Rwandans should focus on cluster development whose purpose is to promote economic development within the cluster by improving the competitiveness of one or several specific business sectors.

This was said yesterday by a team of facilitators at Serena Hotel during the opening of a four-day training seminar for top executives from both private and public institutions in Rwanda organised by the private sector federation and the faculty of business school from Harvard University.

"one of the pillars of Rwanda’s vision 2020 is to create a knowledge-based economy and such training courses on cluster development and competitiveness are a possible platform through which we are going to contribute to realizing our vision,” said Robert Bayigamba PSF board Chairman.

Bayigamba encouraged participating institutions drawn from various sectors of the economy to network and build sustainable relationships hence reinforcing the private-public partnership.

The first of these courses was held in 2008. It is expected that more than 50 participants this year will acquire knowledge on macroeconomics for competitiveness and cluster development.

In a televised video, renown economist Michael Porter acknowledged the sound microeconomic policy and said that since Rwanda is corruption-free which enables a business-friendly environment, then Rwanda can become more competitive both regionally and internationally.

"This program focuses on the critical steps that can make Rwanda more competitive but Rwanda should focus on infrastructure development,” said Porter.

Porter added that it should focus on the challenges of cluster development and allowing the country to be more productive and competitive which will be a great opportunity for Rwanda’s forward agenda.

According to Porter, for a country to be more competitive it should have a strategy, structure and rivalry. It should also have demand for its goods and services both locally and internationally, factors for production as well as related and supporting industries.

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