World Bank Group president Jim Yong Kim is today expected in the country for a two-day official visit.

The visit, which will also take him to Tanzania, is his second to the region as World Bank president.

Kim is expected to jet into the country at around midday after which he will visit the Zipline Drone project in Muhanga District, the Kigali Special Economic Zone and ICT innovation centre, kLab.

On the second day of the visit, the World Bank president is expected to give a public lecture at the Kigali Convention Centre.

The focus of his lecture will be the need to shift approaches to development in order to meet aspirations of world’s seven billion people and be the first generation in history to end extreme poverty.

Prior to his departure, Kim will visit a social protection site in Kinyana village, in Gasabo District.

He is also expected to meet with President Paul Kagame.

In an opinion piece by Kim ahead of his visit, published in this paper today, he notes that the trip is partly aimed at learning from the country’s innovations.

"On March 20, I will begin a visit to Rwanda and Tanzania to see how these countries have achieved results and what we can learn from their innovations. I hope to discuss the need for better coordination with the private sector in our efforts to help client governments improve the business climate and mobilise resources,” he writes.

The World Bank, the American writes, will accelerate support to sub-Saharan Africa countries for them to reform their economies, diversify and restore growth.

"In these uncertain times, the World Bank Group will accelerate our support as countries in sub-Saharan Africa work to reform their economies, diversify, and restore growth.

"This sense of urgency will drive the World Bank Group’s work in Africa over the next three years. Working together, we can help African countries achieve the next level of economic transformation and meet the aspirations of the people we serve,” Kim writes.

Ahead of his visit to Rwanda, Kim, on Sunday, announced a record $57 billion towards financing different projects in sub-Saharan Africa over the next three fiscal years.

According to a World Bank statement, the bulk of the financing, $45 billion, will come from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank Group’s fund for the poorest countries.

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