Rwanda via Ethiopia

Six of us from our university arrived in Rwanda today from Hong Kong, via Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and then Burundi.  We are here to visit the site and discuss with our NGO partner, African Enterprise Rwanda, for our projects this summer.   

While in transit at the airport in Addis Ababa, I noticed a counter that provides service in Chinese.  

There was also this big noodle shop. which gave me a free bowl of noodles last time I was here,  several other shops with signs and decorations in Chinese, and the many Chinese workers in our plane.  

Then I noticed the many RMB bills, in the box collecting donations for the Eye Bank of Ethiopia.  

At the Burundi airport, we stayed in the plane.  So I didn’t touch the ground, even though I was in the country.  I know very little about Burundi.  But I do have some friends here. 

I recall, of course, the many construction projects, including the mass transit railway in the centre of Addis Ababa.  And the many construction projects, roads and buildings, right here in Rwanda. 

All of these point to the increasing Chinese presence in Africa, and specifically in Ethiopia and Rwanda.  I pray that we are making a positive contribution in these countries.