Rwanda invites Indian investment in energy, agriculture

NEW DELHI: Allaying fears about investing in his country, Rwandian president Paul Kagame said here on Tuesday his country is as safe as any other place and invited investments in agriculture, energy, IT and transportation sectors.

"You feel as safe and secure as any other country in the world," he said while responding to a question on whether the country was safe enough to attract investment.

Interacting with students of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, he said peace in Rwanda was achieved in the country mainly because of the government's approach towards "reconciliation and justice to all.

The President's invitation to investors comes as decades of internal strife had left the country to the bottom of development index.

Noting that Rwanda was laying stress on capacity building and development of human capital, he asked Indian investors to exploit opportunities in agriculture, energy and transport sectors.

To another question if Barack Obama, new US president of Afro-American origin, will hasten the development process in his country, he discounted such hopes but said that rather than being overoptimistic, African countries should exploit their own potential in carrying forward the development process.

"With Barack Obama as the new US President, it does not make our job easier, he said.

"USA can only be helpful only when Africa tackles challenges more efficiently," he said and did not agree that being the son of an African descendant, Obama will bring major changes in the African continent.