VisionRI led consortium shortlisted for AfDB funded capacity building project in Rwanda

Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) has invited proposals to provide the consulting services for carrying out capacity building to women informal cross border traders under the project entitled ‘Inclusive Cross Border Trade Capacity Development’.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Kigali | Updated: 05-08-2020 18:17 IST | Created: 05-08-2020 18:12 IST
VisionRI led consortium shortlisted for AfDB funded capacity building project in Rwanda
Image Credit: World Bank.org
  • Country:
  • Rwanda

VisionRI, a global development consulting firm, in a joint venture with Green Growth Solutions and in association with Fate Consultancy (as sub-consultant) has been shortlisted to provide consultancy in a major Cross Border Trade (CBT) project in East African country Rwanda. The project aims to address the challenges of CBT in Rwanda and enhance cross border trade, through developing a National Cross-Border Trade Strategy in a six-month period.

As per the proposal, three districts in the Eastern Province of Rwanda namely Nyagatare, Bugesera, and Kirehe bordering with Uganda, Burundi, and Tanzania, respectively, have been selected for implementation of the project through eight cooperatives per district. The overall objective of the project is to build the capacity of women informal cross border traders at the individual, institutional, and environmental so as to increase their exports to EAC (East African Community) markets and beyond.

“While the full potential of cross-border trade is phenomenal, it has not yet been fully harnessed due to a number of constraints including the cost and time of crossing the borders, inadequate or unsuitable infrastructure; lack of information, inadequate skills and finance which hinders traders and producers to better realize export opportunities; among others,” said the background note of the project. The CBT in Rwanda is largely unorganized and informal. The farmers and small traders often cross the border on foot or formally in trucks to export agriculture products such as livestock, meat, and dairy products, processed food, and manufactured goods e.g. cement, beauty products, and beverages. The capacity-building project is a component of the 208 km Multinational Road Project in the region.

“Capacity building of formal and informal women traders living along the multinational road project will bring a revolutionary change in the region. If planned and executed properly, the project will act as a developmental benchmark in Africa and help Rwanda to score on several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set up by the United Nations. We have the required expertise of carrying out such projects and confidant to bag the assignment,” said Mr. J. P. Singh, Managing Director of VisionRI Connexion Services Pvt. Ltd. The company has recently launched an initiative Center of Excellence on Emerging Development Perspectives (COE-EDP) which aims to keep track of the transition trajectory of global development and work towards conceptualization, development, and mainstreaming of innovative developmental approaches, frameworks, and practices.

Besides VisionRI led consortium, five more groups namely African Agribusiness Incubator Network group from Ghana, IRONA Consultants Ltd. from Rwanda, SORWAFFA Ltd. from Rwanda, Tetralink Taylor group, Kenya have also been shortlisted for the project. The expected outputs of the assignment include Training and coaching Plan and Timeframe, Robust Methodology, Training Materials for WICBTs both in English and Kinyarwanda, Training and Coaching Plan for WICBTs, Tools kits/ value addition to WICBTs business and Periodic (monthly) training reports.

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