Author: IGIHE

Deep sleep may act as fountain of youth in old age

Restorative, sedative-free slumber can ward off mental and physical ailments, suggests research

As we grow old, our nights are frequently plagued by bouts of wakefulness, bathroom trips and other nuisances as we lose our ability to generate the deep, restorative slumber we enjoyed in youth.

But does that mean older people just need less sleep?

Not according to UC Berkeley researchers, who argue in an article published April 5 in the journal Neuron that the unmet sleep needs of the elderly elevate their risk of memory loss and a wide range of mental and physical disorders.

“Nearly every disease killing us in later life has a causal link to lack of sleep,” said the article’s senior author, Matthew Walker, a UC Berkeley professor of psychology and neuroscience. “We’ve done a good job of extending life span, but a poor job of extending our health span. We now see sleep, and improving sleep, as a new pathway for helping remedy that.”

Unlike more cosmetic markers of aging, such as wrinkles and gray hair, sleep deterioration has been linked to such conditions as Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and stroke, he said.

Though older people are less likely than younger cohorts to notice and/or report mental fogginess and other symptoms of sleep deprivation, numerous brain studies reveal how poor sleep leaves them cognitively worse off.

Moreover, the shift from deep, consolidated sleep in youth to fitful, dissatisfying sleep can start as early as one’s 30s, paving the way for sleep-related cognitive and physical ailments in middle age.

And, while the pharmaceutical industry is raking in billions by catering to insomniacs, Walker warns that the pills designed to help us doze off are a poor substitute for the natural sleep cycles that the brain needs in order to function well.

“Don’t be fooled into thinking sedation is real sleep. It’s not,” he said.

For their review of sleep research, Walker and fellow researchers Bryce Mander and Joseph Winer cite studies, including some of their own, that show the aging brain has trouble generating the kind of slow brain waves that promote deep curative sleep, as well as the neurochemicals that help us switch stably from sleep to wakefulness.

“The parts of the brain deteriorating earliest are the same regions that give us deep sleep,” said article lead author Mander, a postdoctoral researcher in Walker’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory at UC Berkeley.

Aging typically brings on a decline in deep non-rapid eye movement (NREM) or “slow wave sleep,” and the characteristic brain waves associated with it, including both slow waves and faster bursts of brain waves known as “sleep spindles.”

Youthful, healthy slow waves and spindles help transfer memories and information from the hippocampus, which provides the brain’s short-term storage, to the prefrontal cortex, which consolidates the information, acting as the brain’s long-term storage.

“Sadly, both these types of sleep brain waves diminish markedly as we grow old, and we are now discovering that this sleep decline is related to memory decline in later life,” said Winer, a doctoral student in Walker’s lab.

Another deficiency in later life is the inability to regulate neurochemicals that stabilize our sleep and help us transition from sleep to waking states. These neurochemicals include galanin, which promotes sleep, and orexin, which promotes wakefulness. A disruption to the sleep-wake rhythm commonly leaves older adults fatigued during the day but frustratingly restless at night, Mander said.

Of course, not everyone is vulnerable to sleep changes in later life: “Just as some people age more successfully than others, some people sleep better than others as they get older, and that’s another line of research we’ll be exploring,” Mander said.

Meanwhile, non-pharmaceutical interventions are being explored to boost the quality of sleep, such as electrical stimulation to amplify brain waves during sleep and acoustic tones that act like a metronome to slow brain rhythms.

However, promoting alternatives to prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids is sure to be challenging.

“The American College of Physicians has acknowledged that sleeping pills should not be the first-line kneejerk response to sleep problems,” Walker said. “Sleeping pills sedate the brain, rather than help it sleep naturally. We must find better treatments for restoring healthy sleep in older adults, and that is now one of our dedicated research missions.”

Also important to consider in changing the culture of sleep is the question of quantity versus quality.

“Previously, the conversation has focused on how many hours you need to sleep,” Mander said. “However, you can sleep for a sufficient number of hours, but not obtain the right quality of sleep. We also need to appreciate the importance of sleep quality.

“Indeed, we need both quantity and quality,” Walker said.

Source:Science Daily

April 7, 2017
SuperAger brains shrink more slowly than peers’ brains

Cortex of super-aged brain deteriorated much slower than average elderly brain over time.

Donald Tenbrunsel is 89 years old, but he is just as likely to talk to you about Chance the Rapper as reminisce about Frank Sinatra.

The highly engaged and delightful conversationalist, who reads, volunteers and routinely researches questions on the Internet, is part of a new path-breaking Northwestern Medicine study that shows that SuperAgers’ brains shrink much slower than their age-matched peers, resulting in a greater resistance to “typical” memory loss and dementia.

Over the course of the 18-month study, normal agers lost volume in the cortex twice as fast as SuperAgers, a rare group of people aged 80 and above whose memories are as sharp as those of healthy persons decades younger.

“Increasing age is often accompanied by ‘typical’ cognitive decline or, in some cases, more severe cognitive decline called dementia,” said first author Amanda Cook, a clinical neuropsychology doctoral student in the laboratory of Emily Rogalski and Sandra Weintraub. “SuperAgers suggest that age-related cognitive decline is not inevitable.”

The study was published in JAMA. Senior author Emily Rogalski will present the findings at the 2017 Cognitive Aging Summit in Bethesda, Maryland, April 6.

SuperAger Tenbrunsel, who lives with his daughter’s family, is intent on being a good conversationalist with his three grandchildren.

“I have to adapt to that kind of life,” Tenbrunsel said. “They don’t know much about Frank Sinatra or Franklin Delano Roosevelt, so I have to keep saying, ‘Is the Chance the Rapper coming this week or is it Taylor Swift?’”

The researchers already knew SuperAgers’ brains tended to retain more brain volume and typically don’t show the same wear-and-tear as normal agers.

“For this study we explored whether SuperAgers’ brains were on a different trajectory of decline,” said Rogalski, associate professor at the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center (CNADC) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “We found that SuperAgers are resistant to the normal rate of decline that we see in average elderly, and they’re managing to strike a balance between life span and health span, really living well and enjoying their later years of life.”

Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the scientists measured the thickness of the cortex in 24 SuperAgers and 12 same-age, educationally and cognitive average peers (control group) to determine the approximate health of the brain over 18 months. The annual percent decline in thickness between the first and second visit for the SuperAgers was 1.06 and 2.24 for the control group.

Previous research showed that SuperAgers have a thicker cortex than those who age normally. By studying what makes SuperAgers unique, the scientists said they hope to undercover biological factors, such as the reduced cortical brain atrophy demonstrated here, that might contribute to the maintenance of memory ability in advanced age.

SuperAger research at Northwestern is flipping the traditional approach to Alzheimer’s research of focusing on brains that are underperforming to instead focusing on outperforming brains.

“Sometimes it’s useful to turn a complex problem on its head and look from a different vantage point,” Rogalski said. “The SuperAging program studies people at the opposite end of the spectrum: those with unexpectedly high memory performance for their age.”

Source:Science Daily

April 7, 2017
RwandAir boss fired

A Cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame on Wednesday removed John Mirenge as the chief executive officer of national carrier RwandAir, replacing him with Col Chance Ndagano in an acting capacity.

Mr Mirenge has been at the helm of RwandAir since 2010 and is credited with steering an ambitious expansion plan. His exit came in the week RwandAir made its maiden flight to Mumbai, India, and announced a route to Harare, Zimbabwe.

Col Ndagano is also the board vice chairperson of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA).

Another military officer, Lt Col. Sylvere Munyaneza was also appointed the airline’s deputy CEO in charge of operations.

Mr Munyaneza replaces Jean Paul Nyirubutama, who was appointed to the airline’s board.

Yvonne Makolo Manzi, who has been the chief marketing officer of MTN Rwanda, was appointed the position of deputy CEO in charge of corporate affairs at RwandAir.
There were no immediate reasons for the removal of the airline’s top executives, but reliable sources indicate that mismanagement of resources and failure to contain financial leaks could be behind the sacking.

Mr Mirenge has been credited for expanding the airline from five aircrafts since his appointment to 11 aircraft currently, including two triple class wide-bodied Airbus A330 planes deployed on intercontinental routes. The airline also has three Boeing B737-700 and -800 aircrafts.

The changes come at a time when RwandAir was planning to launch a direct flight to London, Gatwick in May. RwandAir’s maiden flight to Harare arrived on Wednesday, increasing the airline’s routes to Southern Africa to three.

While RwandAir has not started making profits yet, there have been reports of financial losses, with a reliable source indicating that an internal probe unearthed missing funds up to the tune of $2 million.

On December 8, 2016, Nigerian media reported that RwandAir had incurred heavy losses resulting from fines linked to fake entry visas carried by Nigerians travelling to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

The report, which was first carried by The Guardian and later picked by different websites, claimed that the Rwandan national carrier had made heavy losses in fines in just six months.

Under the international aviation rules guiding the Global Distribution System, the fines are paid by the airline which carried the individual.

“For every passenger that arrives in Dubai without a valid visa or is in possession of forged papers and ultimately turned back at the port of entry, the airline pays a penalty of $30,000,” the report is quoted, adding that RwandAir was planning to scrap Nigeria from its destinations.

Source:The East African

April 6, 2017
Books & Beyond celebrates Rwandan culture

Illustrations of gorillas and volcanoes were displayed throughout the Hutton Honors College’s Great Room to celebrate the culture of Rwanda. The illustrations were drawn by children at the Project School in Bloomington after their lessons on Rwandan culture.

Handmade Rwandan items, elementary students’ illustrations of Rwanda, photos of Rwanda and Rwandan food were all available at Visions of Rwanda at the Hutton Honors College Tuesday evening.

All of the event’s proceeds went toward the current initiatives of Books & Beyond, which include opening a library and a playground for children in Rwanda.

Visions of Rwanda is a yearly event put on by Books & Beyond, an IU nonprofit organization that collaborates with local elementary school students and students in Rwanda to encourage engagement in reading and writing.

The program works with students to publish a yearly anthology, “The World is our Home.” This year, the program published its ninth edition.

The program also raises money to benefit Rwandan students by bringing books during a book deficit.

Sophomore Zoie Hancock, who is studying English literature and Korean language, is a member of the organization. She helps to edit both the English and Rwandan stories for the yearly anthology.

“Since Books & Beyond is a nonprofit organization, fundraising is a big source of where we get our income,” she said. “For example, this summer, we’re planning on building a playground for the students in Rwanda. Obviously that becomes a very costly project.”

Cyanne Loyle, professor of political science, addressed some of the issues facing Rwanda today, 23 years after the Rwandan genocide that took lives of over a million innocent Tutsi.

Loyle is an East African specialist whose work focuses on the justice process of countries in the area before and after armed conflicts.

In 2004, she visited Rwanda to help build a documentation center, a memorial which is now home to items that belonged to people who were murdered in the genocide.

“I was raised up from the hope from this community,” she said.

However, five years later Loyle visited the country again to examine issues of justice within Gacaca court, community courts put into place to work through the aftermath of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.

Loyle said the hearings are public, which allows for local villagers to stand up and testify for or against a perpetrator.

“This is a way of bringing justice to a much more local level,” she said. “It’s also a way of being able to address what was a large person backlog. It was hundreds of thousands of people that were in prison.”

Loyle said the courts are run by older members of villages because Rwandan officials couldn’t handle the large number of perpetrators who were accused of crimes during the Rwandan genocide, and the courts are overseen by government officials.

People who support the courts say it was the only way to handle the mass number of individuals accused of crimes during the genocide, Loyle said.

Loyle said she would like to regain the hope she had for Rwanda’s future in 2004.

“With projects like this, we can continue to learn and work toward peace and a more stable and just future for all people,” she said.

Two of the authors were at the event to read the stories they wrote for the anthology.

One student wrote “The Adventures of Emma and Maya,” a story about an elephant named Maya, who is lost before she runs into a hornbill named Emma, who helps her find her home. A second student read his story about homeless orphans, one of whom felt lucky to be  adopted.

Books & Beyond celebrates Rwandan culture

Source:Indiana Daily Student

April 6, 2017
UNHCR in fresh appeal to Rwandan refugees to repatriate

Rwandan refugees in various countries were Monday called on to voluntarily repatriate amid concerns of the looming deadline for the implementation of the cessation clause.

Rwanda estimates that about 280,000 Rwandans could be still living as refugees across 20 countries in the world with the biggest number of them, close to 245,000, living in the DR Congo.

Speaking at a meeting in Kigali, the UNHCR Representative in Rwanda, Azam Saber, said “We would like to encourage more Rwandan refugees living abroad to return home because Rwanda is safe and because the Government of Rwanda is welcoming them.”

The tripartite meeting attracted officials from Rwanda, Congo Brazzaville and the United Nations’ Agency for refugee affairs (UNHCR).

It discussed a roadmap agreed upon by the parties on joint sensitization campaign on voluntary repatriation and local integration of refugees in the host country.

There are about 10,000 Rwandan refugees in Congo Brazzaville, according to Rwandan officials.

Saber, noted that nearly 5,600 Rwandan refugees in Congo Brazzaville were born in exile, of which over 4,000 are going to school and university, illustrating a relatively young age of the refugee population in that country.

Seraphine Mukantabana, Rwanda’s Minister of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, called on the refugees to consider voluntary repatriation before December 31, 2017.

The sensitization campaigns targets refugees who fled the east African country between 1959 and 1998.

The minister reiterated that upon arrival in Rwanda, the returnees will get a sum of 250 U.S. dollars per an adult person to support their resettlement, while children are entitled to 150 U.S. dollars.

The money is given through UNHCR.

Rwanda has already prepared Nyarushishi camp in Rusizi district to receive the returnees, she said.

Antoinette Dinga-Dzondo, Congo Brazzaville Minister of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action and Solidarity said each Rwandan refugee has option to choose among solutions and no one would be forced to return.

“Once one has chosen a given option we examine whether he meets the criteria for them to opt for the voluntary repatriation, or reintegration to retain refugee status,” she said.

Several avenues were employed in the awareness campaign through churches, civil society, and youth forums, according to the officials.

By December 31, 2017, any Rwandan who won’t be home will not be considered as a refugee.

Source:Coast Week

April 6, 2017
East Africa leads the pack in economic growth

East Africa last year registered the fastest economic growth on the continent — 5.5 per cent — compared with the other regions, according to a new report by the Economic Commission for Africa.

The report, Urbanisation and Industrialisation for Africa’s Transformation, forecasts that the region’s growth will increase to 6.0 per cent in 2017 and 6.3 per cent in 2018, backed by a robust performance in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania.

In Kenya, investments in infrastructure and a high household consumption rate drove growth, amid a decline in tourism due to security concerns. In Rwanda, agriculture and services were key growth sectors, although low commodity prices, especially for coffee and tea, and poor infrastructure continued to hurt its growth potential.

In Tanzania, a robust domestic demand for the growing services and manufacturing sectors were the main drivers of economy in 2016.

According to the report, Central Africa will see growth rise to between 3.4 per cent and 4.2 per cent, driven by investment in energy and infrastructure and the services sector.

Fiscal deficits

In East Africa, the fiscal deficit widened from 4.0 per cent to 4.6 per cent in 2016. Kenya is building a new railway line and the government has increased salaries for its employees and budgetary allocation to county government.

Uganda, on the other hand has initiated hydropower projects. Oil exporting countries in Africa saw widening of fiscal deficits from 6.2 per cent in 2015 to 6.5 per cent of GDP due to low global prices. In contrast, oil importers registered an improved deficit margin of 5.5 per cent, from 5.6 per cent previous year.

The deficit in mineral-rich countries declined from 6.5 per cent of GDP in 2015 to 6.1 per cent slightly in 2016.

Inflation on the continent climbed to an average of 10 per cent from 7.5 per cent, blamed on drought, rising electricity prices and falling currencies.

It is expected to remain at that rate in 2017. Inflation rose in all sub-regions except Central Africa and East Africa, where, respectively, it declined to 2.3 per cent in 2016 from 2.8 per cent and to 5.3 per cent from 5.9 per cent, the latter largely due to downward trends in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.

Source:The East African

April 6, 2017
Statement on Cabinet Decisions of 05/04/2017

On Wednesday, 5th April 2017, a Cabinet Meeting chaired by His Excellency the President of the Republic, Paul KAGAME, convened in Village URUGWIRO.

The Cabinet Meeting approved the resolutions of the Cabinet Meeting held on 03/02/2017.

The Cabinet Meeting was briefed on the outcome from the official visits made by His
Excellency the President of the Republic in China, Holy See, United States of America and United Kingdom.

In China:

At the invitation of his counterpart, Xi Jinping, His Excellency the President of the Republic
held high-level bilateral talks which laid ground for key areas namely industrial investment,
infrastructure and tourism.

In Holy See:

Upon invitation by His Holiness Pope Francis, His Excellency the President of the Republic met with him and discussed relationships between Rwanda and the Catholic Church.

The discussions were fruitful as His Holiness Pope Francis asked for forgiveness for the Catholic Church’s role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

In the United States of America:

His Excellency the President of the Republic was invited to address AIPAC Policy
Conference held in Washington DC which brings together Israel and its allies. His
Excellency the President of the Republic is the first African Head of State to address AIPAC.

His Excellency the President of the Republic participated in the Atlantic Council think tank on the future of US-Africa relationships. At Boston, His Excellency the President of the Republic delivered a public lecture at Harvard Business School on development of Rwanda,in particular, and of Africa as a whole.

In the United Kingdom:

His Excellency the President of the Republic delivered a public lecture on Rwanda
development.

I. The Cabinet Meeting approved the upgrading of Nyange and Rebero Genocide
Memorials from District to the National Level.

II. The Cabinet Meeting approved:

– Additional features to the EAC electronic Passport;
– The Feeder Roads Policy and Strategy;
– Rwanda Quadrennial Periodic Report for the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the
Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression;

III. The Cabinet Meeting approved the Draft Laws:

– Draft Law governing the National Bank of Rwanda;

– Draft Law approving the ratification of the financing agreement signed in Kigali,
Rwanda on 09 March, 2017 between the Republic of Rwanda and the International
Development Association (IDA) relating to the credit of SDR 34,300,000 for the
transformation of agriculture sector program phase 3;

– Draft Law approving the ratification of the agreement signed in Kigali, Rwanda
on 19 October 2016, between the Republic of Rwanda and the Kingdom of
Morocco, for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion
with respect to taxes on income;

– Draft Law approving the ratification of the Grant Agreement signed in Kigali,
Rwanda on 31st March 2017 Between the Republic of Rwanda and the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) relating to grant of Two Billion Seventy
Seven Million Japanese Yen (¥ 2,077,000,000) for the Project of Rehabilitation of
Irrigation Facilities in Rwamagana District;

– Draft Law modifying and complementing Law nº 54/2010 of 25/01/2011
establishing Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) and determining its mission,
organization and functioning;

– Draft Law relating to the protection of Whistleblowers;

IV. The Cabinet Meeting approved the following Orders:

– Prime Minister’s Order determining organizational Structure, Salaries and Fringe
benefits for Employees of National Unity and Reconciliation Commission
(NURC);

– Prime Minister’s Order granting a leave of absence for non-specific period to Dr.
UMULISA Irenée, who was Director of Neglected Tropical Diseases and other
Parasitic Diseases Unit in Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC);

– Prime Minister’s Order determining the Supervising Authority of Rwanda
Forensic Laboratory (RFL);

– Ministerial Order granting the power of attorney to certain staff members of
Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB). These are:

Ms. KIRENGA BATAMULIZA Viviane;
Mr. SEKABUKE Jean Paul and
Ms. RWAKUNDA Quinta.

– Ministerial Order determining regulations implementing the Law No 75/2013 of
11/09/2013 establishing regulation governing Civil Aviation;

V. The Cabinet Meeting approved the agrément of proposed Ambassadors/High
Commissioners designated to represent their respective countries and the Apostolic
Nuncio of the Catholic Church to Rwanda.

– Mr. BENOIT RYELANDT, of the Kingdom of Belgium, with residence in
Kigali;

– Mr. BENSON KAITH CHALI, of Zambia, with residence in Dar-Es-Salaam,Tanzania;

– Mr. LASZLO EDUARD MATHE, of Hungary, with residence in Nairobi, Kenya;

– Mr. CHULPATHMENDRA DAHANAYAKE, of Sri Lanka, with residence in
Nairobi, Kenya.

– Mgr. ANDRZEJ JOZWOWICZ, Apostolic Nuncio of Holy See (Catholic
Church of Rome), with residence in Kigali, Rwanda;

VI. The Cabinet Meeting made the following appointments in various Government
Institutions.

1. National Commission for Human Rights Commissioners:

MAKOMBE Jean Marie;

KAWERA Marie Sylvie;

GAHONGAYIRE Aurélie.

2. National Unity and Reconciliation Commission Commissioner: MUHIRE Louis – Antoine

3. National Electoral Commission Commissioners:

MBABAZI Judith;
BAMWINE Loyce.

4. MINECOFIN

a) Head of National Budget: NAMUTEBI Rehemah;

b) Division Manager of Fiscal Decentralization Division : NZAYIKORERA Jonathan;

c) Division Manager of National Planning & Research Division : MUSHABE Richard;

d) Senior Economist of Macro-Economic Policy Division: RWAKUNDA UMULISA Amina;

e) Division Manager of External Finance Division: NKUSI Ronald.

5. MININFRA

a) Transport Division Manager: BYIRINGIRO Alfred;

b) Rwanda Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC)

Deputy CEO in charge of Rural Water & Sanitation Services: UMUHUMUZA Gisele.

6. MINEDUC

a) Higher Education Council

Executive Director: Dr. MUVUNYI Emmanuel;

b) Rwanda Education Board (REB)

Head of Examinations and Accreditation Department: Dr. TUSIIME Michael.

7. MYICT

a) Director General/ICT: IRERE Claudette;

b) Principal Senior Technologist in charge of ICT Private Sector

c) Development: KABARISA René.

8. Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA)

a) Chief Executive Officer (CEO): MUHIZI Bagamba Innocent;

b) Government Chief Information Officer (GCIO): NYIRANZEYIMANA Josephine;

c) Government Chief Innovation Officer (GCINO): SEBERA Antoine.

9. National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR)

Deputy Director General: MURENZI Ivan

10. RURA

Director General: Maj. NYIRISHEMA Patrick

11. Ombudsman’s Office

a) Deputy Ombudsman in charge of Preventing and Fighting Corruption and Related Offences: MUSANGABATWARE Clement;

b) Deputy Ombudsman in charge of Preventing and Fighting Injustice: YANKURIJE Odette.

12. Board of Directors

a) Rwanda Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC)

MUNYANEZA Omar, Chairperson;

KAYITESI Marcelline, Member.

b) RWANDAIR

Jean Paul Nyirubutama, Member

c) Board of Directors of Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA)

GAFARANGA Amin;

BATONI Florence;

KABBATENDE Aline;

MUKESHIMANA Claudine;

NKURIKIYIMFURA Didier;

NDUSHABANDI Eric.

13. National Bank of Rwanda (BNR)

Vice Governor: Dr. NSANZABAGANWA Monique

14. Regional Center on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA)

Director of Planning and Coordination: CP MUGISHA ZIKAMA Joseph

15. RWANDAIR

a) Acting CEO: Col. Chance Ndagano;

b) Deputy CEO in charge of Operations (COO): Lt Col. Sylvere Munyaneza;

c) Deputy CEO in charge of Corporate Affairs: MAKOLO MANZI Yvonne.

16. Office of the Prime Minister/PMO

– BYUSA Michelle: Advisor to Minister in charge of Cabinet Affairs
– KIHESI RWAGUMA: Advisor to the Director of Cabinet.

17. Ministry of Justice/MINIJUST

– MUSHINZIMANA Karyn: Advisor to the Minister of State in charge of
Constitutional and Legal Affairs.

18. Ministry of Local Government/MINALOC

– YANKURIJE Thacien: Director of Social Affairs Unit.
– BUGINGO RUJONGI Emmanuel: Director of Community Development Unit.

19. Ministry of Trade, Industry and East African Community Affairs/MINEACOM

– NSHUNGUYINKA John: Director of Social and Governance Affairs Unit.

20. Local Administrative Entities Development Agency/LODA

– KWIFASHA Wellars: Director of Finance Unit.

21. Rwanda Standards Board/RSB

– KABERA Bernard: Director of Testing Laboratories Unit.
– UWAMARIYA Pacifique: Director of Chemical Laboratories Unit.

22. University Teaching Hospital/CHUK

– MUHAWENIMANA BARINDIKIJE Immaculeé: Director of Nursing Service Unit.

VII. In A.O.B:

a) The Minister of Justice/Attorney General informed the Cabinet Meeting that from the 15th to 19th May 2017, Rwanda will host the 4th Biennial Africa Correctional Services

Association (ACSA) Conference under the theme: “Building a professional
correctional system in Africa: A strategic objective”. The Conference will take
place at Kigali Convention Centre.

b) The Minister of Sports and Culture informed the Cabinet Meeting that:
– The 23 rd Commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi will start on 7th April
2017 at the Gisozi Genocide memorial where a flame of hope lighting will take
place. Commemoration activities will start on that date in all Villages of the
Country and will last 100 days. This year’s theme is: “Let’s remember the
Genocide against the Tutsi; fighting its ideology and standing firm on our
achievements”. The Cabinet Meeting recalled that commemoration activities
must be conducted without holding everything.

– The Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay 2017 travelled through Rwanda
from 22nd to 25th March 2017.

c) The Minister of Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs informed the Cabinet Meeting that
the 2nd East African Manufacturing and Business Summit (EAMBS) is scheduled to
take place in Kigali Serena Hotel from 23 rd to 25th May 2017 under the theme:
“Harnessing the Manufacturing Potential for Sustainable Economic Growth”.

d) The Minister of Refugee Affairs and Disaster Management informed the Cabinet
meeting that:

– Inauguration of 18 bridges in Gakenke District took place on 27th March 2017 and
inauguration of 16 disaster resilient model houses were launched in Rusizi
District. The houses were built specifically for people who had been evacuated
from disaster risk prone villages in Bugarama Sector/Rusizi District.

– The Tripartite meeting between the Government of Rwanda, the Republic of
Congo and the UNHCR related to the cessation of circumstances for Rwandan
refugees living in Congo was held on the 3 rd and 4th April 2017.

e) The Minister of Youth and ICT informed the Cabinet Meeting that the Government
of Rwanda in partnership with the Smart Africa Secretariat is organizing the
“Transform Africa 2017 Summit”, which will be held in Kigali from 10th to 12th May
2017. This year’s theme is: “Smart Cities, Fast Forward”.

f) The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources informed the Cabinet Meeting that season 2017B is progressing well. However, there is an outbreak of army worms
destroying grain crops. This outbreak has so far been reported in 108 Sectors in 23
Districts. The pests have infected 15,699 ha of maize and sorghum crops. MINAGRI
in collaboration with MINALOC and Districts are carrying out countrywide
awareness campaigns on prevention and fight against the scourge countrywide. The
population is encouraged to conduct community work in order to burn out the army
worms and spray the affected fields of grain crops.

g) The Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education informed the
Cabinet Meeting that MINEDUC celebrated the 2017 African Day of School Feeding
on 25th March 2017. This year’s theme is: “Home Grown School Feeding:
Investment in youth and children to harnessing the demographic dividend”. At
national level, celebrations took place at Groupe Scolaire Cyanika, Cyanika Sector in
Nyamagabe District.

This Statement was signed
By
Stella Ford MUGABO

The Minister in Charge of Cabinet Affairs

April 6, 2017
Babyl health selected for spring cohort 3, Dubai Expo 20/20 grants

babyl, Rwanda’s first digital health service which offers medical consultation using a mobile phone, has been selected to join SPRING Cohort 3, an accelerator program that identifies and supports businesses that can bring life-enhancing products and services to girls whilst providing comprehensive business model development and support to its participants – including Human-Centred Design prototyping, prototype funding, investment guidance, global and local mentor and corporate partners who donate in kind expertise, and access to legal expertise through their corporate partner Hogan Lovells.

babyl Rwanda also received a significant grant from Dubai Expo 20/20 which is a programme to fund, accelerate and promote creative solutions that improve lives. babyl selected from 600 entries, will also be presenting in the 20/20 Expo Innovation Village.

‘It is an honour to join 19 other businesses across East Africa at SPRING Cohort 3. We are all trying to lead way in engraining social impact into a company’s core values. We aim to provide a comprehensive and sexual reproductive health service to young women using our digital platform”, said Tracey McNeill, CEO, babyl Rwanda.
Also remarking on the Dubai 20/20 grants, McNeill added “This grant from Dubai Expo will help to refine our health service to both meet the health needs of young women across the country, and make healthcare accessible and affordable to everyone”.
After gaining a license from the Ministry of Health, babyl launched to the public with a free trial period in mid-September 2016. To date, babyl has registered over 350,000 users and completed over 90,000 appointments through the innovative mobile health service.

Health Minister, Dr. Diane Gashumba remarked, “As a ministry, we have placed a lot of emphasis on encouraging health workers and health providers to get closer to the citizens. babyl Rwanda is using the one device most of us have, a mobile phone, and an advanced technology platform to accelerate our journey to getting quality healthcare to all and orient people who need to meet Doctors physically. This innovative program will use an easy digital tool to improve access to information and services on adolescent sexual and reproductive health including prevention of teenage pregnancies.

Spring Accelerator program will not only help us reach that goal faster, but its focus on girls will help us reach one the most vulnerable segments in our society”.
Youth & ICT Minister, Jean PhilbertNsengimana also commented “Leveraging digital platforms to give citizens access to healthcare is a key area of focus when executing smart solutions across the country. The prospect of reducing the burden on government & private health as well increasing access to quality healthcare is a key driver on a national agenda level. We are excited that so soon after babyl chose Rwanda to kick-off its global expansion strategy, we not only benefit from a pioneering service that has reached many, but more research and more innovation that will result from babyl’s participation in the SPRING cohort and the Dubai Expo 20/20”

April 5, 2017
Winrock International, Rwanda seal commitment to reduce child labor

Close to eight years (2009-2017) of partnership in support of the Government of Rwanda’s National Policy on the Elimination of Child Labor, Winrock International and the Government of Rwanda celebrate their achievements and affirm commitments in accelerating the reduction of child labor by holding a sustainability workshop in Kigali, Rwanda on April 6, 2017.

The workshop to be held at Grand Legacy Hotel will attract 75 participants representing government officials, district authorities, private sector, beneficiaries, volunteers and media.

Honorable Minister of MIFOTRA Judith Uwizeye will address the Assembly and re-affirm theGovernment of Rwanda’s commitment and affirmative action to sustain notable benefits ofREACH-T in supporting existing GoR policies and programs aimed at the reduction of child labor, as well as national and district inter-agency structures enacting these policies.

Denis Test, Political Officer from the United States Embassy, will underscore the productive and collaborative partnership between and among the Government of Rwanda, Winrock International and the US Department of Labor (USDOL) in bringing REACH-T to fruition.

The project is a living testament to the country’s resolute aim to end child labor and bring forth a generation of more productive Rwanda children and youth.

This event caps years of partnership with the National Steering Committee on Child Labor headed by the Ministry of Public Service and Labour,12 districts and their District Steering Committees, the tea cooperatives and tea factories, children, participating households, vocational training centers, and private service providers in implementing effective and sustainable interventions to take children out of hazardous work and ensure that they benefit from appropriate educational programs through an integrated area-based approach in 12 tea-growing areas of the country.

The child labor initiatives in Rwanda have achieved significant outcomes, exceeding most project targets:

Provided education or vocational services to 12,713 children in or at-risk of child labor, exceeding project targets for REACH and REACH-T;

Provided livelihoods/entrepreneurship training to 1,958 households composed of 1,579 women and 379 men whose children have been provided education and vocational services. These households formed 93 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).

Sixty-five of these VSLAs have opened accounts with Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCO), making them eligible to access additional productive loans to grow their businesses. VSLA households have committed to continue the education of their children and keep them out of hazardous labor;

Developed a Child Labor Monitoring System that has now been transferred to MIFOTRA for management. Anticipating its nationwide application, the project trained all 30 District Steering Committees in the operationalization and maintenance of the system;

Provided school improvement activities to nine schools to improve learning environment and prevent drop-outs;

Produced an Occupational Health and Safety management database and tools to be used by tea cooperatives and factories, labor inspectors and youth. The OSH monitoring system has also been transferred to MIFOTRA for management; and
Integrated social protection strategies, providing community health insurance and referring 74% of beneficiary households to social protection services

The workshop is expected to develop a set of recommendations and resources required for the government and stakeholders to continue the momentum and leadership of the GoR, working in consort with tea companies, tea cooperatives and the rest of civil society, to sustain the benefits of REACH-T particularly in the area of child labor monitoring, enhancement of youth productivity; and empowerment of vulnerable households.

Hyporite, one of REACH-T’s beneficiaries once said: “Please provide education to all children, to avoid child labor if we want to have a better society”. Long after the conclusion

of REACH-T, many other Rwandan children like Hyporite will pursue education rather than child labor and be responsible and productive Rwandan citizens of the future.

April 5, 2017
France keeps mum on 20 French soldiers accused of complicity in Rwanda genocide

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo has said that Rwanda is awaiting France reaction following the request of facilitating investigations on 20 French soldiers accused of complicity in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

She has noted this today in a press conference.

“We have not yet received a response from France. We hope they are gathering information to provide the answer as it should be,” she said.

Mushikiwabo explained that France respects that judicial sector functioning which is why it is promising to react on the request.

Meanwhile, Rwanda plans to release a list of French leaders accused of involvement in the 1994 genocide against Tutsi following the recently released list of French soldiers.

Rwanda’s prosecution recently announced that the French soldiers, subjects of the investigation, were informed following legal procedures. The investigation was preceded by release of of a list of 22 senior French soldiers suspected of complicity in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi by the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG) on 31st October 2016.

The list is based on various reports detailing the role of French soldiers in the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.

April 4, 2017