Mastaba, the standard type of tomb in pre-dynastic and early dynastic Egypt, has a rectangular base, a flat roof, and sloping side walls made of stone or mud bricks.
The newly-found mastaba was for a royal doctor who lived during the reign of Pepy II (c.2278-2184 BC), the last king of the Sixth Dynasty in Egypt’s Old Kingdom.
Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said the discovery is an important addition to the history of the archaeological area, as the texts and drawings on the tomb’s walls unveil new aspects of the daily life of the Old Kingdom, according to the statement.
It added that preliminary studies indicate that the mastaba was probably looted in early times, but the walls bearing carved and painted inscriptions are well-preserved.
The mission also found a sarcophagus (stone coffin). Inscriptions on the tomb’s ceiling and inside the sarcophagus revealed the name and title of the tomb’s owner, according to the statement.
This development comes at a time when the global sustainable bond market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by increasing awareness of climate change risks and their potential financial impact.
Green bonds remain the dominant instrument in the sustainable bond market, with growing demand for such bonds as well as other sustainable financial products. In response to this demand and the mounting climate change risks, Rwanda has adopted an ambitious strategy to establish itself as an International Financial Centre.
[The newly released GSS+ Bond Guidelines ->https://cma.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/Capital_Market_Guidelines_on_Issuance_of_GSS__Bonds.pdf]provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for the public issuance and listing of GSS+ bonds in Rwanda. These guidelines are designed to complement the country’s existing debt securities laws, ensuring a consistent and robust approach to sustainable finance.
Thapelo Tsheole, the CEO of CMA, highlighted that these guidelines focus primarily on public issuance and do not cover private issuance or multi-jurisdictional issuance of GSS+ bonds.
“However, the framework seeks to create securities that are internationally credible, replicable, and attractive to global investors,” he said.
Tsheole also emphasized that the GSS+ Bonds Guidelines are based on international principles set by renowned organizations such as the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA) and the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), aligning Rwanda’s sustainable finance efforts with global best practices.
This regulatory initiative underscores Rwanda’s commitment to innovation and resilience in the face of global financial and environmental challenges, positioning the country as a leader in sustainable finance.
Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks when responding to a relevant question at a press conference.
Guo said that China and Africa share time-honored friendship. The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was successfully held in 2024 and China-Africa relations entered the new phase of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, this week officially started his visit to four African countries, which also marks the 35th year for the Chinese foreign ministers to make Africa their first overseas destination at the start of the year.
The fine tradition for Chinese foreign ministers to start their year-round overseas visits with a trip to Africa speaks to the growing profound friendship between China and Africa and the continuity of China’s friendly cooperation with Africa, Guo said. “China always believes that Africa is never ‘the lost continent,’ but the land of hope and source of dynamism.”
Guo pointed out that Africa betters global governance with the power of transformation. He said under the guidance of Pan-Africanism, African countries have accelerated the integration process of seeking strength through unity and pursuing development and revitalization, playing an increasingly important role in international affairs.
Africa powers global economic growth, Guo said, adding the African Development Bank predicted that Africa’s average growth would rise to 3.7 percent in 2024, exceeding the projected global average. Among the 20 fastest growing economies in the world, 10 are African countries.
The spokesperson said that Africa is one of the birthplaces of the civilization of mankind, and also a land full of vigor and hope, with 70 percent of its population under the age of 30, the youngest in the world.
Amid the transformation in the world unseen in a century, the booming development of the Global South, such as China and Africa, has a profound impact on world historical progress, Guo said. “A stronger and more developed Africa will surely make greater contribution to world peace and development.”
These details were shared by the BRD leadership during a gathering for Rwandans living abroad on January 3, 2025.
The event hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, was attended by over 130 Rwandans from more than 40 countries.
In his address, the Minister emphasized that achieving the goals of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) will require ongoing effort and collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the Rwandan diaspora.
The student loan scheme, which started in 1980 under the Ministry of Education, has undergone several changes over time.
Initially managed by the Ministry of Education, the responsibility shifted in 2008 to the Students Financing Agency of Rwanda (SFAR).
In 2013, following a merger of institutions under the Ministry of Education, SFAR was integrated into the Rwanda Education Board (REB) as a department responsible for student loans.
In 2016, BRD took over the management of student loans and collection of repayments from beneficiaries.
During the event, Wilson Rurangwa, Head of the Education Department at BRD, urged those who had benefited from the loans to begin thinking about repayment.
“As the Minister mentioned, the NST2 development agenda aims to build a knowledge based economy, and this can only be achieved through education.
“Many of us here have had the privilege of studying with these loans, but we must repay them so that future generations can have the same opportunity,” Rurangwa said.
BRD also advises loan applicants to open accounts with BRD Minuza, which will allow them to easily track their payments or have their employers deduct payments directly from their salaries if applicable.
The bank has been making adjustments to student loan repayment procedures as needed.
For example, in July 2024, 300 million Rwandan Francs were refunded to those who had overpaid on their loans.
As per Rwanda Statistical Yearbook for 2024, the distribution of visitors to Rwanda’s national parks in 2020 showed varied preferences.
Volcanoes National Park, popularly known for [gorilla trekking in Rwanda->https://www.gorillaadventuretours.com/]; attracted 10,853 visitors, accounting for 30% of the total, while Akagera National Park saw the highest number, with 19,761 visitors, making up 55%.
Nyungwe National Park, though less visited, still drew a notable crowd of 5,405, which represented 15% of the total park visitors that year.
The sharp decline in visitor numbers compared to 111,136 in 2019 was largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted many activities, including tourism, for an extended period.
Visitor numbers rebounded steadily in the following years, rising to 45,305 in 2021, 107,976 in 2022, and 135,869 in 2023. From 2021 to 2023, the number of visitors increased by 2.99%.
In 2023, 35% of visitors were at Volcanoes National Park, 47% at Akagera National Park, and 18% at Nyungwe National Park. Akagera National Park does not just stand out as the leading overall safari destination in Rwanda but also the leading Rwanda [self drive destination->https://rwandaselfdrives.com/].
NISR also reported on the composition of park visitors in 2023: 29% (38,822) were Rwandans, 6% (8,712) were foreign residents in Rwanda, and 65% (88,335) were international tourists.
Additionally, the report highlighted a significant increase in foreign visitors’ spending.
Between 2015 and 2023, expenditure nearly doubled, rising from $338.1 million in 2015 to $458 million in 2019, and reaching $563.9 million in 2023.
The survey conducted at Kigali International Airport and various border points, including Rusumo, Kagitumba, Gatuna, Cyanika, Rusizi I and II, Akanyaru Haut, Nemba, Corniche, and Poids Lourds, revealed that foreign visitors in Rwanda spent over Rwf753.8 billion in 2023.
Expenditure data showed that 24% of spending came from business travelers, 42% from vacationers, and 23% from those visiting friends and relatives. The data collection occurred at the end of trips, providing a detailed view of visitors’ spending on goods and services during their stay.
Rwandans traveling abroad were also surveyed, revealing they spent $355.2 million.
Notably, 78.1% of foreign visitors’ spending in Rwanda came from air travelers, while 57.7% of Rwandans’ overseas spending was also attributed to air travel.
Guaranteed security, ease of access, excellent customer service from various hospitality establishments, well-established policies, and the presence of a large number of tour operators are among key factors that contribute to seamless experiences for tourists across the country, making Rwanda an attractive choice for international travelers.
During a presentation to Parliament on September 9, 2024, Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente outlined the government’s five-year development agenda, aiming to nearly double the tourism sector’s revenue by 2029.
“Our primary goal in tourism is to increase revenue from $620 million to $1.1 billion,” he said.
Statistics indicate that the number of visitors to Rwanda grew from 521,000 in 2021 to 1.4 million in 2023, with projections suggesting that this figure will double by 2029.
This growth aligns with the expansion of RwandAir’s destinations and services.
“Hamas has not transferred a name list of (Israeli) hostages so far,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, denying previous media reports, which, citing a Hamas official, said the group agreed to release 34 hostages.
Meanwhile, Israel’s state-owned Kan TV reported on Sunday that Mossad chief David Barnea will travel tomorrow to Qatar to take part in the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks.
On Thursday, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement said Palestinian factions need a week to prepare and deliver a list of Israeli hostages for exchange during the first phase of a possible ceasefire deal.
Speaking at a press conference in Makamba province on January 3, 2025, Ndikuriyo was asked by a journalist to address Rwanda’s concerns about the ongoing collaboration.
The journalist referred to a statement by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, who had expressed that Burundi should not be partnering with the terrorist group, given its aim to destabilize the country.
The collaboration between the Burundian military and FDLR has not only been mentioned by Rwanda but is also highlighted in a UN expert report, which states that they have been working together to fight against the M23 group in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
“How does Rwanda get involved in Congo’s issues? Congo and Burundi have a military cooperation agreement, so how does Rwanda get involved? Rwandan soldiers have been going into Congo for over 30 years to fight these groups they accuse of genocide. If they haven’t eliminated them, it’s just the chaos they’re creating,” Ndikuriyo commented.
The Secretary-General of CNDD-FDD continued, “These are just excuses. Crying without reason! The Burundians have a good relationship with the Congolese, and they are helping each other. Is it wrong to help another? Why should that be upsetting? Why are you suffering over this? What does what happens on the other side have to do with them, given that they have their own border?”
Ndikuriyo echoed the words of the spokesperson for the Government of the DRC, Patrick Muyaya, who emphasized that no FDLR fighters are present in eastern DRC, as they supposedly do not have known bases there. However, this perspective differs from that of other DRC officials.
Among them, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thérèse Wagner Kayikwamba, and the spokesperson for the DRC military, Brigadier General Sylvain Ekenge Bomusa, have acknowledged that the group is indeed present in the region and has been destabilizing the security of the Congolese people for many years.
{{Border closure}}
Ndikuriyo told reporters that Rwanda had provided shelter to those who attempted to overthrow the government of Nkurunziza in 2015 and that it is not acceptable for a soldier who defects to be welcomed by another country.
He explained that Burundi had re-closed its border with Rwanda in January 2024, after briefly reopening it, due to attacks launched by those who tried to overthrow the Nkurunziza regime.
Ndikuriyo further stated that the leaders of the two countries are in constant communication, discussing what is right and wrong, and that once the issues that led to the border closure are resolved, the borders will be reopened.
The Rwandan government rejected Burundi’s allegations of assisting individuals destabilizing its security, explaining that it had disarmed those it sheltered when they entered Rwanda and handed them over to the United Nations Refugee Agency.
In 2023, Rwanda welcomed 25,927 tourists who visited the gorillas, compared to 20,035 the previous year.
The Volcanoes National Park was established as a protected area in 1925 as the Albert National Park of Belgian Congo.
After Rwanda gained independence in 1962, the surface area of the park within Rwanda became the Volcanoes National Park, which originally covered over 320 square kilometers.
Currently, the park covers an area of 160 square kilometers, bordering Uganda to the north and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the northwest.
In 2023, the Volcanoes National Park received 46,187 visitors, engaging in various activities including gorilla trekking, which costs $1,500 for foreigners, $500 for Africans and EAC nationals, while Rwandans benefit from a discounted fee of $200 if booked at least 72 hours in advance.
Visiting monkeys costs $100 for foreigners and Rwf4, 000 for Rwandans. Visiting Dian Fossey’s grave costs $75 for foreigners and Rwf4,000 for Rwandans. Visiting the Buhanga area of the park costs $40 for foreigners and Rwf3,000 for Rwandans.
Exploring caves costs $50 for foreigners and Rwf4,000 for Rwandans. Trekking in the forest and climbing any of the five volcanoes, including Muhabura, at an altitude of 4,127 meters, visible from across the country, costs $55 for foreigners and Rwf3,500 for locals.
There’s also Mount Gahinga at 3,473 meters, Sabyinyo at 3,669 meters, known for its jagged peaks, and Bisoke, attracting tourists with its crater lake at 3,711 meters, costing $75 for foreigners and Rwf4,000 for locals. Mount Karisimbi, the highest in the country at 4,507 meters, costs $400 for foreigners and Rwf30,000 for locals to climb.
These large apes inhabit the high mountain forests of the Virunga range, which spans Rwanda, to Bwindi in Uganda, and Sarambwe in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Their scientific name is Gorilla beringei beringei, named after German soldier Robert Von Beringe, who first reported them in 1902.
These animals have moved from being critically endangered to now being classified as endangered, as reported by the World Wildlife Fund.
After extraordinary conservation efforts, medical care, and protection from poachers, led by the Rwandan government through the Rwanda Development Board, the most recent census indicates that there are now 1,063 gorillas worldwide. In the Virunga mountain range, which includes Rwanda, there are 604 gorillas.
Gorillas evoke strong emotions in those who visit them, with some considering it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The one-hour encounter with these creatures is often described as unmatched by any other experience.
Gorilla tourism attracts people because visitors leave amazed by their human-like nature, their way of life in the forest, and their social structures that resemble those of humans.
One of the most astonishing aspects of mountain gorillas is their size and strength, with mature females weighing between 150 and 200 kilograms, and males between 200 and 250 kilograms. They can live between 35 and 45 years if they mature without encountering major issues.
Their babies are born after a nine-month gestation period weighing between three and five kilograms, and are weaned at around three and a half years.
In its lifetime, an adult female gorilla can give birth to between four and six offspring, although a notable exception is Kampanga from Sabyinyo family, who gave birth to eight.
Currently, the oldest gorilla is a female named Kibyeyi a member of the Hirwa family, who is 49 years old. The youngest is a one-month-old baby of the Sabyinyo family.
Their daily life closely resembles that of humans, mainly focused on survival, including feeding on vegetation and bamboo shoots. An adult gorilla can eat up to 15% of its body weight in vegetation per day, meaning a 200-kilogram gorilla consumes 30 kilograms of vegetation daily.
After feeding, they rest for over an hour, and at night, they make nests where they sleep. They live in families led by a dominant male, usually identified by a silverback, who is responsible for the family’s protection and territory, although they live in relative freedom, with families establishing their boundaries within the park.
Currently, 14 families are visited by up to eight tourists each per day, limiting the number of daily visitors to 112. However, these are not the only gorilla families, as new families form as the gorilla population grows. These families are closely monitored by experts until they are ready to be visited by tourists.
Initially, the Susa, Sabyinyo, and Group 13 families, now known as Agashya, were the first to be visited after American researcher Dian Fossey began studying gorilla behavior and conservation and habituating them to tourists in 1979.
The Susa family later splits into three new families: Karisimbi, Igisha, and Isimbi. This expansion occurs as the gorilla population increases.
This knowledge and data have been gathered by experts who monitor the gorillas at Volcanoes National Park, in collaboration with conservation partners such as The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Gorilla Doctors, and the International Gorilla Conservation Program.
To protect the park’s wildlife, 149 daily staff members monitor the animals in the high-altitude forest, while 27 others assist tourists visiting the park.
Dusseldorf airport reported that “a nationwide IT malfunction” at the federal police led to delays in both entry and exit at border control.
According to Bild, passengers were experiencing waiting times of up to two hours at Dusseldorf airport, while passengers at Berlin airport also expected similar delays.
At 18:13 local time (1713 GMT), Dusseldorf airport, one of the most affected ones, announced that the IT malfunction at the federal police had been resolved, allowing unrestricted entry and exit for non-Schengen flights.
The outage, lasting approximately four hours, was attributed to a technical problem in the Federal Criminal Police Office’s information system. Airports in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, and Berlin experienced only minor delays.
Heiko Teggatz, chairman of the Federal Police Union, criticized the government for inadequate IT modernization funding, highlighting a lack of approximately 150 million euros (154.48 million U.S. dollars).
According to the FAO, the Food Price Index for 2024 stood at 122 points, 2.6 points lower than the 2023 average.
Despite a general upward trend in most food categories—such as dairy, meat, and vegetable oils—this increase was not enough to counterbalance the declines in cereals and sugar.
The FAO Cereal Price Index saw a notable decrease of 13.3% in 2024 compared to 2023, while the Sugar Price Index dropped by 13.2% year-on-year.
The report attributes the decline in cereal prices to falling wheat and coarse grain prices, which had a major impact on the overall food price landscape.
