International Alert promotes lasting peace and trade inclusiveness

Elias Hakizimana Nov 24, 2022Nov 25, 2022 0 Comments

By Elias Hakizimana.

The International Alert, peace building organization call for Rwandan cross-border trade to be the agents of lasting peace and trade inclusiveness.

Through their project titled ‘MUPAKA SHAMBA LETU’ (MSL) translated as ‘THE BORDER OUR LIVELIHOOD’, the International Alert established a forum dubbed ‘Business for Peace Forum (B4P)’ for cross-border traders at Gisenyi-Goma border, whereby they manage to discuss and find solutions of problems they face.

The project that has been under implementation since January 2019 to December 2022 with funding from the Embassy of Sweden in Kinshasa, Swiss Development Cooperation, and the Embassy of Sweden in Kigali, is based in the border areas of Goma/Rubavu, Bukavu/Rusizi and Kamanyola/Bugarama between the DRC and Rwanda; in the border areas of Uvira/Gatumba between the DRC and Burundi and in the border areas of Cibitoke/Bugarama, Kanyaru-haut/Akanyaru and Nemba/Kirundo between Rwanda and Burundi.

According to Betty Mutesi, the Country Director for International Alert Rwanda and Burundi, the overall objective of these B4P Forum is to show how small cross-border traders and SMEs/ Cooperatives can be used as a force to strengthen peace and inclusiveness, create an opportunity for like-minded businessmen and women to create connections and networks, and identify the potential of opportunities to mobilize for a business campaign for peace in their marketplace or even across borders.

***Betty Mutesi, the Country Director for International Alert Rwanda and Burundi speaking to the media.***

Mutesi said that small cross-border traders need to understand the link between peace and trade; and play their role in making it happen, thus avoiding creating conflicts.

“Most of the times, we do not request the government, rather, we request traders themselves to understand the link between peace and trade, you cannot attain development or trade without peace, traders have also responsibility in their trade, to understand that they do not need to create conflicts, rather, they have to combat them so that they attain the development,” she said.

“Most of the times, the government’s measures put in place the guidelines, which are efficient and clear, but traders need to understand such a connection and complementarity, because when peace is missing, trade cannot move on. You need peace to trade and get sustainable benefits,” Mutesi warned small cross-border traders.

***Mutesi reminded cross-border traders to control their language when interacting with their business partner at the borders.***

“The peace building culture implies the way you interact with your colleague,” she said.

Richard Niwenshuti, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) said that the government puts peace education at the forefront among Rwandan cross-border traders, despite the current insecurity issue between Rwanda and DRC.

“Today we are discussing on cross border trade, we have three countries with which we share the borders and trade, and the big movement of trade is on the DRC side. Despite the current problem, cross border trade is being done. When we have a talk with small cross-border traders, as a country, we tell them to do trade in peace and security, taking care of the country’s journey to build peace,” Niwenshuti said.

**Richard Niwenshuti is the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM)**

Ndagijimana Louis Munyemanzi, the vice mayor of Rusizi District in charge of Finance and Economic Development said that cross-border trade at Rusiz-Goma was much affected by DRC war crisis.

“To date, the big challenge is that the trade between our country and DRC as well as Burundi was affected by the war crisis in Congo, and it has much affected traders in Rusizi district as they lost freedom in their daily business with their partners in these neighboring countries.

**Ndagijimana Louis Munyemanzi, the vice mayor of Rusizi District in charge of Finance and Economic Development during the interview with the press.**

Ndagijimana said that trade is nowadays limited at the border level, using the established platforms between the two countries (Rwanda-DRC), whereby a trader takes the products to the border and his/her business partner from another country takes them for their domestic markets.

He noted that such a trade involves negative consequences including loss caused by non-performing payments between traders, and this may be caused by mistrust between two parties or the problem between the two countries.

Fruits, vegetables, meat and flours from cereals are among the products Rwandans used to sell in DRC.

Cross-border passing permit reduced trade movements at Gisenyi-Goma

Fabienne Niyitegeka, a small cross-border trader at Gisenyi-Goma border said that the permit to cross the border remains a challenge as they cannot afford the cost to buy this paper. “Only few traders pass their products, it is a challenge. Another problem is the border closing hour, they used to close at 6.00 pm but now they close at 3.00 pm when we still wait for the clients,” she said.

International Alert is a peace building organization that works with people directly affected by conflict to build lasting peace. It focuses on solving the root causes of conflict with people from across divides and we bring people together to build peace from the grassroots to the policy level. This is done through empowerment of local civil society organizations, research, advocacy, capacity building, inclusive dialogue, political and citizen participation.