Project (RICP) during the fourth International Investment Conference in Kigali.
This will be the first major project by the Investment Climate Facility (ICF), a unique fund conceived to help Africa create a more attractive business environment.
Rwandan Minister of Finance James Musoni signed the RICP agreement with the ICF on behalf of the government of Rwanda.
President Kagame said the RICP would provide valuable momentum to his administration’s push to spur growth in the Rwandan economy.
`We are pleased that the ICF has agreed to support Rwanda`s drive to improve our investment climate through the RICP initiative, I am confident that our cooperation with the ICF will be a major driver of investment in Rwanda`s economy,` he said.
He added that the project would complement the government’s efforts to develop key legal and commercial services and having a positive impact on the lives of all Rwandans.
He said that the project would assist the Government of Rwanda in establishing a Commercial Court and a system to resolve commercial disputes speedily and effectively.
He further said that the project will also create a new Commercial Registration Services Agency for Rwanda, which will provide a comprehensive registration system that will improve company and small business registration, security of movable assets and registration of intellectual property rights.
He further said that the project would assist Rwanda with improving its land titling and registration system, particularly in Kigali.
Commenting on the launch, former president Benjamin Mkapa said that the Rwanda Investment Climate Project makes it easier to do business in Rwanda and that the project gives foreign and domestic investors the confidence to commit to development in Africa, creating employment and income opportunities for Rwandans.
Mkapa said that the programme provides the financial sector with the security and assurances they need to provide services to companies and individuals who want to grow their businesses and invest in property.
`We are delighted to assist Rwanda in this way, and commend President Paul Kagame and his government on their commitment to making Rwanda an African success story,` said Mkapa.
The ICF is a private-public partnership focused on improving the continent`s investment climate.
Its mission is to make Africa an even better place to do business by removing obstacles to domestic and foreign investment and by promoting the continent as an attractive investment destination.
|
