On January 11th a delegation of Government Officials completed the first new economy workshop held at Alibaba Group’s headquarters in Hangzhou. During the four-day workshop, twelve participants met with Alibaba executives across multiple businesses to learn about the transformative impact and promise of a new data-driven digital economy and how to drive economic growth by accelerating implementation of digital solutions like e-commerce, e-finance, big data industries and other digital solutions.

The New Economy Workshop program aims to empower participants to use their knowledge to continue to support the development of Rwanda’s digital economy. Participants included the Ambassador of Rwanda to China His Excellency Charles Kayonga, the CEO of National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) Ambassador George William Kayonga and representatives from the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Higher Education Council (HEC), Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority (RURA), Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), Rwanda Development Board (RDB)， National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB)  and Rwanda Energy Group (REG).

Speaking to the media after the workshop, Ambassador Charles Kayonga said that there are many solutions which can be adapted to Rwanda, citing Taobao, Alibaba’s initiative which has helped to lift out of poverty millions of Chinese rural residents by providing them access to e-commerce. The Ambassador added that Rwanda and China share the same vision, as both countries’ governments focus on inclusive development making sure that no one is left behind.

The CEO of NAEB Amb. George William Kayonga who was leading the delegation from Kigali also said that Rwanda farmers and exporters will greatly benefit from eWTP as they will be able to directly export value added products to China, a country with a market of 1.4 billion people.

The New Economy Workshop is part of the implementation steps of the activities content of the first African Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) project signed between Government of Rwanda and Alibaba Group in October last year in the witness of the President Paul Kagame and Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma.

Still in line with eWTP, a delegation of Rwandan coffee exporters is getting ready to come to China to learn about e-commerce and discuss partnership with Chinese coffee buyers.