Rwanda and Angola should develop investment partnerships in agriculture, logistics, energy, tourism, technology and financial services, Angola's Ambassador to Rwanda, Alfredo Dombe, has proposed.
In an Op-Ed published with The New Times, Dombe said the two countries could draw on their different economic strengths to create business opportunities and strengthen commercial ties.
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"Angola brings Atlantic access, energy resources, agricultural potential and a large domestic market. Rwanda brings experience in service delivery, digital government, investment facilitation and the organisation of high-value services,” he wrote in the opinion article.
"Our opportunity is not simply to admire these strengths, but to identify where they can reinforce one another through investment, technical exchange and sustained business relationships.”
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The proposal follows a meeting in January between Dombe and his delegation and Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), to discuss ways of strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.
The discussions focused on expanding collaboration in trade, investment and private-sector development, as well as identifying new business opportunities.
Dombe also proposed that the Angola-Rwanda Business Forum, to be held alongside the Second Session of the Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation, should serve as a platform for identifying viable investment projects, facilitating business partnerships and ensuring follow-up.
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"In sectors such as agriculture, logistics, energy, tourism, technology and financial services, success will not be counted in meetings held, but in investments mobilised, partnerships established and opportunities created for our people.”
He also proposed stronger cooperation between universities and research institutions through student and lecturer exchanges, joint research and collaborative programmes in engineering, agriculture, public administration and international relations.
Rwanda and Angola have already signed agreements and memoranda covering areas including double taxation, extradition, mutual legal assistance, agriculture, health and public administration.
These were signed during the first session of the Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation, held in Kigali in April 2022.
However, Dombe said the value of the agreements would depend on their implementation. He said the next session should establish measurable priorities, clear timetables and practical results, alongside the signing of new legal instruments.