DURBAN - The President of Rwanda Paul Kagame and Jack Ma, the Alibaba Group Executive Chairman have agreed to bilateral initiatives to boost the African country's economy according to Tourism Update
The initiatives include cross-border trade, tourism and capacity building to empower the development of Rwanda's digital economy.
Ma and Kagame signed the MoU at the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), the first in Africa.
The Alibaba chief executive said that Rwanda is the first eWTP partner in Africa and he is looking forward to the development of the innovative digital economy.
Through the eWTP, the Alibaba Group will partner with the Rwanda Development Board to help small businesses in Rwanda sell their products to consumers in China.
Under the eWTP agreement, @AlibabaGroup will work with the RDB to help Rwandan SMEs sell their products, including coffee and handicrafts, to Chinese consumers through Alibaba’s online marketplaces #eWTPAfrica pic.twitter.com/vvr76cI0NN
— Rwanda Development (@RDBrwanda) October 31, 2018
Fliggy, the Alibaba Group travel services platform, will work the RDB to promote the African country as a tourist destination through the Rwanda Tourism Store.
VIDEO: President Paul Kagame and @AlibabaGroup Executive Chairman, Jack Ma, witnessed the launch of the first eWTP hub in Africa today. #eWTPAfrica https://t.co/6CgbAdDPKb pic.twitter.com/CoOug8GXIH
— Rwanda Development (@RDBrwanda) October 31, 2018
South Africa and Jack Ma
Earlier this year, Jack Ma visited South Africa where he spoke at the launch of the Netpreneur Prize initiative in Johannesburg. At the launch, Ma encouraged young African entrepreneurs to move forward in solving difficulties that Africa faces and to take advantage of the digital economy.