The
Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that India-Rwanda
Innovation Growth Program is being launched to expand ties in Science,
Technology and Innovation, and the program aims at creating an ecosystem
wherein Indian innovations and technology enterprises will thrive and encourage
business ventures from both sides. He was addressing the India-Rwanda Business Forum
organized jointly by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce &
Industry and the Rwanda Development Board in Kigali, Rwanda, today. The Prime
Minister of Rwanda, Mr. Anastase Murekezi and other dignitaries were present on
the occasion.
The
Vice President said that Rwanda has put behind it the unfortunate genocide of
1994 and the efficient and clean city of Kigali captures the great strides that
this country is taking on its path of growth and prosperity. He further said
that Rwanda today offers a range of prospects to investors, including in
renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, tourism, and Information
and Communications Technology. Trade between India and Rwanda has been
gradually increasing over the last few years, he added.
The
Vice President said that several Rwandans have travelled to India for medical
treatment and have come back satisfied. India is also increasingly becoming a
preferred destination for quality and affordable education for Rwandan students,
he added.
The
Vice President said that the translation of ideas and innovations into
practical applications will require the 3 Ds of Discovery, Development and
Delivery. We are now ready to work with our partners in Rwanda and other
partners of Africa in transferring our experience in building an innovation
driven economy, he added.
Following
is the Text of Vice President's address:
" I convey my deep appreciation to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of
Rwanda for his gracious presence here today. I also thank the Rwanda
Development Board and the Private Sector Federation of Rwanda and the
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) for organizing
this business event and for inviting me here.
It is an exciting prospect to see the
captains of trade and industry from Rwanda stand alongside members of Indian
business Community and innovators from various parts of India. This portends
well for the future of Rwanda-India commercial and economic relations.
The efficient and clean city of Kigali,
captures the great strides that this country is taking on its path of growth
and prosperity. Rwanda has put behind it the unfortunate genocide of 1994 and
has embarked on the path of economic development. Its economy has since made
steady and considerable progress.
Rwanda today offers a range of prospects
to foreign investors, including in renewable energy, infrastructure,
agriculture, mining, tourism, and Information and Communications Technology.
The spectacular growth story of Rwanda, a result of the prudence and vision of
Rwandan leadership, represents the dynamism and opportunities of African
continent. Rwanda offers a wonderful platform to Indian partners to enhance
their presence and capacities in other parts of Africa.
Our bilateral relations are marked
by cordiality, convergence of views and cooperation on major
international issues. Bilateral trade and investments have shown a healthy
rise. Trade between India and Rwanda has been gradually
increasing over the last few years. Rwanda is also a beneficiary of the Duty
Free Tariff Preference Scheme of the Government of India extended to Least
Developed Countries. Rwanda can avail of this facility to increase their
exports to India. In fact, one of the key elements of the joint declaration
issued during the official visit of President Kagame to India last month was to
double trade in the next five years.
India is also a preferred
destination for affordable and quality health care for Rwandans. Several
Rwandans have travelled to India for medical treatment and have come back
satisfied. India is increasingly becoming a preferred destination for quality
and affordable education for Rwandan students. Every year more than 500 student
visas are issued to Rwandan nationals.
The Government of India also offers
scholarships and fellowships to Rwandan students to enable them to pursue
undergraduate, masters, post-graduate, and research courses in India under
ITEC, ICCR, CV Raman Fellowship and Special Agricultural Scholarships. In
addition to these, several short-term, fully-funded, training courses will
be offerred to Rwandese nationals as part of the initiatives under the
India –Africa Forum Summit.
India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Program
is being launched to expand ties in Science, Technology and Innovation. After
this Pilot project, the programme is proposed to be implemented in the East
African Community in seven countries and will then be scaled to seven other
economic zones across Africa. Under the Programme, 20 demonstrated and
validated Indian technologies and innovations are expected to be adopted over a
period of two years. The joint ventures created with Rwandan partners can
deliver many sustainable social enterprises that will stimulate economic
development in Rwanda. The program aims at creating an ecosystem wherein Indian
innovations and technology enterprises will thrive and encourage business
ventures from both sides.
The translation of ideas and innovations
into practical applications will require the 3 Ds of Discovery,
Development and Delivery. India has, over the years, developed certain
expertise and skills in domains of low-capital intensive innovations. We are
now ready to work with our partners in Rwanda and other partners of Africa in
transferring our experience in building an innovation driven economy in
Africa.
I wish the Business Meet and Innovation
Exhibition a great success. I am confident that bilateral relations between the
two countries will grow further with more frequent exchanges between
businesspersons for mutual benefits.
Thank You.
***
KSD/BK