The dust had barely settled over the good news that Rwanda had yet again excelled in the World Bank Doing Business report, than the true meaning began to sink in. Having a conducive business environment means that it will lure investors who would be sure to make returns on their investments. That is exactly what East Africa Mineral Processing Ltd, a subsidiary of Canadian mining firm, AB Minerals Corporation, expect when they open Africa’s first coltan processing plant in Rwanda. The Canadian firm’s new venture makes two things very clear: Rwanda has enough coltan reserves to warrant a multi-million dollar investment. The second is that the investment is a vote of confidence in the country and its policies and will undoubtedly attract other foreign investors. The coltan plant is a giant leap in the country’s “dream big” venture, the same as a consortium of local investors who plan to set up the region’s largest meat processing plant. It will have a capacity of producing 2.4 million tonnes of meat products annually, up from the current 86,000 tonnes. It will go a long way in strengthening the country’s role on the regional market. As for the coltan plant, no one should be surprised if – in the very near future – finished electronic components will be leaving our borders instead of the semi finished raw materials. Right now the sky is the limit and opportunities are limitless. One needs just to dare to dream and then work tooth and nail to make them come true.
