Dubai: The central African republic, emerging as an important hub of African events. Recently, a new, pan-African energy event was announced, which is to be held in Rwanda early next year. It is intended to expand opportunities for investors while furthering an increasingly intense global conversation about Africa’s energy future. The announcement was done by HE Emmanuel Hategeka, Ambassador of Rwanda to the UAE in Dubai. This announcement becomes more important for whole Africa, because it’s home to 1.2 billion people, where 600 million Africans lack access to reliable electricity.
However It is the first time in the heart of Africa, in Rwanda, but that’s the beginning of a pan-African approach with such pan African event.
Rwanda may be the home for such an event, but it’s not just about Rwanda. It’s about a shared African concern for future energy, Rwanda’s envoy to UAE said. “If there is any big priority for the continent, energy is number one,” he said. “If you don’t have energy, you can’t develop.”
A new, #PanAfrican #energy event will be held in Rwanda early next year. It is intended to expand opportunities for investors while furthering an increasingly intense global conversation about Africa’s energy future. #EnergyActionPlan #ClimateAction @RwandaGov @RwandainIndia pic.twitter.com/Y8qLvmlKX0
— Dr. Shahid Siddiqui (@shahidsiddiqui) April 2, 2023
While asserting that its fast growing economy, which pre-pandemic was expanding at 8.5 percent annually, is now back on track, he said, “Rwanda is one of the best governed countries on the continent.” And, he also assured, the country is “very safe.”
He also described his country’s heavy investment in infrastructure over the past decade to make it a highly attractive destination for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) sector. Four airlines make Kigali International Airport a hub with excellent connections, he said, while the country is building a new airport.
Ambassador Hategeka emphasized his country’s open travel policy and ease of access. Finally, he mentioned Rwanda’s wide range of attractions beyond the exhibit floor, including magnificent parks with wildlife.
“Every nationality of the world gets a visa on arrival,” he said. Visitors arriving from the Commonwealth, the Francophonie, and African Union countries are eligible for free visas.
Yves Gahonzire, of the Rwanda Convention Bureau said the new event would open investment opportunity for the whole African market.
Looking at his own country, with 13 million people, some 61 percent of whom have access to electricity, Emmanuel Hategeka, Ambassador of Rwanda to the UAE, further said that the target is to have universal access by 2024. And, with 50 percent of its power supply from renewables now, Rwanda is looking to transition completely to renewables.
This transition is a strong commitment shared by many African countries, he said. The event in Kigali will look at how to scale up generation and distribution, what technologies to deploy, and the investment opportunities that come with that.
“We’re going to be talking about doing business in Africa,” Ambassador Emmanuel Hategeka, said. “We’re going to be talking about investing in Africa, given the demand that is far from satisfied.”
In response to a question about current investment in Rwanda’s energy sector, Ambassador Hategeka said his country is looking at mini-hydro and at solar power. And Rwanda is putting incentives in place. He explained that an investment of $50 million, or an energy project of 25 MW or greater, will enjoy seven years tax-free, and then have a 15 percent corporate income tax rate.
The tax incentives, he said, “make sure when you invest, you recoup your investment.”
“We want energy,” he said. “We’ve seen the power of getting energy to a community, it changes their life.”
“And its not just energy, it’s sustainable energy, it’s renewable energy.
“That’s why we want to see what an exhibition like this brings to the continent, in terms of new technologies, in terms of what can be done differently,” he said.
-Dr. M Shahid Siddiqui (PhD), Follow via Twitter @shahidsiddiqui
