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KIGALI, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The member countries of the African Solidarity Fund (ASF) should seek ways for the ASF to enhance investment in priority industries, Claver Gatete, Rwanda's Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, said here Friday.
Gatete made the statement at the fund's 7th annual general meeting which opened here Friday.
Gatete told the meeting that the fund responds to critical challenges of borrowing money for investment in Africa.
He urged participants of the meeting to seek ways to expand its service and enhance investment in priority industries for member countries' economic growth.
"We need to discuss how to move forward," Gatete added.
The African Solidarity Fund is available to guarantee loans for banks in the member countries, Ahmadou Abdoulaye Diallo, the fund's director general, said.
The 40-year old fund operates on about 37.3 million U.S. dollars contributed from 13 member countries, mostly in Central and Western Africa.
In Rwanda, the fund has financed over six projects in energy, education and health care. It has also committed to supporting 12 other projects in the country in the coming years in agriculture, tourism and energy, according to officials.
ASF's member countries include Senegal, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Gabon, Central African Republic, Chad, Burundi, Mauritius and Rwanda.
