Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KIGALI42
2007-01-18 15:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kigali
Cable title:  

Rwanda 2007 Investment Climate Statement

Tags:  EINV BFIN ETRD ELAB KTDB PGOV RW 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0042/01 0181535
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181535Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3650
UNCLAS KIGALI 000042 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C
DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
TREASURY FOR DO/JWALLACE, USDOC FOR ITA/SMATHEWS, USTR FOR DWEINER,
OPIC FOR RO'SULLIVAN

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV BFIN ETRD ELAB KTDB PGOV RW
SUBJECT: Rwanda 2007 Investment Climate Statement

REF: 05 STATE 178303

UNCLAS KIGALI 000042

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C
DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
TREASURY FOR DO/JWALLACE, USDOC FOR ITA/SMATHEWS, USTR FOR DWEINER,
OPIC FOR RO'SULLIVAN

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV BFIN ETRD ELAB KTDB PGOV RW
SUBJECT: Rwanda 2007 Investment Climate Statement

REF: 05 STATE 178303


1. In response to reftel, the following is the 2007 Investment
Climate Statement for Rwanda:


OPENNESS TO FOREIGN INVESTMENT
--------------

The GOR is making progress economically as it recognizes that the
private sector is an essential engine of development. The government
is extremely welcoming of foreign investment in policy and in
practice.

In March 2006, the government enacted an updated investment law to
facilitate investors to obtain necessary licenses, visas, work
permits, and tax incentives. The law provides permanent residence,
citizenship, and access to land for investors who invest USD 500,000
in Rwanda. This law also fixed the minimum initial capital
investment requirement for foreign investors at USD 250,000.

In 2006, foreign companies successfully opened operations, merged
with local companies, and participated in privatization programs. No
statutory limits on foreign ownership or control exist, and there is
no official economic or industrial strategy that has discriminatory
effects on foreign investors. In fact, there isn't a single
statutory restriction of investment in any sector in Rwanda.

Nonetheless, the legal infrastructure is still in the developing
stages. For example, the judicial system has difficulty upholding
the sanctity of contracts because there are no commercial courts.
The law establishing commercial courts was approved by Ministerial
council December 13, 2006. There is currently no specialized
commercial court in Rwanda. The government is working to develop the
necessary investment infrastructure; however, much remains to be
done.

A business law reform commission is in place to draft major business
laws including intellectual property protection, contract law,
bankruptcy regulations and arbitration law.

There is no mandatory screening of foreign investment but the Rwanda
Investment and Export Promotion Agency (RIEPA) does evaluate
business plans with the objective of recording incoming foreign

investments, allocating investment incentives to qualified foreign
investors, and determining the commitment of investors. The
evaluation is not mandatory for those who do not need tax incentives
or an investment certificate. This practice does not limit
competition or protect domestic interests.

In fact, the government through tax incentives and outreach has
proven to be extremely welcoming and encouraging of foreign
investment. The only difference in treatment between foreign company
and a domestic one is the initial capital requirement for official
registration - $250k for foreign investors, $100k for domestic
investors. This has not proven to be a barrier because foreign
investors who are not interested in an investment certificate and
tax incentives can start businesses irrespective of the initial
capital requirement.

Foreign investors can acquire real estate but there is a general
limit on land where both Local and foreign investors are not allowed
to own land. Land is owned by the government, but both foreign and
local investors acquire land through lease-hold agreements that
extend from 50 to 99 years. They are given property titles which are
binding as collateral by commercial banks.

The government of Rwanda established the Privatization Secretariat
and the National Tender Board to ensure transparency and foreign
companies have participated equally and successfully.

In 2005, the law establishing the Rwanda Investment Promotion Agency
was expanded to include export promotion. A one stop shop center for
investors became fully operational in the same year of 2005.
Licenses, approvals, work permits and tax advisory are granted in
the one shop center. No discrimination has been reported against
foreign investors who pass through the Rwanda Investment and Export
Promotion Agency. Investors who do not pass through RIEPA, however,
are likely to have clearing agents who demand petty bribes to
facilitate quick service. Legally, foreign firms are treated
equally with the regards to taxes, access to lisences, approvals,
and procurement.

No laws exist specifically authorizing private firms to adopt
articles of incorporation or association which limit or prohibit
foreign investment, participation, or control. No such practices
have been reported either.

RIEPA organized two investment conferences in attempts to attract

foreign investment. On many occasions RIEPA directors and local
businesses joined the President of Rwanda in tours around the world
to attract foreign investors. Conferences to encourage investors
were held in the US, China, India, Mauritius and South Africa. RIEPA
assists potential investors in securing all required approvals,
certificates, land for their projects, work permits and obtaining
tax incentives.

In 2006, Rwanda Investment Promotion Agency registered 69 investment
projects worth $245.5millions, foreign direct investments accounted
for 49%. By comparison, only 40 investment projects were registered
in 2005.


CONVERSION AND TRANSFER POLICIES
--------------

There is no difficulty in obtaining foreign exchange, or
transferring funds associated with an investment into a freely
usable currency and at a legal market clearing rate. In 1995 the
government of Rwanda established a market-determined exchange rate
system under which all lending and deposit interest rates were
liberalized. The Central Bank holds weekly foreign exchange auctions
freely accessed by commercial banks and foreign exchange bureaus.

Investors can remit payments only through authorized commercial
banks, not through any parallel markets. There is no limit on the
inflow or outflow of funds, but justification for high value
transfers is required by the central bank to facilitate the
oversight of potential money laundering.

There is no limitation on the inflow of funds for remittances but
there some restrictions on the outflow of export earnings. Export
earnings must be repatriated within three months after the goods
cross the border unless the exporter makes arrangements to have more
time. Tea proceeds must be deposited after the auction in Mombasa.
Repatriated export earnings deposited in commercial banks must match
the exact declaration the exporter used on crossing the border.
Justifications are required to transfer more than USD 50,000 per
year from Rwandan commercial banks. Rwandan working overseas can
make remittances to their home country.

It takes three days to transfer money using SWIFT financial services
and investors are allowed to use many other financial services such
as Western Union and MoneyGram, which may be faster.

The Rwandan Franc (RwF) is convertible for essentially all business
transactions since March 6, 1995. Rwanda has a liberal monetary
system and complies with IMF Article VIII and all Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) convertibility
requirements. The Rwandan Franc exchange rate is set against a batch
of currencies, including the Euro, the Pound Sterling, and the USD.


EXPROPRIATION AND COMPENSATION
--------------
The Government of Rwanda is authorized to expropriate property if
"in the public interest" and "for qualified private investments."
Under the recently released Rwandan land tenure law compensation is
negotiated directly between the buyer and the seller.
Expropriatory actions have been common in the capital because Kigali
is undergoing major development, although it does not appear to be
done in a discriminatory fashion. No industrial plant has been
expropriated thus far, as expropriation has been limited to
residential and small farming plots. Expropriated citizens often
complain of late and unfair compensation when the government is
responsible for payments. This will continue to be an issue until
the expropriation law and commercial courts are finalized and
implemented.

There are no laws that force local ownership, but the government has
decreed that owners risk losing land that they let lie fallow.



DISPUTE SETTLEMENT
--------------
The government of Rwanda established an arbitration center in 1998
as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism but it has not lived
up to expectations according to businesses that have utilized it.
Rwanda is a member of the International Center for the Settlement of
Investment Disputes (ICSID) and African Trade Insurance Agency
(ATI),which are supported by the World Bank and Lloyds of London.
ATI covers risks against restrictions on import and export
activities, inconvertibility, expropriation, war, and civil
disturbances.

Rwanda currently has no specialized commercial court but the
government approved the creation of commercial courts on December

13, 2006. Meanwhile the recent justice system reform should reduce
the bulk of cases reaching supreme courts and should pave way for
commercial cases.

Until commercial courts and contractual laws are enacted and operate
appropriately, there will be no effective means for enforcing
property and contractual rights. The law governing commercial
establishments, the investment law, the law on privatization and
public investment, the land law and the law on protection and
conservation of the environment are main laws governing investments
in Rwanda. A law on public procurement, a law on privately financed
infrastructure projects and a law on insurance and mining are still
lacking.

Judgments of foreign courts and governing law clauses in agreements
are accepted and enforced by local courts according to the above
stipulation. There have been few private investment disputes in
Rwanda, and the government has never been involved as a complainant
or respondent in World Trade Organization dispute settlement.

A US investor is currently involved in a commercial dispute that was
not resolved through arbitration. Restructuring of the court system
has created continuous delays and frustration for the investor.
Rwanda signed and ratified the Multilateral Investment Guarantee
Agency (MIGA) convention on October 27, 1989. MIGA issues guarantees
against non-commercial risks to enterprises that invest in member
countries.




PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AND INCENTIVES
--------------

The Government maintains measures that are alleged to violate the
WTO's TRIMs text where custom valuation on imported used goods does
not respect transaction invoices and parallel imports of goods where
patents and original trade marks are not registered and recognized.
However, as a least developed country Rwanda has up to 2013 to abide
by specific WTO's Trade Related and Investment measures.



Performance requirements are not imposed as a condition for
establishing, maintaining, or expanding investment. They are mostly
imposed as a condition to access tax and investment incentives.
Investors who demonstrate capacity to add more value, technology
transfer, and invest in priority sectors enjoy more tax and
investment incentives which include VAT exemptions on all imported
raw materials, 100% write-off on research and development costs, 5%
to 7% reduction in corporate income tax if the company exports
products and services valued from USD 3 to USD 5 million, duty
exemption on equipment and a favorable accelerated rate of
depreciation of 50% in the first year.

Although there are no legal obligations regarding these matters,
foreign investors are encouraged to transfer technology and
expertise to local staff in the development of human resources. Work
permits are granted to foreign expatriates as long as they are key
personnel and fall into categories of skilled labor where Rwandans
are not available.

RIEPA was established in 1998 to encourage investment and has been
relatively successful in developing important incentives and
publicizing investment opportunities. Registered investors obtain
certificates that bring benefits, including exemption from
value-added tax and duties when importing machinery, equipment, and
raw materials. RIEPA also assists with the issuance of expatriate
work permits, securing all the required government permits, and
assisting with land acquisition if required. Grants and special
access to credit is provided to investors promoting rural areas.
There no import quotas for investors.

There is no legal requirement that investors purchase from local
sources or export a certain percentage of output. In order to
benefit from incentives of the free export zone, a certain
percentage of the finished product must be exported. There is no
condition regarding access to foreign exchange in relation to
exports.

More tax incentives are given to investors who create significant
export-oriented growth, since export enterprises in Rwanda may
qualify for the benefits of the Free Export Economic Processing Zone
(FEEPZ). Determination is made upon request and is based on several
factors: exports must total at least 80% of production or exports
total at least 10% if manufacturing under bond; the entity must be
engaged in the export of services; and capital investment is at
least USD $100,000 (local investors and COMESA members) or USD
$250,000 (foreign and non COMESA investors). The Rwandan investment

code is currently under review to determine precise duration for
exemption from taxes and to provide more incentives for investors.
There is no requirement for physical presence at the FEEPZ. Any
exporter who fulfills conditions can legally access the free export
processing zone incentives without being physically present in the
actual zone. The investment law released in March 2006 is intended
to assist investors in obtaining the necessary licenses and provides
more incentives.

There is no legal obligation that nationals own shares in foreign
investments or that shares of foreign equity be reduced over time.
Technology transfer can only be imparted to local employees. There
is no condition that technology be transferred on certain terms.

Procurements are at the sole discretion of the investor but specific
procurement requests can only be approved in case there is need for
tax exemption. The Government imposes conditions on permission to
invest only in the free export zone. This mainly concerns a specific
geographical area located in Kigali and export requirement, special
authorization can be provided to invest in other geographical areas
if conditions for the Free Economic Zone are met. Permission to
invest in the FEZ does not concern specific percentage of local
content whether in goods or services or local equity.

The government is not involved in assessing the type and source of
raw materials as a pre requisite for performance but the National
Bureau of Standard determines quality standards. Investors are not
required to disclose proprietary information to government
authorities.

U.S. and other foreign firms are allowed to participate in
government/authority financed and/or subsidized research and
development programs on a national treatment basis. In fact foreign
firms are given special priority in research projects because
Rwandan professionals are not well developed in research issues, and
foreigners are considered experts.

There are no onerous visa residence or work permit requirements that
inhibit foreign investors' mobility. U.S. nationals are not
required to have visas for the first 90 days of their stay in
Rwanda. Other foreign nationals have their visa processed timely as
well. Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency facilitates
potential investors to obtain visa and work permits.

Rwanda, in fact, has no discriminatory practices affecting foreign
investors.



RIGHT TO PRIVATE OWNERSHIP AND ESTABLISHMENT
--------------

Local and foreign investors have the right to own and establish
business enterprises in all forms of remunerative activity. Private
ownership is preserved in the constitution of Rwanda. The
constitution stipulates that every person has the right to private
ownership of other types of property, whether personal or in
association with others. It cannot be violated except in the public
interest, and with procedures that are determined by law, and is
subject to fair compensation.

Private entities are also allowed to acquire and to dispose of
interests in business enterprises. Foreign nationals may hold shares
in locally incorporated companies.
Competing with public enterprises is not a serious concern for the
private sector, as the government has divested and continues to
divest in public enterprises that would compete with the private
sector.



PROTECTION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS
--------------
The legal system protects and facilitates acquisition and
disposition of all property rights. Investors involved in extensive
agriculture have land titles and investors are able to secure
property titles, if needed. The recently passed land law stipulates
modalities of property registration, but no registries have been
established yet. Land titles may be held even without any
developments on land and they can be donated or sold.

There is adherence to key international agreements on intellectual
property rights and adequate protection of intellectual property
rights but as a least developed country, Rwanda has up to 2013 to
abide by specific TRIP's arrangements. As a member of COMESA,
Rwanda is automatically a member of ARIPO, the African Regional
Intellectual Property Organization. It is also a member of WIPO, the
World Intellectual Property Organization, and is currently working
towards conformity of its legislation to WTO trade-related aspects

of intellectual property. The Ministry of Commerce (MINICOM),the
Rwandan Revenue Authority (RRA),and the Rwandan Bureau of Standards
(RBS) work together to address issues involving counterfeit products
on the Rwandan market. In fact, Rwanda has received much recognition
and appreciation from an American firm for destroying contraband
shoe polish that had entered the country illegally. Through the
Rwanda Bureau of Standards and the Rwanda Revenue Authority, Rwanda
has earned accolades for its protection of intellectual property
rights, but many goods make it to market, nonetheless, that violate
patents, especially pharmaceutical drugs.

Rwanda has not yet ratified WIPO internet treaties, but steps to
implement and enforce the WTO TRIPS agreements have taken place.
Intellectual property bills covering patents, trademarks and
copyrights have been adopted and will soon be sent to parliament.
Registration service agency due to be established will further
improve intellectual property rights.


TRANSPARENCY OF THE REGULATORY SYSTEM
--------------

The government uses transparent policies and effective laws to
foster clear rules of the game, all seemingly consistent with
international norms. Institutions such as the Rwanda Revenue
Authority, the Ombudsman's office, the Bureau of Standards, the
Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency, the National Tender Board, the
Privatization Secretariat, and the Environment Protection Agency all
have clear rules and procedures.

Drafts of some laws including the constitution and the land law were
passed though civil society representatives for comments, but there
is not a formalized mechanism to publish draft laws for public
comment. Nonetheless, there is no government effort to restrict
foreign participation in industry standards-setting consortia or
organizations.

Some investors complain that the strict enforcement of tax, labor,
and environmental laws impede investment, but the transparency and
lack of corruption in the regulatory framework is actually a boon to
the investment climate for legitimate businesses.

Bureaucratic procedures including those for licenses and permits are
not sufficiently streamlined. A draft law establishing a Rwanda
Registration Service Agency is currently in parliament. The law is
intended to steam line procedures for obtaining trade permits and
licenses which are currently exist as unnecessary red tape.

Rwanda established an ombudsman's office in 2004 that monitors
transparency and compliance to regulation in all governmental
sectors. The Rwanda Utility Regulation Agency, the Auditor General's
Office, the Anticorruption Division in the Revenue Authority, the
National Bureau of Standards, and the National Tender Board are all
in place to enforce regulations as well. Moreover, the press has
openly exposed instances of bad debts and malfeasance this year
involving private citizens and GOR leaders. This has led to some
resignations within the GOR and Rwanda continues fighting
corruption.

There are no informal regulatory processes managed by
nongovernmental organizations. Legal, regulatory and accounting
systems are transparent and consistent with international norms but
their results do not display required effects because they lack
autonomy in certain circumstances.

A key component of the GOR's regulatory system is the Auditor
General's Office, established in 1999 to continuously audit
government adherence to fiscal controls. The office managed to make
substantial progress in making government finances more transparent
according to IMF officials. The Auditor General' report for 2006
cited many accounting irregularities. The report issued to
Parliament in October 2006 will be used to examine official conduct
of government business; the executive has encouraged the parliament
to take action.

There are no private sector or government authority efforts to
restrict foreign participation in industry standards-setting
consortia or organization. Consumer protection and producers
associations exist and run independently. Through the Rwanda Private
Sector Federation, the business community has been involved in the
formation of most if not all of the economic policy and regulatory
framework of the country.


EFFICIENT CAPITAL MARKETS AND PORTFOLIO INVESTMENT
-------------- --------------

Access to affordable credit is a serious challenge in Rwanda, as
interest rates are relatively high. Nonetheless credit is allocated

on market terms and foreign investors are able to get credit on the
local market if they have collaterals and bankable projects.

The private sector has limited access to credit instruments because
most Rwandan banks are still conservative and trade in limited
commercial products. A variety of credit instruments were introduced
with the privatization of the commercial banks. Leasing was
introduced in 2006 but is limited to two commercial banks and
mortgages are being introduced in a single bank. Credit cards are
still lacking but debit cards have been introduced.

Rwanda does not have a stock exchange. The central bank encourages
and facilitates investments through the sale of treasury bills and
bonds, but capital markets and the associated regulatory systems do
not exist.

A 2006 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
publication reported that the ratio of non-performing loans to total
loans is 24%.

Since 2001, the total capital requirement for commercial bank has
been RF 1.5billion (USD 3 million) and RF 3 billion for investments
banks.

Since there is no public stock exchange, corporations trade shares
among themselves. No hostile takeovers have occurred involving
foreign investors, and both the Central Bank and the Rwandan
government have been very active in seeking foreign investors for
the banking sector. Likewise, private firms have not engaged in
arrangements to restrict foreign investment.

Plans are underway to develop capital markets. Ministry of Finance
officials are studying the preconditions for such a step and the
creation of a regulatory authority. An effective regulatory system
is monitored by the Central Bank, which is given high marks by the
IMF.



POLITICAL VIOLENCE
--------------

Rwanda remains a stable country with little violence. A strong
police and military provide an umbrella of security that continues
to minimize criminal activity and political disturbances. There have
been no incidents involving politically motivated damage to projects
or installations since the 1994 war.

Elections in 2003 were peaceful, although significant voting
irregularities were documented. Rwanda no longer faces insurgent
activity from rebel groups operating in the Democratic Republic of
Congo. Rwanda acts in concert with its neighbors to fight crime and
terrorism, and the GOR actively cooperates in efforts to identify
and freeze the assets of known terrorist individuals or
organizations.





CORRUPTION
--------------

The GOR senior leadership maintains a consistent policy and law of
combating corruption within Rwandan society. Although less corrupt
than many other African governments, the GOR, despite its firm hold
on public policy, is confronted with periodic allegations of
misconduct or persons using their office for personal gain. In
general, such incidents do not go unpunished when proved and
enforcement is equal for both foreign and local investors. When
corruption involves high-ranking officials, they are dismissed or
prosecuted. Senior government officials appear to take pride in
Rwanda's reputation as being tough on corruption, and the National
Assembly takes an active role in investigating public officials
accused of corruption and, in concert with the recently established
Ombudsman Office, has exposed corrupt public officials, several of
whom have been forced to resign.

Rwanda has signed and ratified the UN Anticorruption Convention. It
is a signatory of the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery. It is
also a signatory of the African Union Anticorruption Convention.
Giving and accepting a bribe is a criminal act penalized by law, and
penalties depend on circumstances surrounding the specific cases.
As a result, U.S firms have not identified corruption as obstacle
for investment.

Corruption if generally very low but the 2006 Auditor General report
highlighted irregularities in government procurement. Businessmen
report occurances of petty corruption in the customs clearing

process, but there is almost no reported corruption in transfers,
dispute settlement, regulatory system, taxation and performance
requirement.

A local company cannot deduct a bribe to a foreign official from
taxes. In fact, a bribe by a local company to a foreign official is
a crime in Rwanda.

Institutions including the Ombudsman office, the Anti-Corruption
Unit in the Rwanda Revenue Authority, the Auditor General's Office
identify corruption cases, but the police and national prosecutor's
office prosecute the actual acts. The National Tender Board and
Rwanda Revenue Authority were also established to combat
corruption.

Transparency International or other regional non governmental
organizations do not operate in Rwanda, yet periodically issue
reports on Rwanda.


BILATERAL INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS AND AGOA
--------------

Rwanda is eligible for trade preferences under the African Growth
and Opportunity Act (AGOA),which the United States enacted to
extend duty-free and quota-free access to the U.S. market for nearly
all textile and handicraft goods produced in eligible beneficiary
countries. A Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) was
signed between the U.S. and Rwanda in 2006, and initial discussions
have begun to lay the groundwork for a Bilateral Investment Treaty.




OPIC AND OTHER INVESTMENT INSURANCE PROGRAMS
--------------

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has had a single
investment guarantee in Rwanda: Sorwathe, an American-owned tea
factory received an additional loan guarantee from OPIC in spring

2004.

The exchange rate regime is stable in the event an inconvertibility
claim arises. OPIC currently has no loan program in Rwanda but
given the enduring stability in the country and pending investment
climate changes, OPIC officials have expressed strong interest in
expanding OPIC involvement in Rwanda. OPIC is expected to expand its
program for Rwanda working with the Rwanda Housing Bank.

The Export-Import Bank (EXIM) continues its program to insure
short-term export credit transactions involving various payment
terms, including open accounts that cover exports to the U.S. of
consumer goods, services, commodities, and certain capital goods.
Rwanda is a member of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
(MIGA) and the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI).



LABOR
--------------

General labor is availability and improving, but there is a shortage
of skilled labor, including accountants, lawyers and technicians.
Higher institutes of technology, many private universities, and
vocational institutes are improving and producing more and more
qualified graduates each year. A new labor code that respond to
investor's demand of eliminating labor rigidities in under review.

Rwanda attempts to adhere to ILO convention protecting worker rights
at same time balancing to minimize complaints from investors.
Policies to protect workers in special labor conditions exist, but
enforcement remains questionable. On-the-job training and
technology transfer to local employees is encouraged but not
obligatory.

The national labor code was revised in 2000 to eliminate gender
discrimination, restrictions on the mobility of labor, and wage
controls. Laws relating to insurance are being prepared. Companies
will find skills deficits in many sectors when hiring in Rwanda, but
these deficits will continue to shrink as literacy rates increase
and more qualified people graduate from Rwandan institutions of
higher learning. The general population's literacy rate continues to
improve each year since the 1994 Genocide and war. Before 1994 the
rate was 64%; for 2003 the rate was 52%, 2006 rate is not available.
More than 1,000 students each year for the past three years have
completed training at the Kigali Institute of Technology (KIST) and
the National University of Rwanda (NUR). These students are fluent
in French, English, or both. Several hundred Rwandan students
complete their studies abroad each year and return to work in the

country. It is also possible to find qualified labor from South
Africa or from neighboring countries such as Congo, Uganda, and
Kenya. Movement of this skilled labor force will be further
facilitated by entry into the EAC.



FOREIGN TRADE ZONES/FREE PORTS
--------------

Rwanda is a member of several sub-regional economic organizations,
such as the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC),
the Economic Community of the Great Lakes (CEPGL),and the Common
Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA),and since 2006 the
East African Community (EAC). Member countries in COMESA have a
free trade agreement. Goods originating from COMESA countries that
fill condition of rules of origin qualify for duty free status.
Value addition on imported raw materials must be 35% to qualify for
rules of origin of COMESA member states. Rwanda plans to establish
a free trade zone in the near future.


FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT STATISTICS
--------------

Foreign direct investment statistics from 2001 to 2004 as provided
by UNCTAD are as follows. In 2001 FDI was USD 3.8 million and 2.3
in $ per $1000 of GDP, 2002 it was USD 7.4 millions and 4.5 in $ per
$1000 of GDP, In 2003 FDI was USD 4.7 millions and 3.0 in $ per
$1000 of GDP, In 2004, FDI was USD 10.9 and 5.9 in $ per $1000 of
GDP. FDI Statistics for 2005 and 2006 are not yet released.

ARIETTI