The government, through hosting both local and international trade shows, helps Rwandan industrialists and other producers to access markets besides promoting awareness about locally-made products, according to Donatien Mungwarareba, a director at Private Sector Federation (PSF).
The government, through hosting both local and international trade shows, helps Rwandan industrialists and other producers to access markets besides promoting awareness about locally-made products, according to Donatien Mungwarareba, a director at Private Sector Federation (PSF).
"Such initiatives encourage production of local products and motivates Rwandans to consume local products,” Mungwarareba added.
He was speaking ahead of the Made-in-Rwanda expo scheduled for December 14-20 at the Gikondo Show Grounds in Kicukiro. He said close to 300 exhibitors from different sectors have already registered for the trade fair that is organised by PSF and the Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs Ministry.
The first Made-in-Rwanda exhibition attracted 200 local exhibitors, including handicrafts and construction, and received 5,000 visitors per day, according to Mungwarareba.
This year, the Made-in-Rwanda tradeshow will involve fashion and modeling to showcase and promote locally-produced textiles, he added.
Mungwarareba said, "There is need to boost institutional capacity and innovation to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of local industries.”
Commenting on the impact of the numerous trade fairs for foreign firms, he defended them, arguing that they "enable local manufacturers and artisans to learn about quality, standards and packaging of locally-made products.”
"There is still need to improve the quality of the local products to support government’s export strategy of Made-in-Rwanda goods. So, when foreign firms exhibit here, our people learn from them and are, in the long-run, able to enhance their quality and packaging,” he said.
There are two upcoming fairs, the Egypt and Middle East expo slated for December 16 to January 02, 2017, and the Egypt and Asia expo that will take place from November 24-December 7.
Mungwarareba said these trade fairs are important channels for local industries to network and enter new markets. "However, we encourage Rwandans to support local firms by buying locally-made goods,” he said.