A USD 5 million World Bank funded Project launched

Kigali-11th June 2012, The Minister of Trade and Industry has launched the Governance for Competitiveness Technical Assistance Project (G4C) a three year World Bank funded project with the objective of strengthening the institutional capacity of selected institutions and to improve competitiveness in selected sectors in Rwanda, in particular horticulture and tourism sectors.

Through this targeted support, these sectors will boost foreign exchange earnings as well as create new employment– in alignment with Rwanda’s export growth and job creation agenda, with the aim to contribute towards increasing private investments, diversification of the export sector and creating additional sources of growth.

While officially launching the project, the Minister of Trade and Industry François Kanimba said that the G4C project will support the implementation of national export strategy (NES) to boost Rwanda’s exports with a special focus on horticulture and tourism.

“G4C Project is responding to a number of structural and capacity building challenges that are affecting competitiveness in Rwanda, particularly in the horticulture and tourism sectors. It is indeed very timely as it seeks to deliver on key Government of Rwanda economic development policies and priorities including the National Export Strategy (NES) and the Strategic Capacity Building Initiative (SCBI) – aligned with Vision 2020 and EDPRS process” Hon. Minister Kanimba noted. He added that the Ministry fully owns this project and commits its support in order to ensure effective coordination for the successful implementation of the project.

In her remarks the World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda, NOMOWUNMI LADIPO, stressed that this is essentially a Technical Assistance project aiming at helping to fill a gap in institutional capacity in Rwanda today. “The very key aspect of this project would be the ability to coordinate and collaborate across the various entities involved.” added Ms NOMOWUNMI LADIPO.

The G4C project will be implemented through four substantive components: Support for implementation of Strategic Capacity Building Initiative (SCBI) institutions that speak to competiveness; Support for implementation of the National Export Strategy; Improved Public Private Dialogue for Competitiveness. The fourth component will be dedicated to project implementation arrangements and coordination (MINICOM).

Note that the Governance for Competitiveness Technical Assistance Project (G4C) has a total budget of USD5 million and it has a duration of 3 years commencing in 2012 through 2014. The institutions which will benefit from this project are: The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM), the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA), The Public Sector Capacity Building Secretariat (PSCBS), Rwanda Development Board (RDB), The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI)/ National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) and the Private Sector Federation (PSF).