Kuwait Zain in Rwanda mobile licence talks-report

KUWAIT, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Kuwaiti Mobile Telecommunications Co (ZAIN.KW) (Zain) is in talks to buy a mobile telephone licence in Rwanda and may bid for a stake in a telecoms firm in Mali, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Zain is planning to make an offer for a stake in Mali's state-owned telecoms company Societe des Telecommunications du Mali (SOTELMA), which is expected to be privatised before the end of the year, local daily al-Watan reported, citing unnamed sources.

The bidding process is expected to start on Oct. 31, the paper added. Officials at Zain could not immediately be reached for comment.

Zain, which operates in 15 African countries, is finalising several acquisition deals in Africa, its chief executive for the continent Chris Gabriel told Reuters in July. (Reporting by Rania El Gamal; Editing by Erica Billingham)