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tunities, one has to get the average citizen involved in
activities that will lift people out of poverty Wave done that [with]
a number of programs...that are inspired by our own tradition. The
tradition, which is not just Rwandan but very African, of neighbor
helping neighbor. We have taken some of these traditional mechanisms
and injected them with a bit of modern finance, and included them in
our economic programs."
She said the government is continuing to find innovative ways of
creating jobs including encouraging entrepreneurship and adding value
to the country's main exports, coffee and tea.
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[1]http://www.voanews.com/content/rwanda_committed_to_strong_regional_i
ntegration_and_growth/1249068.html
References
1. http://www.voanews.com/content/rwanda_committed_to_strong_regional_integration_and_growth/1249068.html
Rwanda 'Committed to Strong' Regional Integration'and Growth
by Peter Clottey
Rwanda's foreign minister says her country is committed to strong
peace, stability, integration among East and Central African countries.
Louise Mushikiwabo made her comments a recent three-day meeting of the
New York Forum Africa held in the Gabonese capital, Libreville. The
group brings together international investors and African business
leaders on the continent in an effort to foster partnerships.
Mushikiwabo said Kigali seeks robust bilateral relations with its
neighbors to better the lives of citizens in the region.
Regional integration
In an interview with VOA, Mushikiwabo said Rwanda works closely with
its regional partners to dismantle trade barriers to create what she
called "an enabling environment" for strong business growth.
"We are the first country in East Africa to wave work permits for
citizens of East Africa... While President Paul Kagame was chairing the
East Africa community, he pushed for some of the trade barriers to be
dismantled. So we do have a strong commitment to East Africa for our
region to become a good environment for business," said Mushikiwabo.
Experts say Rwanda has recently become a tourist destination in the
East Africa, in spite of the 1994 genocide in which hundreds of
thousands of people perished. They laud the government's development of
the potentially lucrative sector.
Mushikiwabo said Kigali has introduced a radio program to encourage
citizens to take advantage of a growth in tourism.
"We had to do a lot of [outreach] through the communities beyond the
main city of Kigali where people know the other countries surrounding
Rwanda...We went to the different provinces talking about the benefits
of being one region," She said.
"Anytime we make progress in terms of our integration, especially
economic integration, we always make sure that people are informed of
the opportunities. We advertise, we go out of our way to let our people
know what they can get in, say, Kenya or Uganda or Tanzania. We've also
increased transport from one country to another."
The recently launched Rwanda Air flies to neighboring countries almost
twice daily, and in some cases a few times during the week. Mushikiwabo
also said there are also regularly leaving Kigali for other East
African destinations as well.
A desire to increase tourism has also brought increased internal
security. Mushikiwabo said it's been tightened following the 1994
genocide.
"We have made sure that security is the number one priority for the
country where people can freely circulate on the territory, where
people can walk at night, where people can leave their house unlocked
in some of the neighborhoods...and we've more than just the traditional
security measures also made the average person understand that security
is something they need to be part of," said Mushikiwabo.
Regional security
She denied recent accusations the Rwandan military provided up to 300
fighters as well as weapons and ammunition to rebels battling
government forces in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
"It's one of the areas that Rwanda and Congo has worked very hard on.
After we normalized relations, we made sure that we continue to talk --
that our security and defense leaders meet often, talk often, work
together have joint operations in the region," continued Mushikiwabo.
"We also very much put time and value into security in both
countries...So we take security very seriously and that is how Rwanda
has been able to move away from insecurity and even to grow so much,
economically."
Mushikiwabo said Rwanda is committed to the economic empowerment of its
people. She said the government is implementing measures to help
Rwandans realize their economic potential.
"One is to create economic opportunities, but before one gets to
economic opportunities, one has to get the average citizen involved in
activities that will lift people out of poverty Wave done that [with]
a number of programs...that are inspired by our own tradition. The
tradition, which is not just Rwandan but very African, of neighbor
helping neighbor. We have taken some of these traditional mechanisms
and injected them with a bit of modern finance, and included them in
our economic programs."
She said the government is continuing to find innovative ways of
creating jobs including encouraging entrepreneurship and adding value
to the country's main exports, coffee and tea.
__________________________________________________________________
[1]http://www.voanews.com/content/rwanda_committed_to_strong_regional_i
ntegration_and_growth/1249068.html
References
1. http://www.voanews.com/content/rwanda_committed_to_strong_regional_integration_and_growth/1249068.html