Made-in-Rwanda exhibitors up by 86%

Held at the Expo Ground in Gikondo, Kicukiro District, Kigali City in its 4th edition, the expo is running from 28th November to 4th December.

As she officially launched the ‘Made in Rwanda Expo 2018’ yesterday, November 30th, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Soraya Hakuziyaremye attributed the increase to different campaigns which were conducted by different public institutions sensitizing Rwandans to love products made in Rwanda.

“Since the Made in Rwanda’ expo started in 2015, the number of manufacturers in local industries as exhibitors has increased a lot. We ask Rwandans to come and participate in this exposition and witness the capacity our enterprises have reached so far,” Minister Hakuziyaremye urged.

She said that the Ministry chose to give free exposition stands in order to let Rwandans showcase what they produce in a more visible way in this year’s edition.

Minister Hakuziyaremye added that in the last three years when the Government launched a campaign to support products made in Rwanda, the local industrial sector has contributed to GDP by 16% from 14% in 2015.

This also has seen exports increase by 69% and a 4% decrease in imports.

The PSF Deputy Chairman Eric Gishoma said that an increase of exhibitors in Made in Rwanda expo from 260 in 2015 to 479 in 2018 is highly commendable.

Gishoma also said that there is still a long journey to improve mindsets of some Rwandan residents who still think products made in Rwanda do not comply with international standards and can’t compete at an international market.