In a bid to become a powerhouse when it comes to technology and entrepreneurship in Africa, Rwanda - under Paul Kagame - is taking unusual steps. At least for an African country. And its latest agreement to go ahead with a proposed partnership with Andela says it all.
The partnership was revealed in a statement [check number 4] - signed by Marie Solange Kayisire - the minister in charge of cabinet affairs - that summed up all the decisions the Rwandan cabinet made earlier this week.
In a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday this week - chaired by the president, Paul Kagame - Rwanda agreed to work together with Andela to set up a software development hub.
But, this partnership is likely not going to be close to anything that Andela has set up elsewhere on the continent. Given that it clearly points out that it is a "pan-African hub" Rwanda is looking at.
"The Cabinet Meeting approved the agreement with ANDELA on [the] establishment of a Pan-Africa hub for software development in Rwanda," reads one of the decisions the cabinet made.
Unlike startup scenes elsewhere on the continent, the one in Rwanda is spearheaded by the government. Which explains why Andela is looking to enter the market in a joint partnership with the government.
The document also pointed out that the upcoming conference being organized by GSMA is a joint partnership with Rwanda.
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"The Minister of Information, Technology and Communications (MiTEC) informed the Cabinet Meeting that the Government of Rwanda in partnership with the GSM Association is organizing the Mobile 360-Africa series, which will be held in Kigali from 17th to 19th July 2018."
Andela is currently having operations in Uganda, Nigeria, and Kenya. With offices in all those countries as well as New York. Opening an office - or hub as they referred to it - in Rwanda, will, thus, make it their fourth market on the continent and fifth office.
The company must also be putting the funding it raised last year towards expansion as it also recently appointed a country director for Uganda.