Not very long ago, Rwanda known as “the land of a thousand hills’’ in East-central Africa was struggling to survive. Its economy was in shambles and its social fabric tattered. Then came an infamous genocidal regime that exterminated more than a million Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994.

The Liberation Day also marks the beginning of Rwanda’s journey of transformation. 28 years on the road, Rwanda has seen its resurrection and the nation can celebrate in harmony and serenity the regained statehood.

Rwanda has risen from the ashes and today it is a confident nation like many others where liberation means self-reliance, economic prosperity and dignity.   President Paul Kagame, Rwanda has achieved considerable growth in various sectors as a result of good governance, notable political stability, national unity, accountability and thinking big.

As for Rwanda’s relations with India, they have already been good considering business and cultural exchanges taken place between the two countries. Bilateral relations between India and Rwanda have been cordial and have grown steadily over the years.

In 1999, Rwanda officially opened its Mission in New Delhi and appointed its first resident Ambassador in 2001. India opened its resident Mission in Kigali with the arrival of the High commissioner in 2018. Both countries have been enjoying excellent economic and political cooperation.

India and Rwanda are member states of the Commonwealth. It is important to note that Rwanda opted to become a member of the Commonwealth in 2009 even though it had not been a British protectorate or a British colony. From June 20-25, 2022, Rwanda successfully hosted a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2022). Over 50 Heads of Government gathered in Kigali and were joined by business, philanthropy and civil society leaders, including Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

The COVID-19 pandemic came at a time when Rwanda was sustaining a high economic growth rate. Rwanda’s GDP exceeded 10% in 2019. This is one of the highest growth rates, not just in the continent but also globally. The Government of Rwanda is focusing its efforts to address private sector challenges by stabilizing the environment and strategizing for the future.

Despite the Covid-19 setback, Rwanda’s economy is expected to bounce back. For instance, on 8th February 2021, a new Investment Law was enacted to offer further incentives to projects that aim to transform Rwanda into a global hub for business and help address the impact of Covid-19 on the economy.

Rwanda’s business climate continues to be favourable to investments offering stability and transparency. In Africa, Rwanda is first in government transparency and has a stable and fast-growing economy with the lowest debt ratio in the region. Moreover it has a growing bilingual (English, French) and educated workforce. Lately it has achieved 95% network coverage. Besides Rwanda provides access to Africa and global markets through robust trade agreements (EAC, COMESA, EBA, AfCTA)

Rwanda has immense investment opportunities. Investors find greenfields in manufacturing, construction materials, affordable housing, innovation technologies and agriculture. The investment opportunities are backed by strong fiscal and non-fiscal incentives. Which comprise preferential corporate income tax for international companies based in Rwanda, with a percentage ranging from 0 to 15% depending on quality and type of international investment based in the country. The preferential withholding taxes in Rwanda also apply from 0 to 10%. Incentives similarly apply for exports except for tea and coffee without value addition and unprocessed minerals, and investments. in philanthropy, in innovation, industrial parks, mining, start-ups and film industry.

Moreover, Rwanda is open: as the world adapts to living with the Covid-19 pandemic, Rwanda has put in place health and safety measures and reopened its doors for tourists, offering safe and seamless experiences.

Rwanda was one of the first East African nations to establish a convention bureau. Established in 2014, Rwanda Convention Bureau’s mission is to promote Rwanda as a premier destination that meets the needs of your future meetings. Rwanda has prioritised MICE tourism as one of the drivers of its economic growth. Indeed, tourism is the country’s largest foreign exchange earner with MICE playing a significant role in its growth by bringing in 20% of all tourism revenues.

It is worth noting that Rwanda’s popularity as a preferred MICE destination is also a product of its simplified visa process that allows nationals of every country in the world to get a visa on arrival. It is also resulting from the linkages enabled by the National Carrier RwandAir that connects many parts of the globe to Rwanda and Africa, the safety and cleanliness of the country, its political stability and the promising future of Rwanda.