Global Business Services Growth Initiative to create more jobs for Rwandans

In a historic collaboration that sets the stage for Rwanda’s economic transformation, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Rwandan Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT), in partnership with Harambee, the Mastercard Foundation, and the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition” of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) today launched the Rwanda Global Business Services (GBS) Growth Initiative. The launch marked a significant step in positioning Rwanda as a leading Global Business Services (GBS) destination. The Rwanda GBS Growth Initiative sets forth on a transformative journey, with the main objective to grow the GBS sector in Rwanda, create high-quality employment for young Rwandans, drive exports, grow the Government’s revenue base, and offer competitive profits to operators. The joint industry initiative is driven by three mandates: Support for market entry in Rwanda (a one-stop store for investors), promotion of investment-enabling conditions, and education and training of a skilled workforce. In 2019, the Global Business Services sector was established in Rwanda. Today, the transformation is remarkable. Sixteen international GBS companies have chosen Rwanda as their operational base, starkly contrasting the two that existed in 2019. These companies have emerged as beacons of economic growth, creating over 1,800 jobs for young Rwandans. Rwanda’s ambitions stretch beyond mere numbers and its goal to create at least 5,500 decent jobs by 2025 in the GBS sector. The Rwanda GBS Growth Initiative’s long-term vision extends well into the future. By enhancing the overall business climate, it aspires to position Rwanda as a preeminent global destination for premium global business services, marking a promising trajectory for the nation’s economy and global business ambitions. The official launch event unveiled the roadmap of the Rwanda GBS Growth Initiative and emphasised the strategic partnerships that will drive its success. Commenting on the launch, Paula Musoni, the Hon Minister of ICT and Innovation, said: “It is heart-warming to see the Rwanda Global Business Services Growth Initiative come to life. We have young people looking for opportunities and the Rwanda Global Business Services Growth Initiative will skill them and create efficiencies across the economy that will have a multiplier effort for our economic growth. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Global Business Services sector in Rwanda. For the young people, now is the time. Take up every opportunity you can.” Philip Lucky, the Acting Chief Investment Officer at RDB said: “The GBS Growth Initiative is a welcome development for Rwanda. The initiative will be key to identifying and removing blockages to the sector’s success and ensuring that Rwandan youth are well-prepared for successful careers in the sector.” On her part, Charlotte Karera, the Executive of Rwanda GBS Growth Initiative, said: “This initiative aims to boost Rwanda as a GBS destination, ensuring readiness in infrastructure, skills, and support for investors. We are excited to collaborate with Rwanda’s government, especially RDB and the Ministry of ICT, and education and skilling partners like Harambee. Our focus includes marketing, investment promotion, skills, and industry development to create youth employment opportunities with transferable skills. Our vision is to strengthen Rwanda’s value proposition for sustained job creation and economic growth.” As Rwanda opens its doors wider to the world, the call to action for companies is clear. Whether already operating in Rwanda or exploring new opportunities, the Rwanda GBS Growth Initiative offers a golden opportunity to be part of a thriving sector. Rwanda’s dedication to the Global Business Services sector is evident in its ambitious vision for the future. Collaborating with Rwanda presents an opportunity to not only bolster companies’ prospects but also play a role in the nation’s economic expansion and technological progress. The Global Business Services industry outlook in Rwanda is promising, and there is an invitation to get involved in its unfolding success story.

Urubyiruko rwashyiriweho uburyo rwakorera ibigo mpuzamahanga rutavuye mu Rwanda

Iyi gahunda yiswe Rwanda Global Business Services Growth Initiative, yatangijwe kuri uyu wa Kane tariki 28 Nzeri 2023, mu muhango witabiriwe na Minisitiri w’Ikoranabuhanga na Inovasiyo, Ingabire Paula n’abandi bayobozi mu nzego zitandukanye. Yari imaze igihe yaratangijwe na Guverinoma y’u Rwanda ku bufatanye na Mastercard Foundation n’ikigo Harambee Rwanda gitera inkunga ba rwiyemezamirimo b’urubyiruko. Igamije kwagura no guteza imbere uburyo bushya bw’imirimo aho umuntu ashobora kuba ari mu Rwanda agakorera ikigo nka Google cyangwa Microsoft Corporation bitamusabye kuva mu gihugu. Leta n’abandi bafatanyabikorwa, bazajya bafasha sosiyete zo mu Rwanda kubona amahugurwa no kubona ibigo mpuzamahanga bikeneye abakoz. Umunyamabanga Uhoraho muri Minisiteri y’Ikoranabuhanga na Inovasiyo, Yves Iradukunda, yavuze ko iyi gahunda ikomeje gufasha mu guhanga imirimo mishya ishingiye ku ikoranabuhanga. Ati “Dushaka ko twahanga imirimo hifashishijwe ikoranabuhanga cyane cyane kuri serivisi zifashishwa n’ibigo bikomeye mu ikoranabuhanga akenshi biba biri hanze ariko tukagira Abanyarwanda cyane cyane urubyiruko bashobora gutanga serivisi bari mu Rwanda ariko bazitanga kuri ibyo bigo biri mu mahanga.” Yatanze urugero rw’Ikigo Mpuzamahanga gikora ibijyanye n’ikoranabuhanga, Tek Experts, cyatangiye mu 2021 ariko kuri ubu kikaba gifite abakozi barenga 500. Hari kandi Ikigo CCI Rwanda Ltd, gifite Abanyarwanda barenga 200 bakorera mu Rwanda ariko bakorera ibigo birimo Microsoft Corporation n’ibindi. Iradukunda ati “Turizera ko uyu mushinga uzafasha cyane mu guhanga imirimo, kuzana ibindi bigo bitandukanye no kubifasha gukura kugira ngo bihe imirimo Abanyarwanda. Ni ikintu cyiza kuko igihugu cyacu cyashyize ikoranabuhanga ku isonga mu guteza imbere ubukungu bw’igihugu, ibi rero biraza kudufasha.” Minisiteri y’Ikoranabuhanga na Inovasiyo igaragaza ko kugira ngo ibi bigerweho byose bituruka mu bikorwaremezo igihugu cyubatse ari nayo mpamvu hazakomeza kubakwa ibisabwa byose ngo ikoranabuhanga rigere hose kandi Abanyarwanda babashe kumenya kuribyaza umusaruro. Ibigo bibarizwa muri Global Business Rwanda harimo icyitwa AmaliTech Rwanda, gikora ibijyanye no gukora porogaramu za mudasobwa, guhugura urubyiruko mu bijyanye n’ikoranabuhanga n’ibindi. Ni ikigo cyafashijwe gihabwa ubushobozi bwo kwagura ibikorwa ndetse no kuba cyabona abashoramari bafasha kugira ngo gikore neza akazi ka buri munsi. Umukozi w’Umushinga Harambee, Sharmi Surianarain yavuze ko bafite intego yo gukorana n’inzego zirimo amashuri, inganda n’ibigo bito mu kwagura ubumenyi bw’urubyiruko kugira ngo baharanire ko u Rwanda rwitegura kubyaza umusaruro imirimo mishya igenda iboneka ku Isi by’umwihariko ishingiye ku ikoranabuhanga.

Rwanda Hosts Global Business Services Employer Conference

Investors in Rwanda’s Global Business Services sector have committed to expand their investments in the country and create more jobs for young people in this fast growing industry. This follows a Global Business Services Employer Conference organised by the Rwanda Development Board in partnership with the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, GIZ Rwanda (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), and Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator on Tuesday, 21 February 2023. The conference convened key government stakeholders, GBS private sector employers, development partners, and new potential GBS investors to discuss the growth of Rwanda’s GBS sector and the opportunities for investment in the country. During the conference, the government highlighted insightful investment opportunities and incentives in place to support current investors to operate and thrive in the ecosystem and potential operators to explore investment opportunities. “We have an incredible success story in the sector with a fast-growing, low-risk, business-friendly & modern economy ready to favour investments. We partner with institutions like Harambee to identify, train and match talent for the Global Business Services employers, and we hope that a lot of the work we have done is enough to welcome more investors in our country,” said Pacific Tuyishime, Head of Department, Rwanda Development Board. A diverse set of employers already operating in Rwanda attended the conference including Tek Experts, CCI, Deriv, Objectivity, Amalitech, Zatec, and Code of Africa. A panel discussion with investors in the sector highlighted the ease of doing business in Rwanda and the various experiences employers have had during set up until now. “The GBS employer conference has showcased the fast growing GBS industry and all the components that have led to its success, a key element of which has been strong and growing youth talent. We’re confident that the conference will result in new GBS investors deciding to open their business in Rwanda and contribute to the growing number of high-quality jobs available for young Rwandans,” **said Hannah Adams, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator’s Country Director.** Rwanda is quickly becoming a preferred Global Business Services destination, with a young workforce with bi-lingual talent offerings ready to support service delivery far and wide. The strong ecosystem of training partners in Rwanda ensure a growing talent pool of young people with the skills and work behaviours in demand in the industry. “Rwanda has demonstrated strong efforts to position the country as an emerging destination for the GBS sector, which has seen impressive growth over the past years. Since 2021, 14 new companies have invested in the sector, creating over 500 new jobs. This brings the total workforce in the GBS sector to over 1,000, with many more job openings in the coming months and years. This is truly remarkable,”** said Martin Kraft, Country Director of GIZ Rwanda. ** Skilled talent, paired with a range of incentives by the Government of Rwanda for investors to establish and operate their businesses in the Global Business Services sector, has created an ideal location for expansion for GBS companies. “If you are planning to invest in Rwanda, you don’t need to worry about the infrastructure. You only need to invest in the talent pool. If we don’t work with the right skill, it will die out,” **said Gary Bennett, Country Director at Tek Experts.** The availability of world-class office space, quick business registration, high-speed internet connectivity, and consistent economic growth are key elements attracting investment into the country and enabling investors to set up operations conveniently. Today, Rwanda is ranked the 2nd easiest place to do business in Africa and 38th globally.

TechAffinity expanded its operations into Africa with an official grand opening ceremony of their development center in Kigali,

The Current Cost Pressure, Increasing Market Volatility, And Globally Connected Value Chains Are Forcing Companies To Further Professionalize Their Support Functions. While The Adverse Effects Of The Pandemic Seem To Be Fading, As Well As Corresponding Impacts On Companies And Their Global Business Service (GBS) Organizations, Experts Argue That It Will Likely Trigger Substantial Changes In How GBS Organizations Will Operate In The Future. The Observation Was Raised During The Rwanda Global Business Services Investor Conference Which Kicked Off On Tuesday, February 21, In Kigali. The Conference, Organized By Rwanda Development Board (RDB) In Partnership With The Ministry Of ICT And Innovation, GIZ Rwanda (Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), And Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, Aims At Discussing The Growth Of Rwanda’s GBS Sector And The Opportunities For Investment In The Country. Key Government Stakeholders, GBS Private Sector Employers, Development Partners, And New Potential GBS Investors Are Present At The Conference. Also Present Is A Diverse Set Of Employers Already Operating In Rwanda Including TEK Experts, CCI, Deriv, Objectivity, Amalitech, Zatec, And Code Of Africa. Rwanda’s GBS Industry Has Recently Experienced Significant Growth, Thanks In Large Part To The Growing Youth Talent In The Country, Officials Said. The Skilled Talent, Paired With A Range Of Incentives By The Government For Investors To Establish And Operate Their Businesses In The Global Business Services Sector Smoothly And Successfully, Has Created An Ideal Location For Expansion For GBS Companies. “Rwanda Offers An Ideal Location For A GBS Company To Open Its Business, With Committed Support From The Government To Grow The Sector And A Strong Track Record Of Success And Growth From The First GBS Companies To Open In Rwanda, Providing A Range Of Services From Customer Support To Software Development,” Said Pacific Tuyishime, Acting Chief Investment Officer At RDB. “We’re Looking Forward To Meeting With New Interested GBS Investors And Supporting Them To Bring Their Business To Rwanda,” He Added. Global Business Services (GBS) Is A Business Service Delivery Model That Entails Shared Services, Outsourcing, And Centers Of Excellence To Serve Multiple Business Units. The Scope Can Include Finance, IT, Human Resources, Procurement, As Well As Other Functions, And Can Be Delivered On Or Offshore. At The Conference, Discussions Also Focused On The Experience And Success Current GBS Companies Have Had In Rwanda, To, Among Other Things, Provide A Forum For Potential Investors To Learn More About Rwanda’s Offering In The Sector, And Explore Opportunities For Investment. The Conference Comes At A Time When Rwanda Is Quickly Becoming A Preferred Global Business Services Destination, Through A Young Workforce With Bilingual Talent Offerings Ready To Support Service Delivery Far And Wide, Tuyishime Reiterated. “We Have Incentives In Place For Investments. We Have An Incredible Success Story In The GBS Sector, We Are A Fast-Growing, Low-Risk, Business-Friendly, And Modern Economy Ready To Support You. We Are Working With Several Partners Like Harambee To Identify, Train And Match Talent For Global Business Services Employers. We Hope That A Lot Of The Work We Have Done Is Enough For You To Invest In Our Country.” The Strong Ecosystem Of Training Partners In Rwanda Ensures A Growing Talent Pool Of Young People With The Skills And Work Behaviors In Demand In The Industry. This According To TEK Experts, A World-Class Technology Center Currently Operating In Rwanda, Boosts Investor Confidence. “You Don’t Need To Worry About The Infrastructure. You Only Need To Invest In The Talent Pool. If We Don’t Work With The Right Skill It Will Die Out,” Gary Bennett, The Firm’s Country Director Said. In 2021, The Firm Announced Plans To Recruit Over 1,000 Rwandan Technical Support Engineers And Management Staff, Just After A Year After Entering The Local Market. Martin Kraft, Country Director Of GIZ Rwanda, Said, “Rwanda Has Demonstrated Strong Efforts To Position The Country As An Emerging Destination For The GBS Sector, Which Has Seen Impressive Growth Over The Past Years.” For Instance, Kraft Pointed Out That Since 2021, 14 New Companies Have Invested In The Sector, Creating Over 500 New Jobs. “This Brings The Total Workforce In The GBS Sector To Over 1,000, With Many More Job Openings In The Coming Months And Years. This Is Truly Remarkable,” He Asserted. According To RDB, The Availability Of World-Class Office Space, Quick Business Registration, High-Speed Internet Connectivity, And Consistent Economic Growth Are Key Elements Attracting Investment Into The Country And Enabling Investors To Set Up Operations Conveniently. Today, Rwanda Is Ranked The 2Nd Easiest Place To Do Business In Africa And 38Th Globally. “Rwanda’s Bilingual Workforce Supports Our Service Delivery. For Several Months We’ve Been Operating, We Have Experienced Quality Service Delivery And That Itself Motivates Us To Create Thousands Of Jobs For More Young People By 2025,” Pledged Victor Sen, CCI Rwanda’s Managing Director. Sen Shared Similar Sentiments With Kasthuri Soni, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator’s Chief Executive Officer. “It Is Wonderful To See So Many People Getting Involved In The Global Business Services Sector. Collaboration Is Key To Reaching Where We Want The Sector To Be And Creating Opportunities For The Young People,” Soni Said.

The last word: Why emerging Europe should understand Rwanda

The Current Cost Pressure, Increasing Market Volatility, And Globally Connected Value Chains Are Forcing Companies To Further Professionalize Their Support Functions. While The Adverse Effects Of The Pandemic Seem To Be Fading, As Well As Corresponding Impacts On Companies And Their Global Business Service (GBS) Organizations, Experts Argue That It Will Likely Trigger Substantial Changes In How GBS Organizations Will Operate In The Future. The Observation Was Raised During The Rwanda Global Business Services Investor Conference Which Kicked Off On Tuesday, February 21, In Kigali. The Conference, Organized By Rwanda Development Board (RDB) In Partnership With The Ministry Of ICT And Innovation, GIZ Rwanda (Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), And Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, Aims At Discussing The Growth Of Rwanda’s GBS Sector And The Opportunities For Investment In The Country. Key Government Stakeholders, GBS Private Sector Employers, Development Partners, And New Potential GBS Investors Are Present At The Conference. Also Present Is A Diverse Set Of Employers Already Operating In Rwanda Including TEK Experts, CCI, Deriv, Objectivity, Amalitech, Zatec, And Code Of Africa. Rwanda’s GBS Industry Has Recently Experienced Significant Growth, Thanks In Large Part To The Growing Youth Talent In The Country, Officials Said. The Skilled Talent, Paired With A Range Of Incentives By The Government For Investors To Establish And Operate Their Businesses In The Global Business Services Sector Smoothly And Successfully, Has Created An Ideal Location For Expansion For GBS Companies. “Rwanda Offers An Ideal Location For A GBS Company To Open Its Business, With Committed Support From The Government To Grow The Sector And A Strong Track Record Of Success And Growth From The First GBS Companies To Open In Rwanda, Providing A Range Of Services From Customer Support To Software Development,” Said Pacific Tuyishime, Acting Chief Investment Officer At RDB. “We’re Looking Forward To Meeting With New Interested GBS Investors And Supporting Them To Bring Their Business To Rwanda,” He Added. Global Business Services (GBS) Is A Business Service Delivery Model That Entails Shared Services, Outsourcing, And Centers Of Excellence To Serve Multiple Business Units. The Scope Can Include Finance, IT, Human Resources, Procurement, As Well As Other Functions, And Can Be Delivered On Or Offshore. At The Conference, Discussions Also Focused On The Experience And Success Current GBS Companies Have Had In Rwanda, To, Among Other Things, Provide A Forum For Potential Investors To Learn More About Rwanda’s Offering In The Sector, And Explore Opportunities For Investment. The Conference Comes At A Time When Rwanda Is Quickly Becoming A Preferred Global Business Services Destination, Through A Young Workforce With Bilingual Talent Offerings Ready To Support Service Delivery Far And Wide, Tuyishime Reiterated. “We Have Incentives In Place For Investments. We Have An Incredible Success Story In The GBS Sector, We Are A Fast-Growing, Low-Risk, Business-Friendly, And Modern Economy Ready To Support You. We Are Working With Several Partners Like Harambee To Identify, Train And Match Talent For Global Business Services Employers. We Hope That A Lot Of The Work We Have Done Is Enough For You To Invest In Our Country.” The Strong Ecosystem Of Training Partners In Rwanda Ensures A Growing Talent Pool Of Young People With The Skills And Work Behaviors In Demand In The Industry. This According To TEK Experts, A World-Class Technology Center Currently Operating In Rwanda, Boosts Investor Confidence. “You Don’t Need To Worry About The Infrastructure. You Only Need To Invest In The Talent Pool. If We Don’t Work With The Right Skill It Will Die Out,” Gary Bennett, The Firm’s Country Director Said. In 2021, The Firm Announced Plans To Recruit Over 1,000 Rwandan Technical Support Engineers And Management Staff, Just After A Year After Entering The Local Market. Martin Kraft, Country Director Of GIZ Rwanda, Said, “Rwanda Has Demonstrated Strong Efforts To Position The Country As An Emerging Destination For The GBS Sector, Which Has Seen Impressive Growth Over The Past Years.” For Instance, Kraft Pointed Out That Since 2021, 14 New Companies Have Invested In The Sector, Creating Over 500 New Jobs. “This Brings The Total Workforce In The GBS Sector To Over 1,000, With Many More Job Openings In The Coming Months And Years. This Is Truly Remarkable,” He Asserted. According To RDB, The Availability Of World-Class Office Space, Quick Business Registration, High-Speed Internet Connectivity, And Consistent Economic Growth Are Key Elements Attracting Investment Into The Country And Enabling Investors To Set Up Operations Conveniently. Today, Rwanda Is Ranked The 2Nd Easiest Place To Do Business In Africa And 38Th Globally. “Rwanda’s Bilingual Workforce Supports Our Service Delivery. For Several Months We’ve Been Operating, We Have Experienced Quality Service Delivery And That Itself Motivates Us To Create Thousands Of Jobs For More Young People By 2025,” Pledged Victor Sen, CCI Rwanda’s Managing Director. Sen Shared Similar Sentiments With Kasthuri Soni, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator’s Chief Executive Officer. “It Is Wonderful To See So Many People Getting Involved In The Global Business Services Sector. Collaboration Is Key To Reaching Where We Want The Sector To Be And Creating Opportunities For The Young People,” Soni Said.