... NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT - PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME

Rwanda President Paul Kagame with his host, President Jakaya Kikwete.

Rwanda President Paul Kagame has urged countries that make up the eastern and central corridor to implement infrastructure construction projects that connect from the Indian Ocean to the central.

He said the idea was touted sometime back and that it was now time to act. President Kagame said when opening a forum for industrialists and investors attended by fellow leaders from the region.

During the meeting, President Kagame said it was now time for the countries in the region to implement the project, since the idea for it was born by leaders in the respective countries to benefit the entire region and its people.

“Strategies that started implementing from the past, we should ensure we don’t procrastinate them.

This could mean we lose a great idea. If we keep on waiting to implement, it is the ‘wananchi’ who will suffer for us to lose such an opportunity,” he said.

He said the region was growing every day through doing business within countries and between countries. “But what is important is to get that structural international connection - and investors have seen how important this is as well.

President Kagame, who was with his host President Jakaya Kikwete and Burundi counterpart President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi and representatives from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), said the projects would be stimulants for growth for the respective countries.

The Rwandan leader pointed out that all countries knew what to do with each, cognizant of their abilities in implementing the projects - and that it was thus time for each of them to take action and succeed to do business globally.

“Let’s not dillydally, lets plan this agenda; let’s have with progressive communication, work between private and public sector but we should also have the political will,” he stressed.

He further pointed out that it was not accidental for heads of state from the region to sit down and agree to work together. "They all have the political will and readiness to see that what they have discussed ultimately comes to fruition,’’ he observed.

President Kagame said that infrastructure projects in the region were important to remove the challenges of those countries, which have in the past obstructed efforts to reach markets in the global arena.

"African countries cannot succeed by just looking at little markets in their vicinities,’’ he quipped. According to him, the projects expected to take off have the capacity to join the region with the rest of Africa and the world.

He said there was a high population growth rate in all the countries, with impressive economic growth - both of which should be an opportunity for investors in the region.

Daily News