NEW TURKISH CONTRACTORS MUST FINISH KIGALI CONVENTION CENTRE IN A YEAR
(Posted 09th August 2015)
(Artist impression of Kigali Convention Centre and the adjoining 5star hotel, courtesy Government of Rwanda)
After cancelling the contract with a Chinese company earlier this year, following a forensic audit on the construction work done, has the Rwandan government more recently handed the deal to a Turkish company but with the rider of having to finish the centre and hotel within a year. Towards that end have several hundred Turkish construction workers already arrived and the site is once again a beehive of activity.
The Chinese construction firm caused a massive delay now coming to over three years, costing Rwanda dearly in lost MICE revenues which was to become another cornerstone for the tourism industry besides wildlife based and cultural visits.
The hotel, when complete, will be managed under the Radisson Blu brand, adding much needed bed capacity to the market while Rwanda is already actively marketing the new convention centre as a magnet for meetings, conferences and conventions.
The government of Rwanda is presently financing the project directly though it is expected that private equity partners will sooner or later come on board and pay back government for the upfront expenses incurred for the construction. Apart from the hotel and conference centre is a technology park part of the development with emphasis on ITC developments.
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