French media Vivendi forays into Rwanda, signs deal with RDB for Kigali Cultural Village

Rwanda Development Board has made a declaration over Twitter on its recent association with the French media conglomerate Vivendi. The intention with this association is to ensure development and occupancy of the Kigali Cultural Village on Rebero Hill in Kicukiro sector.

Vivendi’s decision to join hand with Rwanda Development Board was made after Cyrille Bolloré’s (son of Vincent Bolloré, French billionaire businessman and Chairman-CEO of parent group Bolloré) visit to Rwanda in January 2018. He was lured by the severe investment opportunities in the tourism sector in Paul Kagame-led East African country. During that visit, the Vivendi chief discussed investment opportunities in varied sectors including tourism.

Details on the agreement between Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Vivendi are yet to be revealed, but the official Twitter page of RDB reveals that the French media group will make an average investment of USD 3 to 4 million in the first phase of the project that is likely to be completed in 6 months. The project will include a 300-seat cinema hall, a 15,000-people open concert area and food courts and a children’s gaming area. The facility is declared to be operating on sustainable energy.

The Kigali Cultural Village (KCV) project is estimated to cost more than USD 40 million. Spreading across an overall area of 30.1 hectares, the KCV is said to be having the facilities intended to showcase Rwanda’s traditional and contemporary arts, nature, biodiversity, traditional lifestyle and history. The facilities will host 19 movie sessions a week, live concerts, cultural and artistic festivals, seminars and conferences.

RDB not only welcomes this new investment opportunity, but it also looks forward to diversifying Rwanda’s tourism offerings and increase annual receipts to US$ 800 million by 2024. This investment is a good step forward for the country’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) strategy that has been growing remarkably over the years, Clare Akamanzi, the CEO of RDB said.

“Through the KCV, thousands of Rwandans will get access to good jobs and youths employed in the arts will gain skills that they will be able to earn sustainably from and even export to the region. We are glad this investment will be Vivendi’s first in East Africa. I am confident that Rwanda will not only become a regional entertainment and cultural hub, we shall soon be developing and exporting entertainment and cultural industry talent in the coming years,” Clare Akamanzi added.

On the other hand, the expansion of Phase two will include Gameloft e-gaming laboratory and testing factory, Escape games, Universal recording studios, a children’s playground, bars and restaurants and the Canal Factory. The Canal Factory will be shaped in the form of a modern, compact TV, cinema and music recording studio and the Rwandan talents and students will get the opportunity to be trained here in the field of cinematography.

The KCV aims to diversify Rwanda’s tourism offering by opening up new cultural entertainment avenues. It will have facilities intended to showcase Rwanda’s traditional and contemporary arts, nature, biodiversity, traditional lifestyle and history. #VisitRwanda pic.twitter.com/m8Gy57rspD

— Rwanda Development (@RDBrwanda) August 6, 2019

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