Israel Africa | Business Guide | 2020

Ron Adam Dear Readers, K enyaplaysakeyroleinEastAfrica, with high economic growth, advanced communication infrastructure, a relatively developed capitalmarket andademocratic regime.  Kenya is a regional HUB for economic investment and cooperation, and is considered the start-up nation of East Africa. This is due to its high technological innovation reflected in the representations of international companies such as IBM, Google, Nokia andOracle, that have established there development centers; many local startups; underwater fiber optic cable and high penetration rates for Internet and cellular users. Though Kenya has a high government debt and a negative trade balance, the decline in oil prices partially compensates for it. Kenya is currently Israel's fourth-largest trading partner in the Sub-Saharan Africa (approximately 8 %of total trade), with the business potential between the countries being high and not fully fulfilled. Most of the exports to Kenya from Israel are in the motor and electrical equipment, plastics, chemicals and oil refineries industries, whilemost of the exports from Kenya to Israel are fish. The Embassy in Nairobi, together with our head of the economic division, who is an integral part of it, would be happy to assist anyone interested in entering the Kenyan and East African markets (Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and Seychelles) - do not hesitate to contact us. With our best regards, Oded Joseph Ambassador Israeli Embassy in Kenya Rwanda – second in Doing Business in Africa, after Mauritius T heAfricanContinent is definitely the next big thing in doing business and establishing investment for the Israeli private sector. The vision of 2063 of theAfrican forums, such as Smart Africa of the African Continent Free Trade Area, promise to bring the 800 million people market to top position worldwide. Rwanda is the place to start your business in Africa. It is the second-fastest growingmarket inAfrica, the 5 th safest country towalk at night inworldwide; it has zero tolerance for corruption and bribery and the first for Government transparency in Africa. It is also the first in the world for network readiness and second in ICT promotion. Rwanda is your place to do the piloting and the proof of concept for start-up for a company that would like to introduce a new product applicable to developing countries. Israel opened an embassy in Rwanda on May 1 st. Our priorities are the promotion of areas such as Smart Agriculture and Water Management, ICT, Cyber and Innovation, Tourism, Education and Health. One of the projectswe are promoting nowadays is an Innovation hub near the Embassy of Israel, that will allow Israeli start-ups and entrepreneurs to conduct here in Rwanda the proof of concept for their new product or application. Rwanda is the second in doing business in Africa and it is the right place to start your business and market it further on to East African region and the entire continent. Best wishes, Ron Adam, Ambassador, Embassy of Israel in Kigali 07