Rwanda is another world from Britain and developing faster than some its east African neighbours. 

Most of the country is still desperately poor, but is improving rapidly. In 2001 the average life expectancy was just 39, and is now 55. Rwanda is surprisingly clean with no litter and no graffiti; and all plastic bags have been banned.

The government of President Paul Kagame has instituted his vision 2020, at whose heart is a massive effort to remove corruption from the country. This is instrumental in Rwanda’s annual GDP growing by 10%.  He knows that none of the more than 150 NGOs, who operate in the country, or governments, such asBritain, will support them if they believe the money is being syphoned off.

From my dealings with senior civil servants at the Rwanda Ministry of Trade and Industry, one can see this only too well. The ministry’s vision is to achieve accelerated and sustained economic growth led by a dynamic and competitive private sector. They know that to achieve this, business dealings and government business has to be open and transparent.

The business people realise that they need to pay tax, as the tax will fund the new roads and schools that the country is investing in. 

In Britain we might think it strange, but several of the Rwanda business people sport T-shirts announcing, 'Tax compliance dignifies a nation'. To help this effort the UK Department for International Development has provided significant support to establish the Rwanda tax authority.

One can really see that business will continue to grow in Rwanda and lift more of the people out of poverty.

Last year I visited the village co-operative and saw the ActionAid funded primary school being built.  This year I returned to find that, not only had the school been completed, but the classrooms were full of children in their smart uniforms.

The village co-operative in Gitesi also runs a business, which makes woven baskets and handicrafts.  Handicrafts are a staple business for Rwanda’s co-operatives, but there is a real desire to expand and develop into different businesss with different products. After all, there are only so many baskets that can be sold.

Indeed the co-operative in Gitesi has found that it could add more value to the community, and make more money for its own development, by expanding from handicrafts into growing maize and then processing it into corn for sale.  The co-operative plans to brand the corn and, rather cleverly, market it in smaller bags to increase the sale value and make more money for the all-women’s co-operative.  To put the co-operative on a stronger footing they are forming a limited company.

When I return next year I know I’ll see a flourishing business.

Councillor David Millican is Conservative Group Leader on the London Borough of Ealing and former marketing executive with Xerox.