Amman: Jordan and Rwanda explored ways to expand cooperation between investors operating in Jordan's free zones and their Rwandan counterparts. In a meeting with Rwandan Ambassador to Jordan James Ngango on Wednesday, Vice Chairman of the Jordan Free Zones Investors Commission (JFZIC), Amer Jayyousi discussed investment opportunities across industrial, commercial, and service sectors, according to a commission statement.
According to Jordan News Agency, Jayyousi, speaking in the presence of JFZIC's several board members, said the meeting gave Jordanian investors "direct insight" into Rwanda's market, including investment legislation, production costs, energy, telecommunications, land and construction, as well as fund transfer mechanisms and foreign investment protections. He emphasized that Jordanian investors bring expertise in sectors with "strong potential" in Rwanda, including mining and crushing equipment industries, electrical manufacturing, logistics and storage services, food and agricultural industries, and information technology services.
Additionally, Jayyousi called for "broader" meetings between Jordanian investors and Rwandan private-sector and investment officials to facilitate information exchange, address practical questions, and explore joint ventures or the establishment of branches for Jordanian companies in Rwanda. For his part, Ngango stated that Jordan's "well-established" institutions and "advanced" industrial, investment and regulatory expertise make cooperation with the kingdom a priority for Rwanda, which is seeking to benefit from Jordanian expertise, knowledge transfer, and investment.
Ngango highlighted the importance of King Abdullah II's upcoming 2024 visit to Rwanda in strengthening ties and opening the door to expanded economic and trade cooperation. He noted that Rwanda has streamlined its business registration procedures, allowing investors to register a company electronically from abroad within about six hours, either as a wholly owned entity or through partnership with a local investor.
Rwanda offers tax incentives and exemptions that vary by project size and nature, sometimes extending for years for qualifying projects. Ngango added that Rwanda needs investment and technical and industrial expertise, not just capital. Rwanda has two special economic zones: one in the capital, Kigali, covering manufacturing, storage, information technology, and technical education, and another focused on agricultural processing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and green energy.
He pointed to additional opportunities in financial and banking services, agricultural processing, pharmaceuticals, and mining and energy, noting that Rwanda's market, though limited in size, serves as a gateway to the East African Community, a bloc of about 200 million people. On future steps, both sides agreed to maintain contact and explore holding a broader meeting bringing together Jordanian investors with Rwandan private-sector and investment representatives.
This vision also aims to organize a visit by a delegation of Jordanian investors to explore opportunities and build direct ties with Rwanda's business community.