KIGALI – Rwandan President Paul Kagame told a delegation from Zimbabwe led by the Foreign Affairs minister Frederick Shava, on Wednesday that Rwanda urgently needs good teachers from his country.
The Head of State spoke with more than 200 participants at the first Rwanda-Zimbabwe trade and investment conference held in Kigali since Tuesday.
“I think Zimbabwe can provide us with good teachers,” Kagame said.
His remarks followed a bilateral agreement between W2 Industries, a Zimbabwean company developing its activities in Rwanda in the areas of school infrastructure development and the establishment of school laboratories.
Although development is important, Kagame said priority should be given to human resources.
“I would like to emphasize one thing. I want the people first, then the equipment. I think Zimbabwe can provide us with good teachers.
“Please work on this with a sense of urgency. No matter how many good teachers you can find, we can accommodate them. Because we really need them,” he said. say again.
Meanwhile, Kagame praised the organizers of the conference, describing it as a “special” gathering.
For several years, he said, the two countries have been working to deepen ties in various sectors.
“Your presence here is the last leg of this journey, and an important one as well. I take particular note of the Zimbabwean ministers who accompanied this delegation.
President Kagame assured the visiting delegation that the Rwandan private sector is ready to fight back and work together to identify mutually beneficial business opportunities.
He also pointed out that the history of the two countries has been marked by times of adversity and tragedy, but also of success and resilience.
“It makes us part of a larger African experience. Progress does not come easily or without sacrifice. It takes hard work, dedication and self-reliance.
The latter does not mean being alone, he explained.
“No country on our continent can prosper without working together in our region. We need to come together, pool our resources and knowledge, and hold each other accountable.
President Kagame cited the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an example that provides the continent with a clear framework to align common interests and strengths.
“But the best reason for our collaboration, as we have seen at this conference, is that we have a lot to offer each other. Let us make the most of it and implement the results of this conference with a sense of urgency.
Kagame opens huge opportunity for both countries
Sekai Nzenza, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Zimbabwe, said at the summit that the conference has increased the potential for the two countries to benefit from each other.
She said Zimbabwe has huge potential to supply the Rwandan market with agricultural and horticultural products, pharmaceuticals, leather, textiles and building materials, among others.
On the other hand, Nzenza told the two delegations that Rwanda has the potential to export ICT and other light industry products, adding that Zimbabwe has a lot to learn in trade.
“I am pleased that our private sector companies represented here continue to offer their unwavering support,” she added.
“It is vital that the two countries continue to participate in each other’s trade and investment fairs in the future.”
The Rwanda-Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Conference kicked off on Tuesday, September 28 and is expected to last until September 30.
The idea was discussed in 2019 and it was agreed that the conferences would take place on an annual basis.
The conference was jointly organized by the Rwanda Development Board and the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), among other partners.
A total of five cooperation agreements were signed on the first day to make the most of the conference.
- New Times
