With hardly any mineral wealth to talk of, Rwanda is aggressively pursuing science and information technology (ICT) to fill the gaps in its trade deficit.

Delivering his state of the nation address at the 15th annual national dialogue (Inama y’igihugu y’umushyikirano) at the magnificent Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) recently, President Paul Kagame said in order for Rwanda to reach the high income status, Rwandans have to be creative and innovative in information technology.

He said his government has a strategy to attract innovators and young Rwandan creative investors will be supported.

The president said his government which has won a seven year term in August, wants to turn to conference tourism into one of the vehicles for economic growth. Already in this year, the country has hosted 169 international conferences.This strategy alone will spur the growth of the hotels sector. Last year Rwanda launched the KCC, built at about US$ 300m.

From The Observer. Story by Pius Muteekani Katunzi.

Another device devised to reduce the dependence on exports is the made in Rwanda campaigns. Rwanda officially banned the importation of used or second hand clothes.

Instead Rwanda is backing up Chinese investors to produce garment locally. The garment industry imports cotton from Mwanza in Tanzania. The Chinese investors are also involved in silk production. The president told the same conference that relying on home made products (made in Rwanda) has reduced the trade deficit by 20 percent.

In order for Rwanda to develop into an efficient and advanced business hub, it must have both a sophisticated socio-economic framework and the physical structure to complement it. Rwanda’s desire to create the region’s first ‘Smart Nation’ highlights the emphasis placed on infrastructure by the government.

Read more at  The Observer.