By:
Collins Mwai
(L-R):
World Bank country manager Yasser-El-Gammar, Trade and Industry
minister Vincent Munyeshyaka and Rwanda Development Board chief
executive Clare Akamanzi during the launch of Doing Business Report in
Kigali yesterday. (All photos by Sam Ngendahimana)
Implementing five reforms saw Rwanda rise 15
places in the 2018 World Bank Doing Business Report to feature in in
position 41 globally.
Rwanda is 2nd on the continent behind Mauritius in the latest annual
report released yesterday. The report examines the regulations and
conditions that enhance or limit business conduciveness.
Last year, Rwanda was ranked 56th globally.
Kenya came third in Africa (80 globally) followed by Botswana (81st worldwide).
Over the course of the last one year, Rwanda implemented five
reforms, making it easier to do business, especially impacting the small
and medium enterprises.
Among the reforms include improving construction permit process by increasing quality control and risk-based inspections.
The process had previously been termed as lengthy and time consuming
in the last edition of the report as additional requirements saw Rwanda
drop from 37th to 159th position globally in dealing with construction
permits.
By upgrading existing systems to roll out the Building Permitting
Management Information System, the time taken and cost to obtain permits
reduced by at least 10 per cent, the City of Kigali says.
The system allows applicants to track the progress of their applications online, through SMS and email.
Another major reform that helped improve Rwanda’s ranking was easing
the payment of taxes by establishing an online payments system.
Minister Vincent Munyeshyaka consults Clare Akamanzi before briefing media about the report.
In the previous edition, Rwanda had slid 11 places largely due to a
new law requiring businesses to make monthly declarations as opposed to
quarterly, which was found to hold back businesses.
Improvement in registration of property by implementing online
services also facilitated Rwanda’s progress. The country is currently
the second in the world in property registration after New Zealand.
Grace Nishimwe, the deputy registrar of lands, said this was made
possible by availing information on land, registration of plots across
the country and using the Irembo platform for property transfer, among
other improvements.
Reforms by the Rwanda Development Board also strengthened the protection of minority investors.
The new reforms improve conditions for minority investors by
upholding shareholders’ governance and control structures as well as
requiring more corporate transparency. With the new reforms, the
shareholders can sue directors while the reforms also clarify ownership
of corporations.
The enforcing contracts indicator was also made easier as judgements
made at all levels in commercial cases are now made available to the
general public via the Judiciary’s website.
The world bank country manager, Yasser-El-Gammar speaks to the media after the launch.
‘Satisfactory assessment’
Trade and Industry minister Vincent Munyeshyaka said the report assessment was “satisfactory.”
“Over time, we have found the report a useful tool as we seek to
attract investments into the country. It will help us identify areas
where we need to improve and inform policy,” he said.
He said, going forward, it might be beneficial to also factor in
aspects related to reducing the cost of doing business, which is key for
countries.
Previous reports have indicated a major challenge of a disconnect
between the implementation of the reforms and the business community.
This presented instances whereby, when interviewed by the report’s
authors, a number of business operators would be ignorant of reforms.
Clare Akamanzi, the chief executive of RDB, told The New Times that
this has since been corrected by ensuring that stakeholders in a
specific sector are always updated on reforms.
“What we have learnt is that, as government, we should communicate
and ensure that people in that specific sector get to know about it so
that they can experience the reforms,” she said.
Participants follow the proceeding of the launch through Video conference at World Bank office in Kigali.
Munyeshaka said the Government is also considering preferential rates for productive users.
“We still have issues related to electricity. We need to have
preferential tariffs for productive use and to focus on that sector to
ensure that they do not pay the same prices as other consumers,” he
said.
Current electricity tariffs have consumers with large industries pay
Rwf83 per kilowatt, those with medium industries Rwf90 per kilowatt,
while the small industries pay Rwf126 per kilowatt.
World Bank country manager Yasser El Gammal noted that much of the progress was a result of consistency and being systematic.
The shilling was trading at 103.75/85 to the dollar at mid-day Tuesday. FILE PHOTO | NMG
The personal accident cover compliments the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) insurance. file photo
East African Tea Traders Association managing director Edward Mudibo. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Opposition leaders Raila Odinga and Musalia Mudavadi addressing a Press
conference at the Okoa Kenya Secretariat offices in Nairobi on October
31, 2017. photo | dennis onsongo | nmg
A deserted Nakumatt Supermarket in Nyali, Mombasa. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Mratibu
Mkazi wa Umoja wa Mataifa na Mwakilishi Mkazi wa UNDP, Alvaro Rodriguez
akizungumza na waandishi wa habari (hawapo pichani) wakati wa kutiliana
saini makubaliano ya Dola za Marekani milioni 36 (takribani Shilingi
bilioni 80.4) kwa shughuli za maendeleo katika miaka minne ijayo kupitia
mashirika ya Umoja wa mataifa kwenye hafla fupi iliyofanyika kwenye
ofisi za ubalozi huo jijini Dar es Salaam, Kushoto ni Balozi wa Uswidi
nchini Tanzania, Mh. Katarina Rangnitt.
Balozi
wa Uswidi nchini Tanzania, Mh. Katarina Rangnitt akizungumza na
waandishi wa habari (hawapo pichani) katika hafla hiyo fupi ya kutiliana
saini makubaliano ya ya Dola za Marekani milioni 36 (takribani Shilingi
bilioni 80.4) kwa shughuli za maendeleo katika miaka minne ijayo
kupitia mashirika ya Umoja wa Mataifa nchini.
Mtaalam
wa Mawasiliano wa Umoja wa Mataifa nchini, Hoyce Temu akikabidhi hati
za makubaliano kwa Mratibu Mkazi wa Umoja wa Mataifa na Mwakilishi Mkazi
wa UNDP, Alvaro Rodriguez na Balozi wa Uswidi nchini Tanzania, Mh.
Katarina Rangnitt wakati wa hafla fupi ya kutiliana saini makubaliano ya
dola za Marekani milioni 36 (takribani Shilingi bilioni 80.4)
zilizotolewa na Serikali ya Uswidi kwa ajili ya shughuli za maendeleo
katika miaka minne ijayo kupita mashirika ya Umoja wa Mataifa nchini.
Balozi
wa Uswidi nchini Tanzania, Mh. Katarina Rangnitt na Mratibu Mkazi wa
Umoja wa Mataifa na Mwakilishi Mkazi wa UNDP, Alvaro Rodriguez (kulia)
wakitiliana saini makubaliano ya dola za Marekani milioni 36 (takribani
Shilingi bilioni 80.4) kwa shughuli za maendeleo katika miaka minne
ijayo kupitia mashirika ya Umoja wa Mataifa nchini katika hafla fupi
iliyofanyika kwenye ofisi za Ubalozi wa Uswidi jijini Dar es Salaam.
Picha
juu na chini ni Mratibu Mkazi wa Umoja wa Mataifa na Mwakilishi Mkazi
wa UNDP, Alvaro Rodriguez na Balozi wa Uswidi nchini Tanzania, Mh.
Katarina Rangnitt wakibadilishana hati za akubaliano ya Dola za Marekani
milioni 36 (takribani Shilingi bilioni 80.4) zilizotolewa na Serikali
ya Uswidi kwa ajili ya shughuli za maendeleo katika miaka minne ijayo
kupitia mashirika ya Umoja wa Mataifa nchini.
