Rwanda Finance x Jersey Finance: Economic Co-operation and Development
With special guests: - Olivia Rubagumya, Head of Investor Relations, Rwanda Finance - Hortense Mudenge, Head of Strategy, Rwanda Finance - Tom Le Feuvre, Director Global Markets and International Agreements, Government of Jersey - Allan Wood, Global Head of Business Development, Jersey Finance Summary The Jersey/Rwanda relationship starts with the Jersey cow, but there is a lot more to this partnership as we shall explore in this podcast. Following Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s private visit to Jersey in the early 2000s, he returned to the Island in an official capacity 2004 to explore the possibility of improving the dairy productivity of the native Ankole cow by crossbreeding with the Jersey. This partnership developed int Rwanda’s first international development agreement since the end of the nation’s genocide, and has grown into a strong bilateral relationship formalized by the MOU signing in May 2016. In 2020 the partnership marks another milestone as Jersey Finance celebrates its 60th anniversary and Rwanda Finance launches the Kigali International Financial Centre, which was meant to take place at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali but postponed due to Covid-19. This podcast will detail the history and developments of the partnership while highlighting to our audience the exciting opportunities to come. Tom Le Feuvre, Head of International Agreements and Global Markets, Government of Jersey, provides an overview of the Jersey and Rwanda partnership starting with the personal connection of Paul Kagame’s visit in 2000 and leading to today where multiple layers have been added to the partnership. He details the partnership’s origin story and how Jersey’s transformation from an agricultural economy to a thriving financial sector resonated with President Kagame’s vision for Rwanda. Building from this, Tom will discuss the different aspects of the partnership including MOUs, legal reforms and agreements, partnerships on conservation, tax transparency, regulatory and government-to-government dialogues; and ending with points on the Kigali International Financial Centre. Olivia Rubagumya, Head of Investor Relations, Rwanda provides an introduction to Rwanda Finance and an overview of the KIFC from her perspective in investor promotion. She will explain that although the launch was intended for CHOGM, the initiative is operational. She will detail how Rwanda has modernized and demonstrated itself as a norms maker in the continent. Olivia also updates us on the legal and governance reforms facilitating this. Hortense Mudenge, Head of Strategy, Rwanda Finance provides an overview of the technical aspects of the KIFC, and relevant reforms and initiatives. By using the podcast as one of the initiative’s soft launches, she will introduce what the audience can expect KIFC and what it can offer. She will give an overview of the Vision 2050 plan and how it plans to increase investment flows, from Asia and elsewhere, into the country and into the region. She details how the double tax avoidance treaties will boost these investment flows and Rwanda’s role as a steward for the region. Hortense explains how Rwanda Finance plans to support the country in achieving its ambitious goals for Vision 2050, and responds to the opinion of offshore centres being seen as inverted commercial “tax havens”. Hortense also describes how Rwanda intends to grow its financial sector from its small beginnings at the current time. Allan Wood, Global Head of Business Development, Jersey Finance gives an overview of the Jersey Finance and Rwanda Finance partnership from the first delegation that was brought to Kigali to the current capacity building stage and the Rwanda Finance delegation’s visit to Jersey. He will discuss how at Jersey Finance’s 60th anniversary it is great to be working with Rwanda Finance at it’s beginning. He discusses how Jersey has differentiated itself as a well-governed offshore centre. Allan gives an overview on the technical assistance aspects of the partnership, and its focus financial services and inward opportunities and then the long term unique relationship that continues to build and details on the technical assistance to Rwanda. He also provides an overview also of Jersey Finance’s other initiatives in Africa. See more: Rwanda Finance Jersey Finance Jersey and Rwanda strengthen ties Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting: Rwanda Jersey Cows to Transform Tens of Thousands More Lives in Rwanda Inyambo Cattle and their Critical Roles Repatriation agreement between Jersey, Nigeria and USA Jersey's Relationship with Africa Credits: Executive Producer and Host: Desne Masie Co-producer: Peter Doerrie Digital Editor: Charles Dietz Design: Jason Venkatasamy Group Publisher: Omar Ben Yedder Sponsors: EFG Private Banking Ltd Music: Corporate Uplifting Chill by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6298-corporate-uplifting-chill License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/