
Special Report: Rwanda – A country on the move
Rwanda is a country on the move.
Despite a difficult couple of years – the pandemic saw its economy contract by 3.4% in 2020 – the country is set to deliver 7% growth this year, according to the IMF.
The government has surpassed the World Health Organisation’s target of over 40% of citizens fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and is now forging ahead with Vision 2050, an ambitious plan to make the country middle-income by 2035 and high-income by 2050.
The planned driver for the next phase of national growth will be the expansion of key areas of the economy, including agriculture, health, and finance.
In this report, we look at Rwanda’s ambitions, and ask business and political leaders in the country how they are working to achieve them.
Rwanda plots next growth phase after pandemic
Rwanda is at a crossroads, and has made strides in its development. But with many of the low-hanging fruits already harvested, the second phase will be more challenging.
Setting ambitious goals in finance and tech
Rwanda has launched the Kigali International Financial Centre and the Kigali Innovation City to set the country up as a regional hub and attract technology and financial investors.
‘We expect double digit growth for 2021,’ says Rwanda finance minister
Rwanda is back on the path to strong growth after the setbacks of the pandemic. Finance minister Uzziel Ndagijimana talks us through the country’s economic recovery plans.
Rwanda aims to forge vaccine production hub in BioNTech deal
Having successfully vaccinated a significant proportion of its own population, Rwanda now aims to become a vaccine manufacturing hub through a deal with BioNTech.
Targeting move away from subsistence agriculture
As the AfCFTA boosts opportunities for agricultural exports and technology offers new farming methods, Rwanda is planning to reform an agricultural market which has long been based on smallholders.
RwandAir: Pandemic offers new chance to gain market share
Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir, says that the company, now 49% owned by Qatar Airways, is looking beyond the pandemic to exploiting Africa’s huge aviation potential.
Rwanda recovering strongly from pandemic, says Bank of Kigali CEO
The CEO of Bank of Kigali, Rwanda’s largest commercial bank by assets, tells us about the country’s growth outlook and its plans to become an international finance hub.