Owned by Dubai Ports World, the Kigali Logistics Platform has been operational since September 2018 in test mode and has an annual capacity of 50,000 TEUs. When operating at full capacity, it has the potential to save Rwandan businesses up to $50 million a year in logistics costs.<\/p>\n
President Kagame toured the facility and taken through benefits it is posed to bring to Rwandans. <\/p>\n
Following the tour, the President said he was impressed by its operations and considered it a high-tech operation that offers real-time cargo tracking to customers.<\/p>\n
He congratulated Dubai Ports on successfully completing the test phase, which has already demonstrated significant reductions in truck turn-around time.<\/p>\n
\u201cRwanda is a member of the East African Community, the Economic Community of the Central African States and COMESA. The future of trade and integration on our continent is the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is already in force. Trading will commence in July next year. But trade agreements and economic policies won\u2019t have much impact, without actual infrastructure,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWith the launch of this facility, Rwanda is doing its part to connect with the larger market of more than 1.2 Billion consumers in Africa and beyond,\u201d added Kagame.
\nThe Chairman and CEO of Dubai Ports World, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem thanked the Government of Rwanda\u2019s support to make the construction of the first phase successful. <\/p>\n
He said good leadership and a favorable business environment lured the company to expand footprints in Rwanda. <\/p>\n
Since the commencement of its operations in the Rwandan capital last year, the Kigali Logistics Platform has reduced the truck-turnaround time which used to be an average of 10-14 days to just 3 days. The Platform has already contributed to socio-economic progress through the creation of 667 direct and indirect jobs, with 98% local employment.<\/p>\n
Kigali Logistics Platform serves as a gateway to the heart of Africa, connecting Rwanda to neighboring countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. The facility will also access the port of Mombasa in Kenya and Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, securing two trade gateways to the sea.
\n