EABC commends Rwanda’s efforts to lift quarantine on immigrants

By The Inspirer writer.

As the Worlds moves towards a recovery period against COVID-19 pandemic, Rwanda continues to mark significant achievements in this regard through holistic prevention measures.

The country is known among the top contributors in accelerating trade as the member of the East African Business Council (EABC) and is applauded for removing the barrier of quarantine on the immigrants who could spent 24 hours before starting their businesses in Rwanda.

The Cabinet meeting of 13 October 2021 concluded that passengers entering Rwanda via Kigali International Airport in Kanombe were removed from the quarantine and instead tested for COVID-19 by PCR.

At the time when covid-19 pandemic was hitting many lives, a person who came from abroad and arrived in the country first had to be tested for COVID-19 and was obliged to wait for results in the hotels that were dedicated to accommodate them.

It could take at least 24 hours for an immigrant to be at the hotel to get the results and get out of it while it proved to be negative.

The directive stipulated that “All passengers entering and leaving the country using Kigali International Airport must have a certificate of COVID-19 (PCR test) within 72 hours before departure, and comply with the COVID-19 prevention measures by the Ministry of Health.”

Efforts in trade recovery

In the recent interview with a local newspaper ‘IGIHE’, Jean Bosco Kalisa, Chairperson of the East African Business Council (EABC), lauded Rwanda’s decision to lift the quarantine on foreign people who among them many are traders.

“We are grateful to the Rwandan government for removing the quarantine on foreigners and it was a barrier for traders,” he said.

The 47-year-old man became the first Rwandan to lead run the East African Business Council that was established 24 years ago. He said that people used to trade in chaos before the EABC was established.

Kalisa estimates that members who contribute to boost regional business account for 20,000 and they advocate for other young entrepreneurs.

Kalisa pointed out some Rwanda’s commercial institutions that financially contribute to the development of EABC; citing the Private Sector Federation of Rwanda (PSF) that annually contributes $ 1,500 annually, amounting to Rwf 1.5 million, Bralirwa alone contributes $ 3,000 equivalent to Rwf3 million while the Bank of Kigali contributes $ 3,000.

He said that Kenya is the first country to contribute a lot, followed by Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and others follow depending on the country’s economy and its size.

“All six countries in the council make their contribution very well and I thank our members for their dedication to making this organization stronger,” he said.

Kalisa said that in addition to the trade fair that took place in Arusha, Tanzania, the council plans to carry out other activities aimed at expanding trade in the EAC.

“We are planning to hold a business meeting in Arusha by the end of November, and next time in Rwanda. The event itself, if well planned attracts more than 1,000 traders.”

Kalisa pointed out that Covid-19 had disrupted the EABC’s economy at a high level, hampering the process of making member contributions to where they could have contributed $ 6 billion and it has stalled.

He said that some of the achievements he has made in a short period of time are good to celebrate and to make further steps forward.

“When I came here, traders who came from Tanzania and everyone else who visited the country used to pay $ 100 for the Covid-19 test but I talked to the authorities and they reduced it to $ 50,” he said. We are requesting that traders who were vaccinated with their two dozes cannot be re-tested. I thank Rwanda for banning the quarantine for immigrants who used to spend 24 hours in hotels. ”

Kalisa who was appointed to chair the EABC for five years has set a target of increasing business growth from 15% in 2021 to at least 40% in the next five years.

The EABC was established in 1997, with the aim of promoting trade and investment in the EAC, the main reason for which the organization was formed was to remove the obstacles that hindered trade.