Rwanda’s dry port to facilitate trade in region – UAE trade official

Rwanda’s dry port will ease trade not only in Rwanda, but also in the neighbouring markets, Mohammed Al Kamali the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Exports has said. Dubai Exports is the promotion agency of the Department of Economic Development – a government body entrusted to set and drive Dubai’s economic agenda within the broader governance systems of the United Arab Emirates. Al Kamali and a delegation from the UAE yesterday paid a visit to the facility owned by Dubai Ports World (DPW), a Dubai based global port operator. The United Arab Emirates firm signed a 25-year concession agreement with government in 2016 to construct and manage the mega facility that sits on about 30 hectares of land. Located in Masaka the dry port is the country’s largest inland cargo handling facility having become operational in June. It has mega cargo handling facility with features such as container yard and bonded warehouse. According to DPW, the first phase of the facility is now ready, with an annual capacity of 50,000 tonnes and 640,000 tonnes of warehousing space. A delegation of over 17 business executives from UAE look at spare parts imported from Sharjah City at the Dubai Port World in Kigali on August 30. Emmanuel Kwizera. Speaking to The New Times during the facility tour, Al Kamali said that the facility is as a solution that will ease trade in Rwanda, and close markets. “It is not only going to serve this country but it is going also to reach to the closest markets to Rwanda. DP World’s solutions available for the traders are going to be very practical and competitive in terms of time,” he said. A statement from DP World Kigali described the facility as a solution to inland logistics problems by providing a one stop shop for all logistics requirements and cargo services. High trade costs are said to hold back economies so initiatives that increase physical access to markets enhance the trade environment and improve business competitiveness. The new facility is also expected to reduce waiting time for trucks as it has adequate space for the offloading of cargo. It is estimated that trucks often spend between a week and 10 days waiting at the current main cargo handling facility which not only consumes time but also takes up resources. The waiting fees per truck is between $150 and $200 per day. The facility will eliminate such costs and allow truckers and clients concentrate elsewhere. The size and capacity of the facility will allow trucks to deposit their containers at the facility as opposed to waiting until the assets are cleared. Meanwhile, a delegation of over 17 senior executives from about eight sectors of the Middle East country (UAE) have been in Rwanda for some days on a trade mission and held business-to-business discussions with the Private Sector Federation on what can be done as they aim to reach wider markets in each other’s region, mooting for a “hub to hub” connection with Rwanda where Rwanda is looked at as a window for them to reach the Great Lakes region markets; and the UAE can serve as a window for Rwandan businesses to reach the rest of the world. editor@newtimesrwanda.com

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Rwanda’s dry port to facilitate trade in region – UAE trade official