Kagame made these remarks on Monday, September 2, 2024, during the ongoing 2nd Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) in Bali, Indonesia.
Organized by the Indonesian government, the forum, themed 'Bandung Spirit for Africa's Agenda 2063,' aims to foster cooperation and partnerships between African states and Indonesia.
The Rwandan Head of State underscored that both Indonesia and Africa possess an abundance of critical raw materials essential for driving the global transition to sustainable energy. He emphasized that these resources are pivotal for advancing local industries and creating more jobs.
'We need to share experiences to ensure that it gains from these historic opportunities that benefit our people in the form of new jobs, our complex manufacturing value chain,' President Kagame stated, adding, 'We cannot accept the exploitative pattern of the past be repeated unchallenged.'
At the same time, President Kagame observed that there are vast, untapped opportunities in technology, education, and innovation that remain underexplored by both Indonesian and African companies.
'We see Indonesia leading the way in technology, education and innovative business model yet relatively few Indonesian companies are active in Africa and the opportunities in Indonesia are also relatively unknown to Africa's private sector. This should change,' he added.
He extended a warm invitation to Indonesian investors and entrepreneurs to explore investment opportunities in Rwanda, noting that a new agreement would be signed on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, between Rwanda's Private Sector Federation and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to enhance this partnership.
'Rwanda is open for business and we extend a warm welcome to investors and entrepreneurs from Indonesia. I am pleased that an agreement will be signed tomorrow by our respective business associations and I trust that it will be quickly put into action,' President Kagame noted.
President Kagame also called for more partnerships that would enable more African students to study science and technology in Indonesia, as well as facilitate collaboration with Indonesian startups.
Additionally, the Rwandan Head of State emphasized the need for increased coordination in multi-sectoral settings, particularly in areas such as climate change and trade negotiations.
He stated, 'Whenever our interests overlap, we should never take too long before we streamline that.'
President Kagame commended Indonesian President Joko Widodo for his efforts in strengthening Indonesian and African relations, notably with Rwanda.
In July, Rwanda and Indonesia signed a Visa Waiver Agreement for Diplomatic and Service Passport Holders.
Additionally, Rwanda has been included in Indonesia's Visa on Arrival (VoA) list since February 2023. This arrangement exempts holders of Rwandan passports travelling to Indonesia for tourism, business, transit, or official purposes from applying for a visa prior to their travel, as they can obtain it upon arrival.
'You have been a true friend. Working together, a strong foundation has been laid and I have no doubt that there are going to be concrete results that we will all be proud of," President Kagame told his Indonesian counterpart.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
