On hand to receive the PPE at World Food Programme on behalf of the government of Rwanda, was the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The equipment provided include hand sanitizers, hand washing stations, liquid hand washing soap, infrared thermometer, re-usable safety boots, full protective PPE, filtering facepiece respirator, reusable masks, plastic face shield, disposable gloves, hand sanitiser dispensers and disinfectant spray bottles.
Speaking during the handover event the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry. lauded the citizens and businesses in Rwanda for their strong compliance with the health protocols issued by the government. The minister said this is paying a huge divided with comparatively lower infection and mortality rates in Rwanda as compared to many African nations.
'It is clear, we must not relent and must continue all working together, to defeat the virus. Equally important as we fight the pandemic is the need to sustain our economy and seek to recover the lost ground. The PPE provided by TradeMark EA is very crucial in ensuring safe trade continue in and out of our borders' said the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The equipment presented today will enhance the safety and working condition of front-line workers in key borders, which are critical arteries of trade in and out of Rwanda and her neighbours. Among the borders where the PPE will be distributed are Rusumo, Kagitumba, Rubavu and Rusizi 11.
TradeMark East Africa Country Director for Rwanda Patience Mutesi underscored the need for the country to safeguard and boost her trade and economy amidst efforts to contain the Corona Pandemic
'At TradeMark we have witnessed over the last decade of our work in Rwanda, how trade is able to present great opportunities and lift the standards of living of our people in a sustainable way. Regrettably, the ongoing pandemic has slowed down the wheel of trade especially at the borders, threatening to reverse the huge gains we have made over the years. The equipment we've presented today will ensure that trade can continue unhindered in our borders without allowing cross border Covid-19 infections' said Mutesi.
The TMEA Country Director further revealed that the equipment donated today is part of the Safe Trade Emergency Facility, a US$ 23 million emergency program rolled out by TradeMark East Africa in the East African region in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic that seeks to ensure regional economies continue to trade in a safe way, while curbing cross-border infections.
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