DP World has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rwanda Development Board, for Rwanda to be the first country in which it will launch its new global B2B and B2C e-commerce platform, DuBuy.com, early next year.

Rwanda will become DP World’s initial hub for expanding e-commerce across the East Africa Community and beyond.

The vision of this MoU is to make it easier for Rwandan businesses to engage in international trade, which includes strengthened commercial trading links between the UAE and Rwanda.

Businesses using DuBuy.com will also benefit from broader DP World services and investment that will help to facilitate and develop trade. In Rwanda this includes the promotion of exports of coffee, tea, and horticulture on DuBuy.com, improvements to Rwanda’s supply chain logistics including in rural areas, and access to digital tools to help businesses become more efficient and expand their reach to local, regional, and global markets.

DP World has already invested in world class port and logistics facilities in Kigali, demonstrating its strong belief in Rwanda’s future.

The decision to launch DuBuy.com in Rwanda follows the country’s consistent superior annual rating in the World Bank’s global “Ease of Doing Business” rankings and its commitment to international trade and investment.

Commenting on the signing of the MoU, Clare Akamanzi, CEO of Rwanda Development Board, said: “The government of Rwanda has made substantial investment in creating a suitable environment to derive eCommerce. The signing of the MoU with DP World today is a significant boost to our efforts to support the development of a digital economy working closely with the private sector. There is no doubt that this partnership will make it easier for Rwandan businesses to participate in global trade.”

Mike Bhaskaran, COO Logistics & Technology, DP World, commented: “We couldn’t be more excited to be launching DuBuy.com as a major e-commerce site in East Africa. The platform will initially enable Rwandan products to reach global markets and help enterprises from around the world to invest in Rwanda, before later expansion to further African markets”.

Suhail Al Banna, CEO and Managing Director – Middle East and Africa at DP World said: “DP World is a committed partner and investor in Rwanda. The country’s favourable investment climate, commitment to training and education, and determination to lead Africa in job creation and industrial advancement through technology, makes it a strong and obvious location to launch our new global e-commerce site. Collaborating with the Rwanda Development Board, I am confident that we can open international trade further to Rwandan businesses – within Africa and beyond”.