Rwanda-Economy: Innovation in digital commerce
Rwanda is hosting a 2-day forum on trade development in Africa since Monday. It is under the theme “Unlocking Africa’s trade potential through digital innovation.” It aims to highlight how technology can strengthen businesses, connect markets and foster inclusive economic growth.
Launching the forum, Rwandan Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente said the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area and its protocol on digital trade marks a new era in regional integration. To do this, he said, countries must adapt to this new environment.
“For this to become a reality, our countries will need to adapt to the ever-changing business environment driven by emerging technologies. Therefore, investing in Africa’s digital and technological capabilities is not an option but a necessity,” he insisted.
In this regard, he added, harnessing digital technologies by removing non-tariff barriers and facilitating cross-border movements is an imperative.
“These efforts will not only play a key role in creating a business-friendly environment, but also in providing solutions to trade challenges,” the Rwandan Prime Minister stressed.
TradeMark Africa Board Chairman, co-organizer of the Forum, and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn, said Africa is moving rapidly in its economic development agenda. This speed, he said, requires adaptation.
“It is up to us to connect trade policies to the real changes that the continent is undergoing. African leaders must therefore collaborate and make concerted efforts to guide the continent towards the future of One Africa, where, within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area, trade is a force for transformation,” Desalegn said.
For his part, Rwandan Minister of Trade and Industry, Prudence Sebahizi highlighted the essential role of technology in removing traditional trade barriers, seamlessly connecting markets, empowering entrepreneurs and promoting equitable economic growth.
“Keeping in mind our shared goals for a prosperous Africa, we are re-establishing the Africa Trade Development Forum, a gathering aimed at driving progress in trade facilitation and providing a strategic voice for trade across the continent,” he said.
Previous forums of this kind were held in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2019. This platform brings together government officials, senior civil servants, development partners, academics, multilateral organizations, private sector leaders and innovators to discuss and make decisions that help realize the vision of a prosperous Africa.
This forum is co-organized by the Rwandan government in partnership with TradeMark Africa. It is an organization that partners with governments across the continent to develop intra-African trade and increase Africa’s share of global trade.
Vital Ndayambaje
