Rwanda Development Board’s Benchmarking trip to Mauritius – Building Bridges for Growth

The Economic Development Board (EDB) of Mauritius hosted a high-level delegation from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) from 12 to 14 June 2023. This visit served as an opportunity for the RDB to gain valuable insights from the remarkable achievements of Mauritius in its successful economic diversification, and establishing a vibrant economic eco-system, encompassing world class business climate and global recognition.

As a government institution established in 2008, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), with a workforce of over 500, is entrusted with the crucial task of accelerating Rwanda’s economic growth through fostering private sector expansion and development.

The RDB delegation comprised Mr. Diogene Dusabiyaremye, Mr. Joel Rudasingwa and Mr. Chris Picton Shyaka was welcomed by Mr. Ken Poonoosamy, the Chief Executive Officer of the EDB, who emphasized on the significance of collaborative efforts in reinforcing partnerships with investment promotion agencies (IPAs) and other African institutions, with a focus on peer-to-peer learning.

At the core of this visit, lays the objective of establishing a robust framework for cooperation, consultation, and exchange of information between the two organizations.

In the course of the working sessions, the Economic Development Board (EDB) provided a comprehensive overview of the Mauritian economy, encompassing vital sectors such as financial services, smart cities, real estate, manufacturing, education, ICT-BPO, freeport and logistics. Furthermore, the EDB expounded upon the wide range of business facilitation services, investor incentives, and measures aimed at promoting exports that are currently implemented.

Harnessing the combined knowledge and expertise of both the EDB and RDB, this collaboration is poised to deliver tangible benefits to the business communities of Mauritius and in Rwanda. This initiative is in line with EDB’s ambition to launch the African Centre of Excellence later this year with a view to improve the attractiveness of Africa to global investors that will benefit the Mauritius IFC and Mauritian based companies oriented towards market expansion across Africa.