Author: IGIHE

Both countries have built friendship in major areas of trade, education and health.

The year 2019 started with a new impression in Rwanda-Egypt relations.

It is the year in which President Paul Kagame who chaired the African Union in 2018 handed over to his counterpart of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

Later on, top Government officials have been meeting to build vivid relationships built on mutual trust.

At the beginning of June 2019, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Richard Sezibera visited Cairo at the invitation of Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to discuss Rwanda-Egypt strong partnership and explore new areas of cooperation.

The discussions were also attended by Rwanda’s ambassador to Egypt, Sheikh Habimana Saleh.

Both leaders held discussions revolving around promoting investment and opening gates to each other.

Minister Sezibera and Sameh Shoukry agreed on meeting at the end of this year to assess the progress of maximizing advantages from investment opportunities.

“They agreed on meeting in Kigali to sign joint-agreements based on freedom of investment in both countries and seeking solutions to problems raised by investors,” said Amb Sheikh Habimana Saleh.

Amb. Habimana has told IGIHE that the visit has started bearing fruits.

Following the visit of Minister Sezibera, investors from both countries have started exchanging visits to identify areas of priority to be leveraged on for investment.

On support of Rwanda’s embassy in Egypt, Rwanda’s investors in transport sector visited Egypt on 20th June 2019.

They met with African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) which requested them to create a platform in order to benefit from funds to overhaul transport in Rwanda.

The meeting was attended by representatives from Association des Transporteurs des Personnes au Rwanda (ATPR); Jali Holdings Company and Rwanda Inter-Link Transport Company (RITCO).

The Managing Director of ATPR, Théoneste Mwunguzi has told IGIHE that they expect to reap big from the study trip held in Egypt.

“We held discussions with Afreximbank. They told us that we can get funding to take further the progress of public transport sector through a joint platform,” he said.

The platform will establish an association with one spokesperson who will work closely with the advisor in Rwanda’s embassy to Egypt, Eric Kayoge and an employee of Afreximbank to prepare a well-polished project allowing them to obtain funding.

Mwunguzi and his colleagues shared with Afreximbank on the current progress of Rwanda’s digitalization efforts in transport in tickets sales, use of Tap and Go cards and introduction of free Wi-Fi in public buses.

Afreximbank wants the transport sector connecting African countries and facilitate free movement of trade and people.

“We realized that they trust us more than we think. They want to give us huge funds based on outcomes of our discussions. We need like Rwf 50 billion. We want to invest in cross border transport. If we get the funding, part of it would be used to buy buses among other advanced equipment,’’ said Mwunguzi.

Egypt investors started exploring investment opportunities in Rwanda

Egypt embassy in Rwanda, the Private Sector Federation (PSF) and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) recently convened the management of 16 firms from Egypt and private investors from Rwanda in an event aimed at identifying areas of cooperation for investment.

The event was held in Kigali city on 21st June 2019. It is expected that investors from both sides can cooperate to transfer goods to each other and maximize benefits from agricultural produce among others.

Natacha Kaneza, head of membership coordination at PSF explained that the gesture was meant to strengthen cooperation in joint-trade.

“The event brought together investors from Egypt firms and Rwandan counterparts. It sought to help them identify what items manufactured from their plants are needed in Rwanda. They also stand chance to build plants in Rwanda,” she said.

The representative of investors from Egypt, Dina Helal said they target facilitation of trade between both countries.

“We want to put in much effort so that we can establish plants here in the years ahead to supply to other countries products manufactured in Rwanda. We are still assessing it and seeking partners here. We hope everything will be right,” he said.

Egypt ambassador in Rwanda, Ahmed Samy Mohamed El-Ansar said that building national economy is the priority following Minister Sezibera visit to Egypt.

“This is part of cooperation that should characterize joint-trade efforts. Both countries will cooperate in different areas as members of African Union and COMESA among others. We are aware that Rwanda facilitates investors. It is possible that Egyptians firms can be built here. We held discussions with people who are analyzing it,” he explained.

World Bank Report in October 2018 ranked Rwanda 29th among 190 world countries and the 2nd in Africa after Mauritius for easing businesses.

The financing agreement for the Kayonza Irrigation and Integrated Watershed Management Project – Phase 1 (KIIWP1) was signed on 22 June by Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and Gerardine Mukeshimana, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources of the Republic of Rwanda.

Project financing includes a $17.8 million loan and $8.3 million climate finance grant from IFAD. The project will be co-financed by the Government of Rwanda ($5.4 million) and the beneficiaries themselves ($1.5 million).

Agriculture is the key driver of poverty reduction in Rwanda. It employs around 70 per cent of the population and provides 91 per cent of the food consumed in the country. The sector also accounts for 70 per cent of export revenue and 32.7 per cent of the GDP. It is characterized by small production units and high population pressure on natural resources. About 80 per cent of the rural population is made up of subsistence farmers who depend mainly on rainfed production (less than 6 per cent of all cultivated land in the country is irrigated).

KIIWP1 will respond to the urgent need to tackle water issues and will be implemented in eight drought-prone areas in the Eastern Province: Gahini, Kabare, Kabarondo, Murama, Murundi, Mwiri, Ndego and Rwinkwavu. These areas are relatively hot with limited rainfall averaging just 900mm per year compared to the rest of the country (1,000 mm to 1,400 mm). While rural households face serious water scarcity during dry months, there is high potential for irrigation development.

The new project will promote climate-smart agriculture for irrigated and rainfed lands through farmer field schools, as well as disseminating good nutritional practices. Furthermore, it will invest in catchment rehabilitation, livestock and domestic water infrastructure development and establishment of efficient infrastructure management institutions.
KWIIP1 will help 11,250 rural farmers gain access to land and water to increase their production and bring 1,400 hectares of land under climate-resilient management that will benefit 21,000 people. The project will construct 35 valley tanks and boreholes in rainfed areas and invest in schemes for the irrigation of 2,275 hectares.

Since 1981, IFAD has financed 19 rural development programmes and projects in Rwanda at a total cost of $621.14 million, with an IFAD investment of $382.06 million. These projects and programmes have directly benefited 1,540,517 rural households.

{{About IFAD}}

IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided US$20.9 billion in grants and low-interest loans to projects that have reached about 483 million people. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency based in Rome – the United Nations’ food and agriculture hub.

{{More about IFAD: www.ifad.org.}}

Police said Innocent Uwizeyimana, 33, was impersonating REG staff and stealing pre-paid cashpower metres from people’s homes.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Marie Gorette Umutesi, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said the arrest of Uwizeyimana followed complaints from people whose cashpower metres he had taken.

“Uwizeyimana was going around telling people that he is an employee of REG and that he was checking faulty cashpower metres to be replaced,” CIP Umutesi said.

“He would take them from one house and put them on other houses and would be paid by the new beneficiaries in return,” she added.

Affected residents, she said, later called the service provider—REG—which verified and found out that Uwizeyimana was dismissed.

“REG in-turn informed the Police and Uwizeyimana was arrested. He had already taken cashpower metres from 10 houses as well as electric cables connecting houses from the grid,” she explained.

She appealed to the general public to always be vigilant and report such suspicious individuals.

“Always take a step to find out if the person is actually who he is by calling service providers or the Police,” CIP Umutesi advised.

The penal code in its article 279, states that “any person who, without title usurps public, civil or military functions or poses the acts of one of these functions or falsely attributes to himself/herself the quality of a public official or publicly wears a costume, a uniform, badge or an emblem with an intention to mislead the public, commits an offence.”

Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years and not more than three years, with a fine of not less than Rwf300, 000 and not more than Rwf500, 000.

Theft, under article 166 attracts an imprisonment of between one and two years and a fine ranging from Rwf1 million and Rwf2 million, community service in a period of six months, or one of these penalties.

However, in article 167, the penalty is doubled if the offender usurps false title or insignia of a civil servant or a person responsible for services of general interest or with a false mandate from public authority.

The four suspects arrested during a security operation conducted on Saturday are identified as Emmanuel Ziruguru, 54, Anastase Ntamuhanga, 66, Samuel Ruhumbankaka, 50, and Vincent Harindintwari, 41.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that all the suspects are residents of Nyaruguru District, Ruheru Sector, Umusebeya Cell, Mubuga Village.

Mubuga Village in Ruheru Sector borders Nyungwe National Park.

According to CIP Karekezi the suspects were handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) station at Busanze.

“On June 22, a security patrol in Ruheru along Nyungwe National Park intercepted the four people carrying bundles of bamboo trees, which they had cut in the park,” he said.

CIP Karekezi said that there was information about groups of people who sneak into the National Park especially at night to cut bamboo trees.

“There are some individuals who made it a business to cut bamboo trees in Nyungwe for sell and others for construction,” the spokesperson said.

He warned residents against destroying the national park adding that “operations are continuous to arrest anyone engaged in environmental degradation acts.”

The ceremony took place in the Akagera National Park.

The rangers underwent a six-week training course where they were taught different measures to observe the parks and fight poaching.

Speaking after the passing out parade, RDB Conservation Analyst, Telesphore Ngoga explained that the skills and discipline the rangers have acquired during this exercise is another step in our conservation efforts.

“With continued conservation, the country earns tourism revenues sustainably which benefits the Rwandan economy. It is my hope that these new rangers go on to become champions of conservation by working together to become the managers of these habitats,” he said.

Jes Gruner, the Akagera National Park Manager said that conservation is one of Rwanda’s key prerogatives because it supports tourism and ‘all of the rangers here are part of that vision’.

“ They are the first people who protect our environment. Today is the beginning of a life-long journey for these new rangers,” said Gruner.

Dickson Gato, one of the new park rangers who excelled in the training program said he had always wanted to contribute to conserving the environment. “This training exercise has given me the discipline and skills to do that and it is also a first step for me towards learning more about conservation and its importance to the economy,” he stressed.

AFD is the implementing agency of different development-oriented interventions that France is engaged with globally.

Speaking after a private meeting with Minister Uwera, Mr. Rioux pointed out that the cooperation between both countries is on course to being rejuvenated that AFD will continue to support interventions in the financial sector which they have for the past 25 years.

“France wishes to not only support Rwanda but also get inspired by Rwanda’s development from a lot of innovations in the country as well as efficiency of public service,” Mr. Rioux said.

Minister Uwera said that both Rwanda and France look to mutually benefit development cooperation.

“We look forward to increased partnerships particularly through development cooperation and French private sector engagement which would contribute to realization of Rwanda’s vision,” Minister Uwera said.

France was a potential sponsor of Rwanda before the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The partnership relented later over the role played by the country during the genocide and being reluctant to apologize for its involvement.

Both countries relations were revived in 2017 when Emmanuel Macron was elected France president.

Yesterday, AFD also signed with Bank of Kigali, a financing agreement of $ 20 million and one Technical Assistance Agreement to encourage the financing of Small and Medium Enterprises in Rwanda which, among others, fall under the ICT and Energy sector.

Mr. Rioux was expected to meet different government officials, mainly in agriculture, education and infrastructure sectors, to discuss possible areas of cooperation and projects that need financing

Constructed under the joint Rwanda – South Korea “Enhancing ICT Innovation Capacity in Rwanda” project, the new state of the art ICT Innovation Center is located in Kicukiro, Kigali.

It has equipment designed to provide high quality training to individuals seeking to enhance their skills in multimedia and mobile applications development.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the RDB Chief Executive Officer, Clare Akamanzi said: “The Government of Rwanda is actively driving the ICT industry through various initiatives, such as the Kigali Innovation City project and the Smart Rwanda Masterplan.

However, capacity building and skilled human resource development programs have been in short supply in the sector. This ICT Innovation Center established by KOICA and RDB is expected to bridge the gaps in capacity building and contribute to the development of the ICT sector.”

The KOICA Vice President for Projects and Regional Coordination in Africa, Middle East and South America, Baek Sook Hee said they hope that Rwandan youths will be able to transform their ideas into innovative ICT products through services from the ICT Innovation Center that have the potential to vitalize the African economy beyond Rwanda.

“KOICA will continue to support the economic development of Rwanda by focusing on job creation and business development in the ICT sector in alignment with the Government of Rwanda’s strategies and policies,” she said.

Nsabimana went to a mobile money agent apparently to deposit money on his mobile account, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, said.

“He took the mobile money agent’s phone pretending to insert in his account where the money would be wired. He knew the agent’s sending PIN so he sent the money himself and after he told the victim that he had changed his mind and no longer wanted to go ahead with the service,” CIP Twizeyimana added.

He explained that Nsabimana immediately took a motorcycle towards Gishari, but the victim, out of suspicion, checked her phone only to find that Rwf 135, 000 had been stolen from her mobile account. He immediately called the Police, the motorcycle was traced and intercepted in Gishari where the suspect was arrested.

CIP Twizeyimana called for vigilance against such fraudulent individuals.

“People should beware that we have such criminals, who also include those with counterfeit money and in most cases targeting telecom banking agents, so they ahould watch out and always be quick to share information whenever they suspect one to be engaged in such criminal tendencies,” he said.