Author: IGIHE

Zambia wants to learn from Rwanda’s achievements – President Lungu

{President Edgar Lungu says Zambia yearns to learn from the achievements Rwanda has made through enhanced economic cooperation adding that there is room for the two countries to further bilateral ties for the mutual benefit of the citizenry.
President Lungu cited agriculture, energy and tourism as some of the sectors the two countries can work together.}

He urged the two countries to share best practices that will help build the economies of Zambia and Rwanda.

President Lungu made the call when he held bilateral talks with his visiting Rwandan Counterpart Paul Kagame at State House.

The Republican President emphasized that Zambia wants to learn from the progress Rwanda has made as a prosperous nation.

Meanwhile President Lungu has wished the people of Rwanda peace and stability as the country goes to polls in August this year.

President Lungu hoped that the election results will be accepted by political parties that will participate in the August elections.

He observed that some political parties are in a habit of denying elections results adding that it is unfortunate that some people want to accept election results as free and fair when they win.

When the due process of electoral process is followed there can be only one winner, the President said.

And President Lungu says he is worried with the instability in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He hoped that Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo find peace and stability.

President Lungu said Zambia and Rwanda feel the impact of instability in the two neighbouring countries.

He pointed out that conflicts are detrimental to the development of any given nation.

And Rwanda President Paul Kagame says there is need to improve trade cooperation between Rwanda and Zambia.

President Kagame observed that very little trade takes place between the two countries.

The visiting President pointed out that increased cooperation will help to strengthen bilateral ties for the benefits of the peoples of Rwanda and Zambia.

President Kagame said there are many things that Zambia and Rwanda can achieve if the two countries worked together.

Meanwhile President Kagame has thanked the Zambian government for hosting Rwandan refugees.

He said the refugees hosted in Zambia have immensely benefited from the education provide by the host State.

And Zambia and Rwanda have signed three bilateral agreements mainly in the field of Air Services, Extradition treaty and a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of Defence and Security Cooperation.

Minister of Transport and Communication Brian signed on behalf of Zambia while Rwanda Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Louise Mushikiwabo signed on behalf of her country.

Minister of Home Affairs Steven Kampyongo signed the Extradition treaty on behalf of Zambia while Rwandese Minister of State in charge of constitutional and Legal Affairs Evode Uwizeyimana signed on behalf of Rwanda.

In addition , Zambia has signed a MOU with Rwanda on Defence and Security Cooperation.

Minister of Defence Davies Chama signed on behalf of Zambia while Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Louise Mushikiwabo signed on behalf of his country.

Source:Lusaka Times

June 20, 2017
Record 65 million people displaced in 2016: UN

{Report released ahead of World Refugee Day shows a jump of 300,000 people uprooted over the past year.}

A record 65.6 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced from their homes due to conflict or persecution by the end of 2016, the United Nations said.

The record number includes 22.5 million refugees, 40.3 million internally displaced people and 2.8 million asylum seekers.

The number marks a jump of 300,000 from the end of 2015, according to a new report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Monday.

This is “the highest figure since we started recording these figures,” UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi told reporters ahead of the report launch.

“By any measure, this is an unacceptable number, and it speaks louder than ever to the need for solidarity and common purpose in preventing and resolving crises,” he said.

The figures released ahead of World Refugee Day on Tuesday showed that 10.3 million of the world’s displaced people fled their homes last year alone, including 3.4 million who crossed international borders to become refugees.

“This equates to one person becoming displaced every three seconds – less than the time it takes to read this sentence,” UNHCR pointed out in a statement.

At the end of 2016, there were about 40.3 million internally displaced people in the world, down slightly from 40.8 million a year earlier, with Syria, Iraq and Colombia accounting for the greatest numbers.

Another 22.5 million people – half of them children – were registered as refugees last year, the UNHCR report showed, pointing out that this is “the highest level ever recorded”.

Syrians continued to be the largest forcibly displaced population, with 12 million people at the end of 2016.

Syria’s six-year conflict alone has sent more than 5.5 million people seeking safety in other countries, including 825,000 last year alone, accounting for the world’s largest group of refugees.

Along with the 6.3 million Syrians displaced inside the country, these numbers show that a nearly two thirds of all Syrians have been forced from their homes, the report said.

The Syrian conflict, which has killed more than 320,000 people, “is becoming a forgotten crisis,” he warned.

The UN refugee chief also voiced alarm over the rapidly deteriorating situation in South Sudan, which he said was currently the world’s “fastest growing refugee crisis and displacement crisis”.

South Sudan’s civil war, which began in December 2013, has left tens of thousands dead and forced a total of 3.7 million people from their homes – nearly a third of the population.

Overall, the refugee population from the world’s youngest country swelled 85 percent last year to reach 1.4 million by the end of 2016, the UNHCR report showed.

Besides Syria and South Sudan, Monday’s report also pointed to large-scale displacement in Afghanistan, Iraq and Sudan.

And nearly 70 years after Palestinians first fled today’s Israel, some 5.3 million Palestinians are currently living as refugees – the highest level ever recorded, UNHCR said.

The report showed despite huge focus on Europe’s refugee crisis, it is the poorer countries that host most of the world’s refugees.

For the third consecutive year, Turkey hosted the largest number of refugees worldwide, with 2.9 million people.

It was followed by Pakistan (1.4 million), Lebanon (1 million), Iran (979,400), Uganda (940,800), and Ethiopia (791,600).

Source:Al Jazeera

June 19, 2017
Russia threatens targeting coalition planes in Syria

{Moscow says it will ‘target’ US coalition aircraft in the west of Syria’s Euphrates River after US downed a Syrian jet.}

Russia has said that it will treat all US-led coalition aircraft in the west of the Euphrates River in Syria as “targets” and halted an incident-prevention hotline with Washington after US forces downed a Syrian warplane.

Moscow only once before suspended the hotline, which was established in October 2015 to prevent conflict between the different forces operating in Syrian airspace.

Sunday’s downing of the jet and Russia’s response on Monday further complicate Syria’s six-year war and come as the US-led coalition and allied fighters battle to remove the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group from its Syrian bastion Raqqa.

Russia’s foreign ministry accused Washington of failing to use the hotline before downing the plane near Raqqa, and called for a “careful investigation by the US command” into the incident.

“Any flying objects, including planes and drones of the international coalition, discovered west of the Euphrates River will be tracked as aerial targets by Russia’s air defences on and above ground,” it warned.

Russia’s defence ministry condemned the downing of the jet in a separate statement, saying the latest incident, in addition to others, was a violation of international law.

“As a result of the strike, the Syrian plane was destroyed. The Syrian pilot catapulted into an area controlled by Islamic State [of Iraq and the Levant] terrorists. His fate is unknown,” the statement said.

‘Not much change on ground’

Pavel Felgenhauer, a military analyst and columnist, in Moscow told Al Jazeera that the development was a dangerous escalation, but the sides did not want to do take real action against each other.

“Russia’s defence ministry does not say that they would target American planes with weapons. Moscow says they will just lock their radars on them, follow them but not really shoot,” he said.

Felgenhauer added that this happened various times before the latest incident when US planes came close to Russian bases in Syria.

“So, there is not much real change on the ground,” he said.

The Syrian jet was shot down on Sunday evening after regime forces engaged fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance battling with US support against ISIL, in an area close to Raqqa.

The American F/A-18E Super Hornet shot down the Syrian SU-22 around 7pm as it “dropped bombs near SDF fighters” south of the town of Tabqa, the coalition said in a statement.

The incident was the latest skirmish between the US-led coalition and regime forces in the increasingly tense and crowded space in Syria’s north and east.

Source:Al Jazeera

June 19, 2017
Refugees in Rwanda to benefit from income generating projects

{The Ministry of Disaster and Refugees Affairs (MIDIMAR) in collaboration with United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has initiated a project meant to integrate refugees accommodated in Rwanda into income generating activities enabling them to live sustainable lives.}

Speaking at the official unveiling of the project today, the Minister for Disaster and Refugees Affairs, Mukantabana Seraphine said the project is meant to provide platforms via which refugees’ wellbeing will be enhanced.

“We will support projects that can enable refugees realize progress until every refugee becomes self-sufficient,” she said.

The UNHCR Rwanda Country representative, Azam Saber said the project will reduce on the need to source for external funding in support of refugee services.

“We want to open doors enabling refugees to be engaged in commercial activities, become tax payers like other Rwandans and reduce our expenses on them,” he said.

The project has begun with $20 million as initial investment and is expected to replace existing support platform where refugees would wait for monthly funds for food or receive food donations.

The project’s execution will be facilitated by experts in different domains who will train them to run self-development activities like sewing, shoes’ repairing, crafts, or ordinary commerce.

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD), a nonprofit organization specializing in asset-based community development has pledged to invset Euro 10,000 to support each shared bankable idea that can improve refugees’ wellbeing.

A total of 18 projects in refugee camps have already been selected to benefit from the project.

At least USD 994 million is needed annually to feed refugees accommodated in Rwanda.

June 19, 2017
AB Bank Trains SME Business Owners

{AB Bank Rwanda in partnership with EIB (European Investment Bank) Rwanda recently launched a series of Literacy workshops for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in May. The latter saw a total of 20 business owners’ attending the workshop in which topical issues for SME’s such as Financing options, Record keeping, Loan utilization, Use of banking facilities, managing business expenses and budgeting were presented.}

Mr. Ngando Fidele, the Training officer at AB Bank Rwanda commended the collaboration which bore fruitful results saying it will be sustained.

“We feel very lucky to have this collaboration with EIB and be able to offer this needed service to our customers. We will continue to organize these workshops for our business customers to ensure our goals in promoting financial inclusion are met,” he said.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Patrick Cyusa of EIB. “Participation, commitment and Contribution are the basis of success in any community.By collaborating with financial institutions, we support a more productive private sector.”
A business owner who attended the workshop had this to say; “We are grateful for financial institutions that are offering workshops to continuously teach us various ways we can better manage our businesses. AB Bank Rwanda is at the forefront of promoting financial inclusion amongst all its customers and we are confident our businesses will blossom.

During the workshop, a model business canvas was developed for each participant to facilitate their understanding of the various challenges faced by small businesses as well as capture the positive trend that the business can take when key issues are addressed. Participants were also offered a mentorship program after the workshop.

AB Bank is a member of a group of banks managed by Access Holding Microfinance AG (Germany). The Access Network comprises ten financial institutions located in Sub –Saharan Africa, the Southern Caucasus, Central Asia and South America. In Rwanda, AB bank has five branches namely Nyarugenge, Nyamirambo, Gisozi, Kimironko and Musanze

The vision of the bank is to be the “One Stop” provider of financial services to small and micro businesses.

June 19, 2017
Urwego Bank unveils new brand and banking experience

{Urwego Bank has unveiled a new and improved client-focused banking experience for its customers as it celebrates 20 years of service to Rwanda.}

Under the new banking experience, Urwego customers will soon see several services upgrades including streamlined client registration and loan application processes facilitated by using mobile devices outside the bank’s offices to record customer details.

Commenting on the progress, Christine Baingana, the CEO of Urwego Bank has shared that the bank is committed to maintaining improved services. “We are so proud of the working relationship we have had in the past with our incredible customers, and we’re looking forward to a great future as we walk this journey together. We promise to continue refining our products and services to suit your needs more perfectly and help you save time and effort as you use them.”

She explained the bank hopes those improvements anticipate hope to see more children in school, more families moving into their dream homes, more farmers increasing their crop yields, more business owners boosting their incomes, and many more families equipped to flourish.

Urwego has made it easier for customers in need of education loan, obtaining funds to grow business and ensures security of savings.

The bank shares that its ongoing investments in technology upgrades have made it possible to offer a faster and safer banking experience to clients as Mobile banking and biometric fingerprint technology provide convenient and secure account access for Urwego clients in rural and urban areas alike.

Each of these enhancements flows from Urwego’s ongoing commitment to respond with excellence to its customers’ needs.

{{About Urwego}}

With 18 outlets and over 100 active agents across the country, Urwego is the largest microfinance institution in Rwanda, serving more than 400,000 clients.

These clients are building a brighter future for themselves with the help of business loans, savings services, training, mobile banking services, agricultural loans, education financing, foreign exchange products, asset financing, home improvement loans, and microinsurance from Urwego.

Since 1997, Urwego has served Rwandans who are economically active but underserved by traditional banking institutions. As a Christian microfinance bank, Urwego provides opportunities for families to transform their lives, their children’s futures and their communities. It offers a full range of financial services, including loans and savings programs, as well as training to maximize the impact of financial products and empower clients for success in business, household management, and health. Discover more at www.urwegobank.com.

If you would like to learn more about Urwego’s products and services, please don’t hesitate to call the toll free line: 5151.

June 19, 2017
East Africa’s open borders

{Five years ago, the East African Tourism Platform was set up to promote regional tourism. In that time, national tourism roundtables have been established and operationalised in all five partner states.}

And, as the push for open skies in the region seems to be coming to fruition, low-cost flights across the EAC may soon be available.

Since its inception, the EATP has facilitated business and networking for regional travel and tourism through Kwita Izina, Karibu Fair, Magical Kenya, KiliFair and Pearl of Africa.

Drawing lessons from Kenya’s Tembea Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda are now running Turambule Uganda (Visit Uganda) and Tembera-U-Rwanda (Visit Rwanda) campaigns. They anticipate a 15 per cent growth in regional tourist arrivals within the next year.

Uganda is Kenya’s top African tourist source market, ranking fourth in global tourist arrivals. At the close of 2016, the Ugandan market recorded a growth of 75.7 per cent increase in arrivals to 51,023, up from 29,038 in 2015.

In the same period, Kenya recorded a 3.7 per cent growth in Rwandan tourist arrivals posting 11,658 arrivals up from 11,242 in 2015.
In Kenya, East Africa represents 44 per cent of arrivals and 38 per cent of revenues.

Uganda occupies second top source market for Rwanda, with 260,000 Ugandans visiting the country annually. Kenya is at fifth position in arrivals to Rwanda, with about 65,000 Kenyans visiting annually.

Kenya accounts for 48 per cent of visitors to Uganda, followed by Rwanda at 35.3 per cent, Tanzania at 11.2 per cent and Burundi at 5.4 per cent.

Celebrating the fifth anniversary, chairman Bonifence Byamukama said, “We have played a critical role in the pursuance of a single destination brand showcasing East Africa at tourism expos.”

Some challenges remain, like the slow uptake of the single tourist visa by tour operators and tourists, and the lack of knowledge on the use of national IDs to travel regionally.

On the positive side, with common languages and the absence of visa requirements, there are many opportunities to grow regional tourism.

Source:The East African

June 19, 2017
President Kagame arrives in Zambia to outstanding homage

{President Paul Kagame has today arrived in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city in a two day state visit. As part of welcoming him, the country has erected Kagame’s images on billboards by roadsides with welcoming messages ‘Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu President of the Republic of Zambia welcomes Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda.’ }

President Kagame is in Zambia at the invitation of his Zambian counterpart President Edgar Lungu.

According to Zambia media reports, Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba said that the two leaders are expected to hold talks on Monday to share best practices and strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.

Mr. Kalaba said the visiting President of Rwanda is also expected to visit and lay wreaths at the Presidential burial place at the Embassy Park where three late Zambian Presidents are buried.

The minister said President Kagame will be taken to Kafue District to tour Kafue Steel Company which is owned by Universal Mining and Chemicals Industries Limited under Trade Kings Group.

President Paul Kagame last visited Zambia in May 2016 when he attended the 51st annual meeting of African Development Bank governors and the 42nd meeting of Africa Development Fund in Lusaka capital. Rwanda has good relations with Zambia and RwandAir opened three flights to Lusaka per week in March 2015.

June 19, 2017
Mount Kenya University Rwanda supports ‘Girinka’ program

{On 16th June, 2016, Mount Kenya University Rwanda (MKUR) donated 3 cows to the less privileged in line with the government program of one cow per family “Girinka” initiated by the country’s President, His Excellency Paul Kagame aimed at alleviating poverty to the less fortunate in rural areas. }

The program aims at providing the basic family needs, reducing child malnutrition and a source of soil nutrients via manure to assist small scale cropping.

The occasion which took place at MKUR at Kagarama was presided over by the Mayor of Kicukiro District, who was the chief guest, Dr. Nyirahabimana Jeanne and other local leaders.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Edwin Odhuno said MKUR takes its corporate social responsibility seriously.

“Since making a mark in Rwanda in 2010, the university has been giving back to the public centered on education, employee and student volunteerism and healthy communities. A small act of compassion can change lives for development and we shall continue pursuing our strategic core goal of corporate social responsibility with the district and the country at large”, he said.

The Mayor applauded the University for contributing to the economic growth of Kicukiro district and the country through its world class teaching and global dynamism.

“MKUR has not only enhanced the development of the country but has positively changed many lives since opening up in Kicukiro district this year. Today’s activity is a good example of importance the university attaches to the community and our culture. We shall continue supporting the university to achieve its goals to enhance the development of the country,” said Dr. Nyirahabimana.

June 19, 2017
RPF-Inkotanyi, Angola, Congo ruling parties pledge cooperation

{The Secretary General of RPF-Inkotanyi,Ngarambe François has met his counterpart from Republic of Congo ruling party, Mr Pierre Ngolo the Secretary General of Parti Congolais du Travail and Mr Americo Afonso Silver, a member of the Central Committee and Director of the National Commission in charge of Audit and Discipline of the MPLA (Angola’s ruling party)and agreed on cooperation meant to promote development in their respective countries.}

Discussions were held yesterday one day after RPF held an extra ordinary congress in which President Paul Kagame was nominated as flag bearer in the upcoming presidential polls slated for August 2017 which the duo attended.

Pierre Ngolo lauded the nomination of the candidate and said PartiCongolais du Travail prays for RPF Inkotanyi to win elections.

He lauded outstanding achievements RPF brought to Rwandans from stopping genocide and reconstructing the country especially Paul Kagame’s leadership which earned Rwanda international repute. He said that his counterpart Denis Sassou Nguesso and PCT support him.

Americo Afonso Silva from MPLA, Angola, said RPF congress was held at a time when his country is also preparing for elections on 23rd August 2017.

Representatives of other political parties invited to attend RPF Inkotanyi congress were from South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Angola, Uganda, Congo Republic, Eritrea, Djibouti and China.They all lauded Rwanda’s progress.

June 19, 2017