The Rwandan foreign minister has expressed the expectation that the East African country could promote trade and investment with China, emphasizing Rwanda's welcoming business and investment environment.
Olivier Nduhungirehe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, who was attending the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in the central Chinese city of Changsha, told China Global Television Network (CGTN) that his country has benefited from the biennial event, particularly with regard to exporting its agricultural products, over the past three editions.
The four-day expo opened on Thursday with 4,700-plus Chinese and African companies as well as over 30,000 participants expected to attend.
Nduhungirehe said that Rwanda hopes to continue building up the popularity of its specialty products in the Chinese market and to attract further investment from its largest foreign direct investment (FDI) partner via this major platform for bilateral trade and cooperation.
"We have been exposing our products, showcasing our agricultural products, mainly coffee and tea [that] are one of the top quality coffee and tea [products] in the world, but also other products like chili, like other agricultural products, like honey [that] is also showcased here. So, we want, of course, to continue this year so that the Chinese public know about the products, in order to promote export to China, but also, we want to take this opportunity of this expo to promote investment to Rwanda. China is the first contributor to the Rwandan FDI," he said.
The foreign minister highlighted Rwanda's support for entrepreneurs and foreign investors, saying that the relevant policies have made the country a regional leader in ease of doing business.
"Rwanda has been ranked for several years in a row among the top three of African countries in terms of the business environment. We have one of the best climates for investment. In Rwanda, we have been really investing in reforms to attract foreign investments, especially reforms in tax, in administration. In Rwanda, you can open a company in few hours, not more than six hours. We don't have restrictions on foreign-owned company. We can have a 100-percent foreign-owned company. And also, repatriation of benefits is also allowed. And we have many other incentives for foreign investment," said Nduhungirehe.
He also noted that Rwanda is expanding its opening up through large-scale visa-free or visa-on-arrival policies, which is expected to not only increase its attraction to investors but also facilitate people-to-people exchanges.
Rwandan foreign minister hopes to boost trade, investment with China
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
