Rwanda Join Alibaba’s Electronic World Trade Platform
Few months after signing a “Visit Rwanda” deal with Arsenal football club, Rwanda has again signed an electronic world trade platform with Alibaba group the world’s largest e-commerce platform operator. The deal was signed on 31st October 2018 between Jack Ma the founder and CEO of Alibaba and the government of Rwanda. As Rwanda has been widely known for her surprises, the country transpires as the first African country to join the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) that indeed make it an exceptional destination. Initiated in 2016, Alibaba group helps to promote public private dialogue fostering an effective and efficient policy and business environment. The initiative also small and medium sized enterprises to participate in cross-border electronic trade. Also, eWTP provide commerce logistics. Skill training, cloud computing and mobile payments to ensure smooth operations.
The joint cooperation was good news to Rwanda government and Rwanda Development Board bringing hope for a bright future. With this initiative, Rwanda entrepreneurs, investors and all business people are assured of great returns enhanced by skilled professionals, quick and mobile payment options. Rwanda hopes to achieve an innovative digital economy, which will improve the gross domestic product of the country. The support o small business will provide employment opportunities to young men and women all over Rwanda hence improving their standards of living. The initiative will help people to global buy, global sell, global pay, global; delivers and global travel in Rwanda and all countries across the world with no difficulties.
Also, Alibaba promised to support Rwanda Development Board in promoting her tourism products such as gorilla trekking in Volcanoes national park, Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe forest national park, Game viewing in Akgera national park and Virunga volcano hiking among other tourism activities. Tis will with no doubt attract a high number of Chinese travelers and from all over the world. Alibaba group will further world with Rwanda’s national Agricultural export development Board which will in turn support small and medium sized enterprises to sell their products especially coffee and handcraft materials. The Alibaba online market places such as Tsmall global will expose Rwanda products with Chinese consumers. Tsmall global is used by over half a billion consumers, which guarantee Rwanda enough ready market for their goods at good prices.
Regarding tourism, Alibaba will help Rwanda Development Board to promote tourism products in the land of a thousand hills. Through Alibaba’s online platform and Fliggy, tourist to Rwanda will be able to book direct flights and hotels which will help to customize traveler’s experiences. This platform will be an opportunity for Chinese travelers to learn more about Rwanda’s wildlife, culture, norms and traditions which make Rwanda safari a complete package. So far, over 1000 bags of Rwanda coffee beans have been sold on the platform along several product all sold on good prices.
Besides tourism and trade, Alibaba promised to provide capacity building in academics, policy makers and entrepreneurs embracing the digital economy. Rwanda’s partnership with Alibaba is an open door for small and medium businesses to benefit from the cross-border electronic trade, which has not been there before.
The government of Rwanda represented by H.E Paul Kagame signed three agreements with the Alibaba group all aimed at facilitating electronic trade between Rwanda and the rest of Africa and the globe. This will also support Rwanda’s economic development through policy innovation, which will enable cross border trade of Rwanda products to other countries.
To Jack Ma, the meeting was a “historical day” which marks Rwanda’s ability to market her top-notch tourism products to China and the whole world. The most sod products are agricultural good especially coffee, handcrafts, and tourism activities and attractions among others all accessed and sold through Alibaba’s online market places.
In his response, President Kagame urged all Rwandan entrepreneurs to take advantage of the platforms offered by Alibaba and expands their trade. The platform will help business people in Rwanda to sell their products at high prices hence improving their productivity and profitability of Rwanda business enterprises. Alibaba group is a Chinese multinational conglomerate specializing in e-commerce, rental, Internet, artificial intelligence and technology. The company earns over US$39.9 billion and is therefore the world’s largest e-commerce platform operator.
The electronic world travel platform will with no doubt increase Rwanda’s competiveness in the world market which make it out compete other African countries. Rwanda Entrepreneurs are assured of ready market.
