By Charles Kambanda
1. Kagame has kicked out “Mota Engil Engenharia e Construcao Africa” from Bugesera airport construction “deal”!
The “investor” had signed a “deal” with Kagame junta to build and manage the airport for 25 years, with the option to extend the “deal” for 15 years.
Construction of Bugesera airport commenced. However, Kagame developed misunderstandings with Mota Engil, for undisclosed reasons.
Today, Kagame signed a new “deal” with the Emir of Qatar to construct and manage the airport in perpetuity. Qatar air, which is Qatar Gov owned airline, will own 60% stake in Bugesera airport
Issue:
a) A 60% stakeholder has literally unlimited power over the business. This business involves a fixed asset; the airport. Bugesera airport will probably be a Sovereign (Qatar) in another Sovereign (Rwanda). How will the two Sovereigns, each led by an insane absolute leader, work especially together?
b) An international airport bears on many public policy areas and priorities. How will Rwanda design, prioritize and implement its public policy that touches on an airport owned by another Sovereign?
c) Mota Engil, the company Kagame kicked out, has threatened to take on Rwanda in Court, probably in Washington or New York, for breach of contract. Rwanda is likely to lose millions of US dollars in litigation and compensating Mita Engil. For which proportional good has Kagame taken this highly risky route, in legal, economic and political terms?
2. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Emirates – Qatar’s neighboring countries – accuse Qatar of supporting terrorists in the region. Kagame is accused of supporting terrorism in the region. Moustapha, the major sponsor of terrorists in the Sahel is now based in Kigali. Moustapha is Emir of Qatar and Kagame’s “business” associate and partners-in-crime.
Issue:
d) Should the Great Lakes Region of Africa expect unimaginable acts of terrorism in the region, with DRC becoming a failed State and the center of International terrorism?
3. Qatar’s neighbors have banned overflights to Qatar, including Qatar air, because the government of Qatar is real headache to the entire region.
Issue:
e) Qatar in disparate need of an airport from which they will coordinate international terrorism and distribute contrabands. Why is Kagame determined to provide such facility to Qatar?
f) Where does this “deal” leave Kagame with Western democracies, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc., who support and sustain Qatar’s isolation?
g) What does this deal mean for physical security in the Great Lakes Region of Africa?
h) Will Kagame remain loyal to Qatar or he will change his mind and kick Qatar out of the “deal”? The cost will probably be unbearable for Kagame and his junta, either way.