Rwanda has signed 3 memorandums of understanding with Zimbabwe at the ongoing Zimbabwe-Rwanda Trade and Investment Conference taking place in Harare, Zimbabwe.  

The conference is a reciprocal meeting following the Kigali conference, which took place in September 2021. It brought together senior government officials and over 40 private companies from Rwanda to explore areas of collaboration and partnerships between the two countries.  

During the opening of the conference officiated by His Excellency Dr Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe, who also witnessed the signings, Rwandan Government officials and the Private Sector Federation signed agreements with their Zimbabwean counterparts in the areas of commercial and economic relations, trade and investment, as well as energy.

Speaking while officiating the opening of the conference, His Excellency President Mnangagwa said, 

“This timely visit demonstrates the focus, commitment and determination to the prime objectives we set for ourselves in broadening the trade and investment partnerships between our two countries. We have a collective responsibility to shift the historical trend which was characterized by low trade volumes between our two friendly countries despite the existence of huge potential between our two economies.

On building on the partnerships between Rwanda Development Board and ZimTrade, H.E Mnangagwa challenged both strategic bodies of each jurisdiction to deploy their capabilities and all-encompassing institutional capacities towards driving the sustainable socio-economic development of the both countries.

Speaking on behalf of the Rwandan delegation at the conference, Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Beata Habyarimana said: 

“This conference is taking place in an opportune moment in the bilateral relationship we are forging between our two nations. Our cooperation has indeed grown exponentially in the last 5 years with several agreements signed in education, energy, agriculture, mineral resources, ICT, and tourism. The trade and investment conference we are opening today, Rwanda and Zimbabwe are leading by example.”

On the important lessons from COVID-19, Minister Beata reiterated:

“COVID-19 showed the importance of close collaborations among nations in facing global challenges. The urgency of Africa’s self-reliance in reinforcing trade & investment ties in Africa is essential in achieving a common objective of achieving social and economic transformation”

During first trade and investment conference between Rwanda and Zimbabwe in Kigali, 5 memorandums of understanding were signed in the areas of agriculture and livestock, environment and climate change, tourism and business events, ICT and e-Government. 

The second conference, taking place over the next two days will see participants engage and network in various business to business sessions, panel discussions on topics such as strategies for business growth and procedures for doing business in both countries.