Author: IGIHE

38 African countries have participated to this conference which aims to express support for the Decision Assembly / AU / Dec.693 (XXXI), adopted at the 31st African Union Summit, held on July 1 and 2 in Nouakchott 2018.

The Decision N° 693, “puts the Moroccan Sahara issue back into its appropriate framework, that of the United Nations” and “allows, therefore, to immunize the AU against any inappropriate attempt to divert the path of unity and integration,” said, Monday in Marrakech, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nasser Bourita.

This decision “contributes to strengthening serenity within the AU regarding the Moroccan Sahara issue,” Bourita said at the opening of the African Ministerial Conference on African Union (AU) support to the United Nations political process on the regional dispute over the Sahara.

The decision to establish an African mechanism comprising an AU Troika to extend effective support to the UN-led efforts in this issue is shared by an overwhelming majority of African countries that support the UN-led political process, he pointed out.

This decision should be “neither reinterpreted, nor circumvented nor instrumentalized”, he insisted.

Decision 693 has enshrined the exclusive competence of the United Nations in the management of the conflict over the Sahara, kicked out any other parallel process to that of the United Nations and stressed the AU support to the UN-led efforts, Bourita pointed out.

It is these parameters that allow the AU to support the political process led by the United Nations and to be in accordance with the Security Council resolutions, which call for a “political, realistic, pragmatic and sustained solution based on compromise”, the Minister said.

The Marrakech conference is held at a time when “Africa addresses substantial challenges, which require us to meet more, to consult more and to work more together”, he said, while underlining the importance of unity and cohesion to serve Africa’s interests.

In the Royal Speech that marked the return of Morocco to its institutional family, HM King Mohammed VI set a roadmap for the Kingdom within the African Union, the Minister said, adding that the Marrakech Conference reflects this Royal Vision, in that it intends, precisely, to federate and go forward.

This spirit of togetherness stems from the very essence of HM the King’s African Policy, which is based on the principles of “responsibility, solidarity and clarity”, he said, adding that this orientation pushes Morocco to “oppose any sterile debate exploiting the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, and to condemn any political manipulation”.

In the Final Declaration adopted by the conference, the representatives of the 38 countries have warmly welcomed the constructive initiative of the Kingdom of Morocco to convene this conference and support the United Nations political process on the regional dispute over the Sahara. They also reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to a united, stable, proactive and prosperous Africa, speaking with one voice and able to respond to the multidimensional challenges of today’s and tomorrow’s complex world.

He explained that persons who lose court cases must pay compensations and be integrated in programs supporting vulnerable people if the act leaves them in poverty.

He made the comments as the Senate Political and Good Governance Committee held discussions with the Ombudsman Office, Ministry of Local Government

(MINALOC) and the Ministry of Justice (MINIJUST) on the ombudsman 2017/2018 report.

Some of the identified problems include cases of citizens who do not get compensation after winning court cases and failure of individuals to pay government fines claiming many offenders do not have enough resources for compensation.

“Two days ago, I went to Ngororero district. A resident told me: ‘We ask someone to provide compensation but we later realize that he/she has inadequate possessions that he would become vulnerable if the possessions are used to compensate the winner,” said Busingye. He explained that the law allows taking over of 70% of assets of a person defeated in court case to compensate the winner.

“There is no justice in society when the cow of the defeated can’t be taken for compensation.”

The incident took place last night in Nyamweru cell of Kanyinya sector.

Police spokesperson in Kigali city, CIP Marie Goretti Umutesi has told IGIHE that the names of the suspect could not be established as the suspected thief had no identifications.

“We were informed that thieves usually steal from parked truck in the area. Police was there on patrol. Two thieves armed with machetes saw a truck of Daihatsu brand loaded with irish potatoes and started cutting the canvass covering the merchandise. Potatoes spread over the road,” she said.

“One thief cut glasses of the car immediately when the driver stopped. Police shot him dead when he did not heed to the orders. His colleague escaped,” added CIP Umutesi.

She urged citizens to play an active role in preserving security adding that police and other security officials are on standby to intervene.

The one-month long competition whose aim is exposing students from various university and other higher learning institutions to the capital market industry while also ensuring that the same students acquire a saving and investment culture through capital market.

The Acting Executive Director of CMA, Eric Bundungu stressed that “We believe that the most effective way for young people to secure their future is to venture into smart saving and investment opportunities in order to guarantee sustainability and it was through this that the concept of the competition was born. Enabling young people to explore capital markets through investing in shares, bonds, and any other instruments offered by different firms at the stock market is one of the best ways for them to secure their future.”

Bundugu emphasized on the fact that for youth to secure a bright future, saving was inevitable and therefore that was why this competition was important since it provided a basic platform for investment on Rwanda’s capital market.

At the end of the challenge, Katlego Betsi Paakanyo, Sincere Izabayo and Francis Nkurunziza emerged as the third, second and first winners of the essay category and were awarded prices of Frw 200,000, Frw 300,000 and Frw 500,000 respectively.

In the highly contested quiz competition; The Brains Club came third, Victorious Club came second and Talented club emerged as the 2019 champions. The third, second and first teams were awarded Frw 800,000, Frw 1.2 million and Frw 1.5 million respectively.

Olivier Muvunyi, a member of Victorious Club from University of Rwanda who emerged among winners in the quiz category said that “The Capital Market University Challenge provided me with an excellent foundation on how to embrace the saving through capital market as young people; This unique opportunity gives us the chance to learn more about how to save and invest through securities as youth; we committed ourselves to share with our friends and families the benefits of the stock market to our future.”

The Executive Director of High Education Council, Dr. Emmanuel Muvunyi in his closing remarks commended the participants of this year’s Capital Market University Challenge for their hard work and commitment. He said that “I am glad to learn today that this program ‘Capital Market University Challenge’ has started bearing its fruits by having savings clubs having been created in various Universities and HLIs, this is a very important milestone that should be sustained through capacity building or training of the said savings clubs that the CMA has started undertaking. Building capacity of the so far created savings clubs will enhance their knowledge and motivation towards saving further and better.”

He further reiterated the importance of becoming ambassadors of the Rwanda’s capital market and challenging their friends to invest in them as he believed was a right step towards wealth creation and financial independence. “I would therefore call upon students in Universities and HLIs to follow the trend by either joining existing savings clubs or creating new ones. Allow me to encourage the Administration of Universities and HLIs to facilitate and educate their students on how best to do so,” Dr. Muvunyi stressed.

The 6th edition of the University Challenge was organised by Capital Market Authority (CMA) in collaboration with the Rwanda Stock Exchange(RSE), the Institute of Certified Public Accountants Rwanda (iCPAR) and AIESEC Rwanda, the Rwandan chapter of the world’s largest youth run organisation.

Mukunde’s resignation letter was submitted to the district’s advisory committee on Monday 25th March 2019 as per statement from Kicukiro district twitter account.

“Mukunde Angélique former Kicukiro vice mayor for economic affairs has resigned for personal reasons. This has been approved by the advisory committee of Kicukiro district that convened yesterday after analyzing her request,” reads the statement.

The district also released a statement announcing the resignation.

Mukunde and Higiro were arrested on 6th March 2019, appeared in Kicukiro court of lower instance on 19th for hearing a case on accusations of misallocating funds from Joint Action Development Forum (JADF) which they denied. They were acquitted on Friday last week.

They facilities were completed at a cost of Rwf 540 million of which Rwf 184 came from USAID with the rest Rwf 355 million from ENAS.

Jean Damascene Nyirinkindi a resident who spoke on behalf of maize farmers said obstacles in drying their produce would result into post-harvest losses.

“Our cooperative harvests 2000 tons but we have a small drying facility that can keep only 400 tons. The remaining 1600 tons were kept in low standard storage facilities that maize would be exposed to moisture, comprising quality leading to losses,” he said.

The representative of USAID Rwanda, Phina Kayisanabo expressed delight for having funded the project and assured continued partnership with the government in projects improving farmers’ productivity.

ENAS Managing Director, Alfred Nkubiri revealed that the introduction of the store in Kirehe district was fueled by the government of Rwanda’s efforts to promote agriculture through land consolidation policies and introducing irrigation technologies.

He explained that they will work together with different cooperatives to build more stores.

The Director General of Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), Dr. Karangwa Patrick said that the store will reduce maize harvest losses encountered before over lack of proper drying facilities.

“With such projects, we’re assured of improved value chains”, he said.

During the ceremony of naming baby gorillas in September 2015, President Paul Kagame promised Rwandans that the government plans to share with them revenues from natural resources like mines as it does with residents in neighborhoods of parks.

The cabinet meeting of 13th September 2016 approved the scheme to share part of mining revenues with residents.

At the time, it was explained that residents will get 10% of mining revenue to be used in road construction, increasing water infrastructures, technology among other projects improving social welfare in the areas of education, health and agriculture among others.

The revenues have not yet been shared until today. But concerned parties attribute it to the difference in settings of mining sites and parks, that the project is being assessed for implementation.

Speaking to IGIHE, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), Dr Uzziel Ndagijimana has said that the government plans to share mining revenues with surrounding communities beginning 2019/2020 fiscal year.

“It is different from revenue sharing scheme in tourism because it doesn’t benefit a very big number. It can benefit residents in the neighborhood of Nyungwe or Akagera but mining sites are many in the country, it is impossible to do it simultaneously. We shall execute projects one after another,” he said.

Minister Ndagijimana explained that concerned parties are studying the feasibility of the project and promised that the scheme will have been implemented by the beginning of the next fiscal year in July.

Rwanda has 87 sectors in which minerals are extracted.

Until last year, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) had shared $1.28 million under the tourism revenue sharing scheme, executed over 158 projects benefiting parks’ neighborhoods including infrastructures, access to safe water, health centers, schools and houses.

Rwanda earned $373 million from mineral extraction in 2017/2018 fiscal year and targets $600 million this year and projects 800$ million and $1.5 million mining revenues respectively in 2020 and 2024.