CAN RWANDA BECOME THE SINGAPORE OF AFRICA ?

Africa is often viewed quite poorly on the world stage. The continent holds plenty of violent, corrupt, and unstable nations and the majority of the world’s least developed countries, but Africa is big. By Maure Nava

The country has a life expectancy of 67 years, tied for the fourth-best in Africa and only slightly below the world average. Twenty-five years ago, the average Rwandan had a life expectancy of 28 years.

Now that is growth!

https://youtu.be/xX0ozxrZlEQ

Twenty-five years ago, Rwanda was in the midst of one of the most horrific genocides in history. With time, though, the country emerged from the other end, peace prevailed, and its indicators began their steady climb upwards to where they are today.

It’s now the 15^th fastest-growing economy in the world as its government has set out a clearly defined mission – they want to become the Singapore of Africa.

One hundred years ago, East Asia was not the developed and powerful region as it is today.

Singapore is now at the top of economic indicators for both Asia and the world, with a current economy of $320 billion, up from $700 million in the 1960s.

Singapore is focused on being Asia’s business hub. It’s impressive!

And Rwanda has been paying attention!

Paul Kagame declared that mission to turn the country into ‘the Singapore of Africa’ and in many ways it is already well on its way. Paul Kagame is known to be “the most successful general alive” when he was the president for the third consecutive time. So when he set the mission, it had a real value.

Looking at the ends, there are clearly more parallels with Singapore.

Singapore’s success as the business hub can be attributed to three factors: geographic centrality, political stability, and ease of doing business.

As part of Kagame’s mission, Rwanda has been working on the same three factors.

https://youtu.be/kVDqr9FZzQw

Rwanda is building itself up.

When we look into the Geographic Centrality, Singapore is located at the centre of the world and can be reached within an eight-hour flight from major business hubs in the Middle East, India, East Asia, and Australia.

Rwanda, on the other hand, is situated about 600 miles away from the geographic centre of Africa, making it one of the most central countries on the continent.

However, being centrally located does not matter if accessibility is an issue.

Singapore Airlines, one of Singapore’s largest companies, provides air travel to five different continents within hours.

Rwanda has taken notice of this and has developed its national airline, RwandAir, from a small regional operation to a significant intercontinental airline with brand new aircraft.

RwandAir now flies across Africa to Dubai, Brussels, and London, and has plans to introduce a one-stop service to China and New York soon.

Rwanda has put in the effort to connect itself to the world just like Singapore.

This fact of Geographic Centrality that Rwanda works on is a major example of the opportunity that shows that Rwanda can become the Singapore of Africa. Watch closely!