As
competition for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) gets stiff among
countries, investors will quite naturally go where they expect the best
facilitation; in Rwanda, the new investment code promises just that.
Rwanda
Development Board (RDB), the government agency charged with
facilitating and promoting investments, is upbeat about the new code,
which according to the chief operations officer Clare Akamanzi, will
come into force within the next two months.
On
Thursday, Akamanzi addressed a group of 40 investors representing
European firms, mostly from United Kingdom and made a presentation that
drew heavily from the upcoming investment code.
She
told the investors who were in the country for a three-day trade and
investment exploration mission, about investment opportunities currently
untapped in sectors such as infrastructure, housing, mining and
logistics.
Rwanda
is keen on attracting British firms whose presence in the country is
still minimal despite being described as one of ‘our closest development
partners since 1994’ by Trade Minister Francois Kanimba.
According to Akamanzi, there are less than 20 registered British firms in Rwanda worth about $200 million.
“We would like to have more, especially in the area of financial services where British firms are quite strong,” she said.
The
investment mission was a follow up of last October’s UK-Rwanda Trade
and Investment forum held in London where President Paul Kagame invited
investors to come and check out opportunities here.
With
one of the best doing business environments on the continent, Rwanda is
without a doubt suited for investment but its attractiveness is yet to
actualize into major Foreign Direct Investments (FDI).
Last
year RDB registered investments worth $500million; not large enough to
help create the targeted 200,000 jobs a year. Experts also say that
given the stiff competition for FDI, rankings in international reports
alone may not be enough for countries; they have to give more to
investors, a survival for the most generous, if you like.
An
Ernst & Young’s report titled, ‘Africa 2014: executing growth’
South Africa, Egypt and Morocco, respectively, topped the list of 15
countries on the continent that have enjoyed a dominant share of FDI
between 2007 and 2013.
Rwanda
made it to that list in 15th place behind its East African counterparts
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda which were ranked 6th, 10th and 11th,
respectively.
According
to the report, Rwanda’s share of FDI in that period was 1.7 per cent
which was 0.6 per cent of the total amount invested and 0.5 per cent of
all jobs created but with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3
per cent.
Kenya’s
share on the other hand was 5.4 per cent, representing 1.7 per cent of
the total amount and 2.7 per cent of all jobs created with a 40.1 per
cent CAGR.
Tanzania’s
FDI share of 3 per cent accounted for 1.6 per cent of the total amount
invested and 1.8 per cent of all jobs created contributing to its 22 per
cent FDI annual growth rate.
Oil
rich Uganda enjoyed a share of 2.8 per cent of all FDI which accounted
for 2.9 per cent of all the capital invested and earned the country 1.8
per cent of all jobs created translating to an annual FDI growth rate of
20 per cent.
Juicy carrots
Experts
note that as a land locked located far from the sea port and with a
relatively smaller population, Rwanda has to do more in order to off-set
some its natural disadvantages if it’s to swim favorably in a sea of
FDI sharks.
For
instance, although Rwanda’s investment environment is ranked ahead of
that of its counterparts, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the share of those
countries’ FDI was boosted by major oil and gas finds that have
attracted several billion dollars’ worth of investments.
But
the handsome incentives in the new investment code are tipped to help
Rwanda attract other types of investments especially in services, ICT
and infrastructure and boost its minimal share of FDI in future.
Tax holidays for firms investing more than US$50 million is one of the incentives included in the new investment code.
By
definition, a tax holiday is a temporary reduction or elimination of a
tax granted by the government at national level to particular tax
payers, the government also chooses which type of tax to be affected by
the holiday.
Some
voices of caution have been heard saying Rwanda should be careful not
to give away too much but RDB Chief Executive Francis Gatare believes
the incentives will deliver results.
“When
we speak of investment promotion, we are speaking of lowering the costs
of doing business in Rwanda which will attract domestic and foreign
investment, and that’s what we are doing,” Gatare told parliamentarians
in defense of the new investment code.
The
government is also dangling a 15 per cent preferential flat corporate
tax charge for investors in critical sectors of the economy such as
housing, energy and manufacturing.
A
corporate tax is, by definition, a levy placed on the profit of a
corporation normally applied to companies’ operating earnings, after
expenses.
Now,
federal tax rates on corporate taxable income varies among countries,
for instance in the United States, it varies from 15 per cent to 35 per
cent but Rwanda is offering a flat tax rate of 15 per cent which is
generous by all accounts for a country with such a limited taxable base.
“Are
tax incentives effective at attracting investment or are they a waste
of resources?” That’s one of the most widely studied questions by
investment analysts.
The
latest research by the World Bank Group’s investment climate advisory
services on the efficacy of investment incentives says that the answer
to that question depends on the policies used and the sectors where
investment is sought.
In
Rwanda’s case, officials have said that the investment code is aimed at
attracting more investment in the critical sectors of the economy whose
performance will help create more jobs and reduce poverty through
improved incomes, all key targets in the government’s vision 2020 and
EDPRS II work plan.
But
beyond tax incentives, John Small, the chief executive of the Eastern
Africa Association which organized the delegation of the 40-man
investment mission said Rwanda’s low corruption levels and relatively
transparent government are quite rare on the continent.
“These
are very important elements to which our members attach great value,”
said Small whose association has a membership of 400 European firms with
business interests in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi,
Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan and Seychelles.
Source: New Times
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