A look inside Intare Arena in Kigali

In Summary

• The facility was built to spur Rwanda's meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions (MICE) segment.

The Kusi Ideas Festival is being hosted in the outskirts of Kigali at the Intare Conference Arena, one of the country’s modern conference facilities.

The facility was built to spur Rwanda's meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions (MICE) segment and is located in Rusororo, a growing suburb on a hill envisages the pace of the country's rapid economic growth.

Not so long ago, the suburb was mostly a semi-urban area but is now brewing with construction activity, as Rwanda moves to expand growth beyond the capital.

The arena was inaugurated in June 2017 and is wholly owned by the country's ruling party - RPF - said to be built solely from party members' contributions.

The Intare Conference Arena is capable of hosting meetings and events of various sizes in equal comfort, and has held several in the past, with its main competitor now being the Kigali Convention Centre.

The conference arena is built with a futuristic design including a curved dome steel that enhances retention of sound inside.

The main auditorium boasts a capacity of up to 2,500 people seated and 3,600 standing, with enhanced PA systems and high speed 4G wireless internet.