Over ten Indian and Rwandan companies have finally signed Business Engagement Agreements (BEAs) for the first year of India-Rwanda Innovation Growth program focusing on five sectors that include agriculture, IT, health, leather and energy. This was revealed on Monday this week during a Business Acceleration and Capacity Building Workshop at Lemigo Hotel in Kigali. The 5-day workshop brought together delegates from India to have first-hand interactions with their respective Rwandan partners under the guidance of experts from both India and Rwanda as well as senior level delegates from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, NIRDA, Rwanda Development Board, Private Sector Federation and other key institutions. Acting Director General in charge of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Mugwiza Telesphore welcomed the idea of having foreign direct investments particularly based on technology and innovation coming in to support existing ventures. “Today we celebrate the year long process that has successfully matched eleven Indian technologies and innovations with their partners in Rwanda. Since 2011, India-Rwanda relationships have strengthened and as part of a blossoming bilateral relationship, the Government of India is continuously increasing scholarships and fellowships to Rwandans to enable them to pursue under-graduate, post graduate and research courses in India” While giving her opening remarks, DG, NIRDA Kampeta Sayinzoga said that the India Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme is a unique and first ever program of its kind started by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) Government of India. “NIRDA and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) are implementing the IRIGP whose objective is to match the social-economic needs of Rwanda by linking the Rwandan public and private enterprises with leading edge Indian Technologies and Innovation” said Kampeta. The National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) on behalf of the department of Science and Technology, the Government of India and Rwanda are implementing the India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Programm (IRIGP). Speaking to the Journalists, the Co Chairman FICCI start-up committee Yogesh Andlay said that since India and Africa share similar historical background, India is willing to share the knowledge and technological know-how with Rwanda which will help strengthen and develop solutions of large societal benefit. “During the five days, the delegation from India is going to interact directly with local companies and share experience for future cooperation. So far the program has had good progress and I am sure that it will benefit both the Indian and Rwandan companies. Since the programme inception, a lot has been achieved. The programme management team has been established. Programme website was designed and is now up and running. A database of over 230 Indian technologies in over 26 value chains have been identified and ready for acquisition by Rwandan existing entrepreneurs, public institutions and business startups. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
