The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM, Ministère du Commerce et de l’Industrie) honored its pledge to the Connect Rwanda Initiative by handing over 900 smartphones devices to Cross Border Trade Cooperatives.
“We have opted to help women traders because during Covid-19 induced lockdown, borders were closed. But they proved that trading was possible by using their simple ways. So, giving them smartphones with different helpful applications will help them to boost their businesses,” said Beata Habyarimana, the Minister of Trade and Industry.
The initiative will enable Cross border Traders to use cashless transactions in their cross border operations and access other government digital supported services.
Additionally, small scale cross border traders will be able to communicate with other traders regionally and access information such as prices, border-crossing measures in place as well as any other trade related information in a timely manner.
The devices will be distributed in the three western border districts of Rubavu District, Rusizi District and Nyamasheke district with the support of the World Bank’s Great Lakes Trade Facilitation Project. (End)