A new Innovation Center for ICT Innovation Ecosystem Project was launched today in Musanze District through a collaboration between the governments of Rwanda and Japan.
The event was graced by the Japanese Ambassador Masahiro IMAI, Governor of the Northern Province, Dancilla Nyirarugerero, Mayor of Musanze among others guests from the Ministry of ICT (MINICT) and of Rwanda Information Society and Authority (RISA).
“I would also like to congratulate everyone involved for the opening of the Musanze Innovation Center under JICA’s ICT Innovation Ecosystem Strengthening Project,” Ambassador Masahiro said during the opening.
The Ambassador said that, the Embassy of Japan and JICA Rwanda office have been working hand-in-hand in terms of development cooperation, with the aim to promote sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, and job creation in Rwanda.
Five years ago, Rwanda through MINICT and Japan, through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), embarked on the ICT Innovation Ecosystem Strengthening project.
Through its output of strengthening the innovation hubs, the innovation centers in Rwanda’s secondary cities of Musanze, Huye and Rwamagana were established.
The establishment of the innovation center in Musanze District and in other districts comes at a time Rwanda is striving to be an ICT hub for Africa and these innovation centers will boost already existing innovations and attract the youth around to be more innovative.
For more than a decade, JICA has provided support for ICT sector in Rwanda.
Since 2010, JICA has supported the sector by dispatching ICT advisors, establishing incubation centers such as Fablab and kLab in Kigali, conducting “the ICT Innovation Ecosystem Strengthening Project” to build an ICT innovation ecosystem and contributing into realization of “Smart Rwanda Master Plan”.
