Under the agreement, Rwanda becomes the exclusive supplier of tea and coffee at Parc des Princes stadium where PSG hosts its games, starting next season. Besides, the ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo will be showcased on the team’s training kits and jerseys during friendship matches and in Ligue 1.
The partnership was announced a year and a half after Rwanda Development Board started working with Arsenal, a professional football club in England. The agreement with Arsenal allowed Rwanda to showcase its brand on the team’s jerseys in order to promote tourism.
In an interview with RTV, Clare Akamanzi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), said that Rwanda chose PSG partnership because the agreement transcends tourism and football interests as it covers commercial interests as well, giving Rwandans an opening to promote their products and services.
“In a bid to promote the economy of our country and the wellbeing of Rwandans, we strive to find ways to market the Rwandan brand inside and outside the country. We signed this three-year sponsorship deal with PSG but it is not only a way to promote Rwanda as a tourist destination through ‘Visit Rwanda’, but we will also be able to promote businesses including cloth brands, tea, and coffee.”
She made the call on Wednesday, 4th December during discussions aimed at finding a permanent solution to the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among teenage girls in Africa. The talks were part of the ongoing International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa that will end on December 7th, 2019.
A research conducted in October, 2019 in partnership with the Government of Rwanda, The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ICAP at Columbia University reported that new infections among women aged between 55-59 is at 6.5% and men aged between 50-59 is on 7.4%.
New infections among teenagers are relatively worrying particularly among teenagers in their 20s. Research shows that young girls aged between 20 and 24 get infected with HIV at a 1.8% rate which is three times higher than young boys who are infected at a 0.6% rate.
Around the world, HIV infection among teenagers is very worrying especially in Sub-Saharan countries where at least 6000 teenagers get infected daily.
Her Excellency Jeannette Kagame says that they should be responsible for choosing the right path for their life and a future they will be proud of.
“What will it take for you to know the power you possess? You are the pillars of our society and you have the ability to change your life for the better and positively impact the lives of those around you.”
She added that even though teenagers have this power, they are still the most vulnerable group in society and are still at a high risk of being HIV infected.
Teenage girls and young women who are HIV positive are double the numbers of men the same age.
“Despite these numbers, we still have hope for a better future given that the number of newly HIV infected teenagers reduced by 43% between 2009 and 2013. In Rwanda, the number of HIV victims reduced by 82% in the past 20 years.”
However, Jeannette Kagame says that there is still a long way to go and that it cannot be tolerated that HIV claims so many young lives who could have been future leaders.
“We are still striving for a better life for every citizen, but teenage girls and young women need help in particular. I have a question for the youth in this room. What contribution are you giving to fight HIV? What kind of help are you expecting from adults? What are you waiting for to fight for your lives? This battle will only be won if we join forces.”
She mentioned that the ICASA conference will serve as a platform for teenagers to learn about their reproductive rights and everything about human anatomy.
{{Imbuto Foundation role in fighting HIV epidemic}}
The First Lady says that Imbuto Foundation created programs to educate teenagers between 10 and 12 years of age so that they can be aware of their reproductive rights.
The programs also sensitize teenagers to embrace the culture of saving and contributing to uprooting poverty.
“Imbuto Foundation has helped more than 30,000 learn about reproduction, get free HIV testing and educated about how to fight rape and sexual abuse.”
“We reconcile teenage girls who were impregnated with their families and sensitize parents to teach their children about reproduction.”
She urged everyone to contribute to stopping the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among teenage girls and young women.
Joyce Amondi Ouma, an HIV positive Kenyan woman called African government to support financially teenagers who drop out of school because she sees this as the main cause many get infected with HIV.
In her testimony, she said she knew she was HIV positive when she was 17 years old and that she has been living with it for five years now.
“When I learned that I was infected, all my friends started stigmatizing me and I thought I was going to die.”
Amondi says that she was later accepted in her society and that she founded an association called ‘Sauti Skika’ that supports HIV positive people.
She said that poverty is a common problem in Africa that affects young girls more, making it imperative for African governments to adopt measures designed to reduce poverty and financially support teenagers who drop out of school.
Dr. Landry Isague from UNICEF says that the problem of teenagers who are infected with HIV is global but more rampant in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Teenagers should be aware of their reproductive rights and hence eliminate the risk of getting infected.”
He commended the Government of Rwanda’s effort in fighting against the epidemic and promised that other countries are going to follow this path as well.
The arrest of Jean de Dieu Hakizimana, 26, and Alexandre Nduwamungu, 36, came shortly after they defrauded a telecom banking agent in Iriba Village, Kibaza Cell in Kacyiru Sector.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Marie-Gorrette Umutesi, the Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said that the duo had defrauded the agent of Rwf130, 000.
“On Monday at about 10 pm, Hakizimana and Nduwamungu, who were moving on a motorcycle RA 750X, stopped and withdrew Rwf130, 000 at a Mobile Money agent kiosk in Iriba Village, Kibaza Cell in Kacyiru Sector,” CIP Umutesi said.
“The agent realized few minutes later that the duo had sent a fake withdrawal message and security personnel, who were around intercepted the suspects as they attempted to flee. It later came to light that they had used a SIM-Card which they had also stolen from another Mobile Money user, although there was no money on its account. The motorcycle they were using was impounded to Kacyiru Police station, where the suspects are also detained,” she added.
The spokesperson advised the general public to protect their PIN codes or passwords and urged telecom banking agents to be vigilant and share information on such scammers.
Fraud, deception, obtaining another person’s property by use of false names or qualifications, is punishable with an imprisonment term of two to three years and a fine of between Rwf3 million and Rwf5 million, as stipulated under article 174 of the penal code.
Rwanda and Paris Saint-Germain will bring together their expertise through a new model of sport partnership built around three main cornerstones: cultural and artistic synergies, a shared commitment to excellence and football development.
Rwanda’s long-term vision aligns with PSG’s commitment to the younger generation, reflected in their massive global appeal as the youngest major European club, home to many of today and tomorrow’s greatest footballing talents, a pioneer for fashion and lifestyle in football, and a hotbed for ground-breaking experiences.
First team players and legends will travel to Rwanda for remarkable experiences that will be shared with more than 70 million PSG fans across the globe.
Visit Rwanda branding will be displayed at the Parc des Princes Stadium, on the sleeve of Paris Saint-Germain women’s team, and on the back of training kits. Fans of PSG will also be given the opportunity to savour award-winning Rwandan tea and coffee that will be served exclusively at the Parc des Princes starting next season.
A “Semaine du Rwanda à Paris” (Rwanda Week in Paris) event will be organised to promote “Made in Rwanda”.
A number of fashion, art and lifestyle collaborations will also be launched over the coming months and young and eco-responsible luxury brands will join forces with Visit Rwanda and PSG in exciting tripartite collaborations.
Paris Saint-Germain will support young Rwandan footballers to reach their full potential by organizing training programmes for both coaches and youth, enabling access to expertise offered by France’s most successful football club.
Marc Armstrong, Chief Partnership Officer, said: “We are delighted to welcome Rwanda into the Paris Saint-Germain family. With this partnership, we will deepen our engagement with fans in Africa. This multifaceted collaboration will showcase all Rwanda has to offer and create powerful partnerships to contribute to Rwanda’s impressive growth. Having spent time getting to know the country, and its people, we are incredibly excited about the opportunity to create a platform for exchange between Rwanda, France and the rest of the world.”
{{Rwanda, a fascinating business and tourism hub }}
Through this partnership, PSG joins Rwanda on the remarkable journey of transformation the country has been on for the last two decades. Rwanda is ranked the second safest country in Africa. Growing at 8.6%, Rwanda was the fastest growing economy in Africa in 2018.
It was also ranked as the second easiest place to do business in Africa according to the World Bank and has been awarded for its leadership in sustainable tourism by the World Travel and Tourism Council.
Investors in Rwanda are able to register their businesses in only six hours and immediately enjoy the market access opportunities offered by the Continental Free Trade Agreement that has been signed by more than 50 African countries.
Close to two million visitors come to Rwanda for business and pleasure, discovering a clean, green country with welcoming people eager to share their unique culture. In Rwanda, visitors enjoy some of the world’s finest coffee and tea while relaxing at awe-inspiring luxury eco-tourism properties.
Renowned for its incredible mountain gorilla trekking experience, tourists can also enjoy a variety of kayaking, cycling, hiking, bird watching and a ‘Big Five’ savannah safari to list but a few of the attractions available in Rwanda.
Commenting on the partnership, Rwanda Development Board’s Chief Executive Officer Clare Akamanzi, said: “In the last twenty-five years, Rwanda has transformed from a nation known for tragedy to one vibrating with creativity and innovation.
We invest part of our tourism revenues in strategic collaborations such as the one with Paris Saint-Germain because we understand the positive effect they have on the overall perception of the country globally.
This means attracting more tourism, boosting the export of Made in Rwanda products, creating more economic opportunities for our people and increasing jobs in our tourism industry and the larger ecosystem.
Today, 142,000 Rwandans are directly employed in the tourism industry, up from 90,000 in 2017.
Last year Rwanda received 1.7 million visitors to the country and we expect more this year.
Furthermore, we registered a record $2 billion in investments and we are confident that the partnership will boost more investments.
We look forward to the opportunity for business and creative exchanges between the Paris Saint-Germain community and Rwanda. We cannot wait for Paris Saint-Germain fans to get to know today’s Rwanda – an ambitious, modern country that has much to offer the world
The awards were given on Tuesday, 3rd December as the Expo was closing. The Expo aimed at promoting locally manufactured products and services.
Volkswagen Rwanda, the exclusive Rwandan distributor of the prestigious global brand Volkswagen wins the Best Exhibitor Award for the second time.
Michaella Rugwizangoga, Chief Executive Officer and director on the Board of Volkswagen Rwanda told IGIHE that this award is a motivation to keep doing what they do best and provide the best service in the automotive industry in Rwanda.
“It is an honor to win this award for the second time and it shows the Rwandan market was made for us. We will strive to become more innovative and introduce new products and services”
Rugwizangoga said that the plant continues to thrive given that since its launch last year, it has recorded 50,000 travels every month. Volkswagen Rwanda currently has 250 drivers and continues to expand its market to cover the entire country.
Rugwizangoga says that they are planning on manufacturing more vehicles and training more drivers.
On Tuesday, 3rd December, 150 drivers including 69 women concluded professional training and received certificates testifying they have acquired skills that are beyond just owning a driving permit.
She added that the plant plans on diversifying the types of vehicles manufactured and include VW Polo, Teramont and Amarok vehicles starting next year.
Robert Bapfakurera, chairman of the Rwandan Private Sector Federation (PSF) said that this year, Made in Rwanda Expo reached an impressive level.
“Before the Made in Rwanda Expo was introduced, we only counted on the fashion industry to promote the Made in Rwanda brand but now, we have industries like the Volkswagen Rwanda plant and other businesses that are contributing to locally manufactured products going global.”
He added that during this year’s Made in Rwanda Expo, at least 400 products and services were exhibited and that it is a remarkable milestone.
Made in Rwanda Expo 2019 started on November 28th and ended on December 4th, 2019
Usanase learned that she had cervical cancer in 2017, a disease that continues to claim the lives of many people in Rwanda and around the world.
Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) reported that only last year, there were 362 new cervical cancer patients.
This cancer tops the list of diseases that claim the biggest number of lives in Rwanda but when it is diagnosed earlier, it can be cured as Usanase testifies.
Usanase shared her story at an event that brought together the Ministry of Health, UNITAID, Clinton Health Access Initiative and that aimed at identifying solutions to prevent and eradicate cervical cancer on Tuesday 3rd December 2019.
The event also brought together First Ladies of Rwanda, Niger, Tchad, Botswana, and Niger and was part of the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) that started on December 2nd in Kigali.
Usanase recounted her journey during her sickness and the treatments she received.
“I was diagnosed in 2017 and since I am in menopause already, I could not explain why I was bleeding. I immediately went to the dispensary and they transferred me to CHUK. They tested me and diagnosed me with cervical cancer but I refused to believe it since I felt well besides the bleeding.”
They explained the diagnosis to her daughter who had accompanied her at the hospital.
She says that CHUK then transferred her to Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence located in Northern Rwanda where the disease was cured through a chemotherapy regimen.
“Two weeks after the diagnosis, I was told I was at stage 2 cervical cancer meaning it had grown beyond the cervix and uterus but had not yet reached the walls of the pelvis or the lower part of the vagina. I could be cured with the appropriate treatment.”
Usanase advises women and especially mothers to test regularly because the symptoms can be dealt with when identified at an earlier stage.
“There are qualified specialists who can treat cervical cancer but women need to make it their responsibility to test frequently.”
Statistics show that in Rwanda, 1304 women have been diagnosed with Cervical cancer and 921 died from it.
Currently, 93% of girls and women aged 12 years and above have been vaccinated for cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer appears at the second place of diseases that affect women the most in Africa and at the first place of fatal diseases in Rwanda. Cervical cancer is by 99.7% caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
The ‘Seeds for the Future’ program is a competition organized by Huawei and rewards the most innovative technology projects designed to solve particular problems in society.
In November 2019, eight Rwandan students who presented remarkable projects during the competition were rewarded and Huawei Chief Executive Officer, Ren Zhengfei announced they would travel to China on November 15, 2019.
Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation briefed them before they left for China where they were welcomed by James Kimonyo, Ambassador of Rwanda to China.
In Beijing, they visited the Chinese Great Wall, Mao City named after Mao Zedong, the founding father of the Republic of China as well as the Beijing Olympics Stadium.
Huawei also organized a one-week training about the Chinese language and culture which was held at the Beijing Language and Culture University. They learned to write Mandarin Chinese and were given an examination and certificates.
The students learned about 5G advanced technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) which enables computing devices to send and receive data via the internet as well as cloud computing. They returned back to Rwanda on November 30th, 2019.
Nsabiyumva Willy who is pursuing a Computer Science degree at the Kigali Independent University (ULK) said that what he learned in China proves that people have the potential to achieve great things when their talents are nurtured.
“The story of Huawei shows that when people learn and are given the capacity to implement what they learned and to use their talents, the results are beyond what can normally be expected.”
Iradukunda Karangwa Prosper who studies at the Adventist University of Central Africa said that what he learned at Shenzhen Technology University showed him there were so many opportunities to explore in Rwanda.
“Shenzhen really stroke my interest and I had the chance to learn about the 5G advanced technology, AI, IoT and cloud computing and that will allow me to explore the opportunities that are available in my home country, Rwanda.”
This is the second cohort to visit China as part of the ‘Seeds of the Future’ program. The first cohort went to China in 2018 when the program was introduced and inaugurated by President Paul Kagame.
Rwanda signed agreements with Huawei on March 16th, 2017 where they will be partnering in education and technology projects after talks President Paul Kagame had with Sun Yafang, the Chairwoman of Huawei.
Through the partnership, Huawei supports talented students who are pursuing technology studies in Rwanda. It will also build a data center and smart grid networks in Rwanda.
In its Tuesday, 3rd December report, based on testimonies from citizens, REG tops institutions that drastically reduced corruption from 12.93% last year to 5.3%.
The number of people subjected to corruption at REG reduced from 7.53% to 3.51%, performance that has been commended by the Transparency International Rwanda Director, Ingabire Marie Immaculee.
She said the results were outstanding: “I want to congratulate REG for making efforts in fighting corruption. I realized they were committed to this fight when I saw the whole team attend Itorero in Nkumba along with their manager. Right then, I knew their services would be impeccable.”
Ron Weiss, the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Energy Group (REG) said that one of the reasons REG topped the list of the most performing teams in fighting corruption is due to policies established within the company.
“We made it our goal not to tolerate any form of corruption in the company. This is the beginning. We will continue to sensitize our staff to avoid corruption and set strict disciplinary measures to punish whoever will be involved in corruption cases. We have met with such cases before and some of the people involved were prosecuted and incarcerated.”
Weiss said that there are cases before where REG agents would ask clients for transport money before fixing the reported problems.
“Some of the forms of corruption we experienced in the company are of our agents asking for transport money to our clients in exchange of going to their premises to fix their problems. Some of them would ask for Rwf 5000 before being sent to the clients but we had to stop that behavior that was staining our image and we continue to deal with such problems whenever they occur.”
Weiss says some of the benefits of fighting corruption is that it improved the quality of service provided.
“I believe eliminating this vice leads to better service provision but we still have a long way to go since we want corruption cases to get to 0%.”
In October 2019, REG administration and staff went to Nkumba in Burera District where they spent a week in ‘Itorero’, taken through civic education and moral values to champion in the society.
The annual survey known as ‘Rwanda Bribery Index’ sampled 2459 individuals around the country where 18.5% of the respondents said they were subjected to corruption tendencies in the last 12 months while 81.5% said they had not experienced the same. The percentage of people who experienced corruption last year was at 20.4%.
Her Excellency Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda said nations of Africa should join hands in eradicating the HIV epidemic that has devastated the continent.
“We must be deliberate in strengthening our defense against HIV/AIDS and equip all men, women, and children with the resources to live safe and healthy lives”
She also shared statistics about the milestones Rwanda has reached so far in the fight against HIV “as of 2019, new HIV infections had decreased by 83%; and AIDS-related deaths had dropped by 82% in the last 20 years”
Mrs. Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, UNAIDS joined the conversation saying that “6200 adolescent girls are infected with HIV weekly; girls are at risk of getting HIV because they lack the knowledge to make comprehensive decisions about their life.
There is a big need to put girls in school. She also added that for people living with HIV/AIDS, the question of domestic resource mobilization is a matter of life and death. “Many must be wondering, if this donor money has dried out, will we still be alive?”
The International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (ICASA) Opening Ceremony was hosted by His Excellency, President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame.
The conference started on December 2nd and will end on December 7th. It serves as a platform to gather leaders, activists, scientists, researchers, community members, and key populations from across the globe to discuss the role of political leadership, collaboration, and scientific innovation in advancing efforts to end AIDS by 2030.
In his address to ICASA participants, Prof. John Idoko, President of ICASA said that the ICASA theme brings into sharp focus the continent’s commitment with support from bilateral and multilateral partners and that there is a need to be innovative and inclusive to achieve our set targets.
Dr. Diane Gashumba, the Minister of Health of the Republic of Rwanda reported that 91% of the Rwandan population is covered by health insurance. 99% of pregnant women are tested for HIV. 95% of our children are vaccinated and early infant diagnosis is fully integrated into these services.
As per the UNAIDS recent report while 97% of HIV positive people in Rwanda are on treatment and 90% are suppressing their viral loads.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO said that millions of people are currently on HIV treatment.
“Even better, millions of people are not on treatment because they have the tools to protect themselves.”
The continent has accelerated research and development and has pushed back the boundaries of science in hot pursuit of care.
“Today, over 90% of people living with HIV in Rwanda know their status, and almost all of them are on life-saving treatment. Of those, 90% have achieved viral suppression. That makes Rwanda one of the few countries to achieve the 90-90-90 targets prior to 2020”
With the commitment made by African Leaders at the February 2019 African Union Summit to invest domestic (government) resources in health, this event served as an opportunity to reinforce the commitments made, and to provide an update on the progress made thus far in relation to the agenda set forth by the African Union.
The event also included a panel discussion on how best to take stock of the progress in domestic investment in health on the continent and to discuss the challenges that need to be overcome.
Panelists included Honorable Dr. Uzziel Ngagijimana, Minister of Finance, Rwanda; Ambassador at Large, Debbie Brix, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy; Mr. Peter Sands, Executive Director, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; and Mrs. Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, UNAIDS.
In his speech, Dr. Patrick Ndimubanzi, Minister of State in charge of Primary Healthcare, Republic of Rwanda said the Africa Leadership meeting investing in health comes at a very strategic moment where enhanced action is needed to increase domestic investment in health from the public and private sectors.
Talking about Africa’s investment in health, Dr. Hala Zayed, Minister of Health of the Arab Republic of Egypt underlined that health is an investment and not a cost.
“As health is the main driver of economic growth and a platform for the launch for the sustainable development that we want to achieve”
Dr. Uzziel Ngagijimana, Rwanda Minister of Finance also joined the sessions saying that “According to the recent Human Capital Index, about 40 bottom countries are in Africa. It is a fact that we can’t achieve SDGs if we don’t invest in human capital and that is health and education”
Mr. Peter Sands, Executive Director, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria concluded saying that “Financing health is a means to an end. What you want is the health and well-being of the people”
Senator Dushimirimana Lambert, head of the Political and Good Governance Committee analyzed the records of Havugiyaremye Aimable who was appointed Prosecutor General, Habyarimana Angelique who was appointed Deputy Prosecutor General and Nkurunziza Valens, who was appointed Vice President of the Commercial High Court.
Havugiyaremye was born in 1973 and holds a Master’s degree in International Law from the University of Pretoria. Prior to his new position, he was a prosecutor in ‘Gendarmerie Nationale’, a lecturer in the University of Rwanda, College of Law and was the state envoy to the Ministry of Justice.
Later on, he was appointed as the Vice president of the institution charged with drafting and revising laws and then the acting rector of the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD).
Senator Dushimimana said that discussions they had with Havugiyaremye focused on analyzing the issues in the judicial system in Rwanda and how he will contribute to solving them.
“Havugiyaremye Aimable explained to the Senate Committee that the issues in the judicial system of Rwanda are mainly caused by prosecutors who don’t take time to do an in-depth research about crimes committed and lead to justice not being truly served. He said that during his term, he would sensitize prosecutors to be attentive during investigations and that he would follow up if they fulfilled their duties”
He continued saying that he would invest in trainings with the support of other institutions in order for those involved in the judicial system to improve their knowledge and gain expertise.
“He particularly said that he would focus on crimes that destroy the Rwandan community including child abuse and rape, corruption, cybercrimes, and that he would follow up on cases of genocide convicts who have not yet been tried in courts especially those who live abroad. He will also join the fight against genocide denial and ideologies particularly outside of Rwandan where the two vices reign.”
The Senate also analyzed the report of Habyarimana Angelique who was appointed as the Deputy Prosecutor General but while the committee meeting happened, she was not in the country.
Habyarimana was born in 1974 and also holds a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. She has been working in the judicial sector for a while now and worked in Muhanga and Musanze district as the legal and compliance specialist in the office of the prosecutor.
Senator Dushimimana says “At the time of analyzing her dossier, we were informed she was currently not in the country for health purposes. The committee analyzed her dossier only basing on her CV and it was clear every position she has ever been in, was in the judicial system.”
Senator Mureshyankwano Marie Rose raised a concern, asking if there wasn’t any other alternative to study Habyarimana’s dossier closer and discuss with her and asked what would happen in the event Habyarimana said she was not ready to fulfill her new responsibilities.
“I suggest that if it is not against the law, we should at least contact her and avoid deciding before we have talked to her. What would happen if she said she is not ready for the new responsibilities since she was not consulted before?”
Senator Dushimimana justified it saying that the law allows the procedure that was followed. The law states that the senate committee has to invite an official with a pending appointment but that it is not mandatory to consult them before the appointment is approved.
{{Appointed ambassadors were approved}}
The Committee on Foreign Affairs has also published a report of their analysis on the newly appointed ambassadors including Lt. Gen Mushyo Kamanzi who was appointed to the Russian Federation and Mukangira Jacqueline who was appointed to represent Rwanda in the Republic of India.
The President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator John Bonds said Mukangira was born in 1964 and that she holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the University of Rwanda and that she is currently studying for an advanced diploma at the University of Toulouse in France.
Prior to her appointment, she worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the parliament as a deputy from 2013 to 2017 and in the senate in 2012 where she was in charge of the research committee. She also worked in different projects such as PACFA and in the office of Her Excellency, Jeannette Kagame.
Senator Bideri said that Mukangira committed to strengthening the relationship between Rwandan and India and to overlook the exchanges between the two countries to ensure they mutually benefit from the relationship especially in economic activities.
She also pledged to sensitize business owners in Rwanda to invest in India and to import their products to India especially tea, coffee and chili that have a huge potential market in India.
She also committed to doing the same for Nepal and Maldives that she will be representing as well.
Senators gave her a report showing that at least 3000 Indians live in Rwanda but that they have invested in small ventures. During her term, she was advised to sensitize Indians living in Rwanda to invest in bigger endeavors to contribute to the development of Rwanda.
Lt Gen Frank Mushyo Kamanzi was born on March 31st, 1964 and graduated from the University of Makerere in Uganda with a major in Agriculture. He also graduated with a Master’s degree from the National Defense University in Washington, United States.
He was appointed on 6 April, 2017 by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. In May this year, he bid farewell to the forces he commanded after a two-year term. Before the UNMISS, Lt Gen. Kamanzi was the Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) starting in 2016, and the Commander in Chief of the Field Army from 2012 to 2015.
Senator Bideri said that based on the responsibilities that await him, Lt Gen Kamanzi said he was more than ready to fulfill the mission he was given and to represent Rwanda in the Russian Federation using all the expertise he gained from his work and life experiences.
“The Russian Federation is an influential country both in the economy and in the military and is among the five largest emerging economies. Our relationship with Russia has been ongoing for 55 years and I will contribute to strengthening it and ensuring both countries benefit from each other.”
He said he would focus on the education sector where he reported that currently, Russia offers more than 100 scholarships to Rwandans per year. Lt Gen Kamanzi said that he will ensure that the number of Rwandans who are admitted to Russian universities increases.
“Recently, Rwanda signed a deal with Russia for the establishment of a Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology in the country. He committed to overseeing the implementation of this agreement. He also said he would overlook agreements between the two countries regarding the extraction of Methane Gas”
Finally, he committed to sensitizing the Rwandan diaspora in Russia about the government programs, to join hands in fighting against genocide denial and ideology.
Kamanzi will also be representing the Government of Rwandan in Belarus.
