Page 19 - LUA September - October 2024

Ndeti adds western Uganda as well to
the list. “There is a lot of fresh produce,
including avocados and french beans,
and fresh cut flowers getting exported
from western Uganda which is close to
the border with Rwanda. These are very
fertile lands like Rwanda itself. It is easier
for them to bring it to Kigali rather than
taking it to Entebbe International Airport
in Kampala,” he said.
DRC imports through He also pointed out that there are a lot
Rwanda as well. They of fish from Lake Tanganyika in Burundi
land in Kigali Airport and minerals from the DRC need to be
processed and exported. But it is not just
and are trucked via about exports. There is a lot on the import
road to Bukavu border side as well.
“DRC imports through Rwanda as well.
because most of the They land in Kigali Airport and are trucked
cities in the DRC are via road to Bukavu border because most of
inaccessible due to the cities in the DRC are inaccessible due to
the roads and security the roads and security situations,” he said.
“I would confirm that Rwanda is
situations. becoming the hub. That's why they need to

NICODEMUS NDETI expand the airport. There is a need to bring
G5 LOGISTICS in more aircraft as well,” he added.
To transform Rwanda into a regional
they do not observe cold chain processes. hub, air cargo infrastructure is not
That's why they are missing out in the enough. The country also needs to focus
market,” he said. on other transport capabilities including
Amidst these challenges and the cold chain, rail and road, particularly
need for improvement, the question by keeping the producers and end
is whether Rwanda could transform consumers in mind.
itself as a regional logistics hub for the As Izabayo puts it, “AGL is investing
continent and the answer is yes from in the logistics platform for freight
most of the stakeholders. consolidation, palletisation, cold chain
For instance, Izabayo believes that storage, to provide upstream and
the region's airfreight hub and freighter downstream logistics solutions for the
capacity development with Rwandair will be cargo passing through the Kigali hub. Our
realised through the new Bugesera Airport. integrated offering includes pick and pack,
“The country’s clear vision on the ready-to-eat packaging, and distribution.
logistics sector, such as the Kigali Key inland cargo freight stations at Isaka
Logistics Platform and the Kigali Special (Tanzania) and Naivasha (Kenya) will be
Economic Zone are cornerstones to the leveraged to provide rail-road solutions
even in remote areas. They have now development of hub solutions for the for Rwanda cargo. Being close to shipping
understood the importance of using region and beyond,” she said. lines will greatly help better manage the
refrigerated trucks to transport vegetables “The new Bugesera Airport offers containers detention for the inbound and
and fresh produce,” he said. options for road-air cargo from outbound freight”.
He considers himself a pioneer neighbouring countries being consolidated Rwanda is a natural logistics gateway
in executing end-to-end cold chain in Kigali and airlifted to all over the world. for the central and eastern African
operations in the country with a AGL in partnership with other stakeholders continent, even though it is landlocked.
particular example of moving perishables will develop consolidation platforms in Both the government and the foreign
from Rwanda to the Netherlands via this regard, especially for perishables and investors seem committed to leveraging
air. He points out that there are plenty temperature-controlled cargo,” she added. this position with investments into the
of opportunities in agriculture because For example, the cargo from Burundi to new airport, dry ports, cold rooms, reefer
of the growing production of avocados, Rwanda via road could be exported through trucks and refrigerated containers. While
fresh-cut flowers and french beans. Bugesera or Kigali Airport. Logistics the country and its investors are on the
“Post-harvest handling is lowering the companies are also targeting the cargo from right track to address the shortcomings,
quality of these fresh produce because Goma and Bukavu cities of the DRC. there is a long way to go.

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2024 LUA 17