Sharma who was in China to attend the eighth Joint Economic Group dialogue urged the host country to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers on import of Indian rice, fruits and vegetables. He also requested to facilitate landing rights for Indian TV channels in China, and the import of more Indian films.

Sharma informed that New Delhi had doubled its foreign workers visa quota to 40, a decision that likely to help more Chinese firms than any other. However, the number of immigrant workers is still not allowed to exceed more than one percent of the total number of workers employed in any project. While China’s Commerce Minister Chen Demin reciprocated by saying that Indian workers would also get visas on liberal basis.

During the meet, Wen showed keen interest in improving bilateral ties with India and said that only if India and China shared common development platform that they could translate this century into an Asian one. Similarly, Sharma said the time for exclusivity in the international governance structure was over; and both nations would have to be at the front of a new global governance architecture.

After meeting several Chinese leaders, Sharma claimed the meet was very positive and substantive as it covered every component of the bilateral ties. He said that he received assurance from Beijing to encourage the Indian firms in the information technology, pharmaceutical and construction sectors to work with local partners to have ‘more presence and access’ in China.

In 2008–09, China exports to India stood at about $27bn while India’s remained around $11bn. China and India plan to take advantage of its vast consumer base of about 2.5bn people which could be larger than any bloc or region excluded of these two nations.

Toboc Trade News

Though no one guarantees there would not be any flare up once again in the future, but today’s Rwanda definitely depict a picture of living harmoniously by burying the emptiness of violence. Furthermore with a hope of restarting their lives all over again though they had to live among the same people who killed or maimed their loved ones. The people of Rwanda have come to terms to discern that the conflict had left behind only a trail of destruction and despair which they themselves had to rebuild with limited resources.

Today Rwanda is all set to re-write history as the economy is growing at a faster a pace despite not having diamond mines, oil reserves or minerals as compared to its neighbors. Tourism is the vital industry, and Rwandan government is inclined on pursuing eco-friendly projects to power the economy.

Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s president understands there is a lot of work to do to reboot the economy, with the per capita income being less than $550 and daily wages hovering around $1.25. Towards this goal, he has ordered everyone to begin work at 7 AM and to come in for a half-day on Saturdays. Besides, all adults are asked to do community service on one Saturday of every month, often president joining them in work.

It has been estimated close to 1mn people or 20 percent of the population was killed fifteen years ago when the Hutu majority perpetrated genocide against the Tutsi minority. Mostly women bore the brunt by falling victims to rape, revenge and HIV/AIDS; and the genocide orphaned about 100,000 children.

Ironically, the country has now a higher female representation among legislative bodies of 2008 elections to become the only legislature in the world where women are in the majority. On gender issues, Rwanda now ranks first in the global gender parity ratings, followed only by Sweden and Finland.

Though the country faces a host of issues such as poverty, poor infrastructure and low power generation, the government has set ambitious goals to overcome these soon with the support of international organizations including the UN, the Commonwealth and various other non-profit ones. One of the notable achievements is that Rwandan education system has recovered remarkably well, at least quantitatively to register rapid growth of enrollments at all levels.

Moreover, Rwanda has drawn investments from companies as diverse as Costco, Microsoft and Starbucks, which opened an office in Kigali to train farmers to grow high-end coffee more efficiently. Korea Telecom’s $7.66mn project to provide broadband wireless service in the capital town of Kigali is another example to the increased presence of several companies vying to utilize business opportunities in the country.

Rwanda is looking to export dairy products, software, computer services, fruit and juices, silk and fresh-cut flowers in addition to the shipments of coffee and tea. However, the resolve of 10mn population to palliate the feeling of vendetta within the old enemies of Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups will decide as to how this East-Central African state will rise from the ashes of its own people.

Toboc Trade News