Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

Amb. Nduhungirehe has told TV 10 that the Rwandan government made this decision to protect its citizens from potential violence during the protests.

The demonstrations are being led by supporters of Venancio Mandlane, leader of the Podemos party, following the Mozambican electoral commission’s announcement that Daniel Chapo of the Frelimo party won the October 9, 2024, presidential election with 70.6% of the vote.

Some opposition figures allege that Rwandan forces, usually stationed in Cabo Delgado province, have been deployed to Maputo to suppress the protests.

However, both the Rwandan government and the European Union have denied these claims.

“Messages have circulated on social media from Mozambican politicians inciting violence against Rwandans, particularly on November 6 and 7, coinciding with the protests in Maputo,” Minister Nduhungirehe stated.

He further revealed that Rwandan citizens, especially business owners, are advised to close their shops during this period.

When asked about the safety of Rwandan nationals in their residences, Minister Nduhungirehe expressed confidence in the Mozambican security forces’ efforts to maintain order and protect all residents.

The legislative groundwork for surrogacy was laid in July 2024 with the publication of the revised Law on Persons and Family, which formally acknowledges surrogacy and establishes guidelines for its practice in Rwanda.

This law specifies that reproduction between spouses may occur naturally or with the help of reproductive technologies, including surrogacy. Article 279 of the law clarifies that assisted reproduction between a married man and woman may include a third party through a legally binding contract.

Minister Nsanzimana explained that there is demand for surrogacy services in Rwanda among couples facing infertility issues. The proposed regulations specify that surrogates should be between 21 and 40 years old.

According to statistics from Kanombe Military Hospital, 15% of women seeking gynecological care experience infertility. In East Africa, infertility affects 30% of couples, many of whom struggle to access necessary treatments.

However, Deputy Beth Murora expressed concern that surrogacy could be exploited as a commercial enterprise.

“While semen donations and surrogacy services aim to support those unable to conceive naturally, there is a risk of commercialization. I am aware of cases where young adults may be pressured into donating under ethically questionable circumstances.”

Dr. Nsanzimana addressed these concerns, emphasizing the need to prevent the commercial exploitation of surrogacy.

“Our objective is to prevent this law from becoming a gateway for profit-driven practices. We’ve observed cases in other countries where surrogacy became a business, often leading to exploitation of young women. We want to ensure that such loopholes do not emerge here.”

Deputy Valens Muhakwa proposed setting limits on the number of times a person could act as a surrogate, citing health and ethical concerns.

“Similar to family planning guidelines, limits could help prevent individuals from participating in multiple surrogacies within a short period,” he suggested.

Additionally, MP Anasthase Nabahire raised concerns about the law’s restrictions, which limit surrogacy to married couples, excluding single individuals who may wish to have children.

“This law is designed to assist married couples facing infertility, but what about single individuals who want children? Couldn’t the law be amended to include provisions for them?”

Minister Nsanzimana responded that while the current legislation focuses on married couples, it could be expanded in the future to be more inclusive.

The cost of surrogacy in Rwanda initially stood at around 3.5 million Rwandan Francs but is expected to decline as insurance providers integrate surrogacy coverage.

According to the law, the mother of a child born through assisted reproductive technology is the one named in the surrogacy contract.

Surrogacy, introduced globally in 1986, has grown popular in many developed countries, where, for instance, approximately 750 children are born through surrogacy each year in the United States.

Rwanda’s move to regulate surrogacy brings it into line with an increasing global trend, yet lawmakers remain cautious about its implementation.

Police and local leaders also seized about 700kgs of minerals from the suspects.

These continuous operations target illegal miners and illegal mineral traders, who are among those arrested.

“Due to increasing illegal mining activities and related trade in the Southern Province, Police and local leaders have started operations targeting all people involved. As such, 51 people were arrested on Tuesday.

They include 25 arrested in Muhanga district, 17 in Kamonyi district and 9 others in Ruhango district. They were found in possession of a combined 700kgs of cassiterite, lithium and coltan,” the RNP spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Boniface Rutikanga, said.

Also seized include a generator, weighing scales and traditional tools, which they were using in illegal mining.

“These illegal mining activities have in some cases resulted in loss of lives, destruction of gardens and the environment.

“Rwanda National Police commends members of the public, who facilitated these successful operations and calls for continued swift information sharing,” RNP spokesperson added.

Article 63 of Law n° 072/2024 of 26/06/2024 on mining and quarry operations, stipulates that “a person, who undertakes mineral operations without a licence, commits an offence.”

Upon conviction, he or she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years but not more than five years and a fine of not less than Frw25 million but not more than Frw50 million or one of these penalties.

If the court convicts a suspect of an offense under this Article, it will also issue additional orders. These include the confiscation of any seized minerals, which are to be handed over to the competent authority for sale through auction.

Furthermore, the court may mandate the reinstatement of sites impacted by mining activities, as well as the rehabilitation or compensation for any damaged infrastructure. Additionally, the court may require rehabilitation or compensation for any harm done to community property.

The first accident occurred in Kavura Village, Nyarusange Cell, Muhazi Sector, Rwamagana District, when a truck moving from Tanzania struck a pedestrian crossing the road.

Speaking to IGIHE, SP Twizeyimana Hamduni, spokesperson for the Rwanda National Police in the Eastern Province attributed it to overspeeding.

“The truck hit a man estimated to be around 30 years old, who died instantly. His identity remains unknown, and his body was immediately transported to Rwamagana Hospital,” SP Twizeyimana reported.

The second incident happened in Nyagatare District, in Kibuga I Village, Gakirage Cell, Nyagatare Sector, involving a fatal collision between a motorcyclist and a bicycle.

SP Twizeyimana explained that the accident occurred around 7 p.m., when a 30-year-old motorcyclist collided with a bicycle ridden by a 20-year-old.

“The motorcyclist died on the spot, while the cyclist sustained serious injuries. The accident is believed to have been caused by the failure to maintain a safe distance, as both were moving in the same direction,” he noted.

SP Twizeyimana urged all road users to adhere to traffic regulations, avoid speeding, maintain safe distances, and refrain from distractions like using mobile phones while driving.

He also emphasized the importance of avoiding any behavior, including drunk driving, that could lead to accidents.

The bodies have been taken to Rwamagana and Nyagatare hospitals for postmortem.

The report, titled “From Minerals to Manufacturing: Africa’s Competitiveness in Global Battery Supply Chains,” was conducted through the UK’s Manufacturing Africa programme in collaboration with the Faraday Institution, the UK’s leading research body on batteries and energy storage.

It presents cost-competitive investment opportunities for the battery supply chain in Africa.

Key findings suggest that, with targeted investment and supportive policy frameworks, refining lithium, nickel, manganese, and copper sourced locally in Africa could be up to 40% more competitive than global counterparts by 2030.

With just one high-quality refinery for each of these minerals, Africa could generate an additional USD 6.8 billion in annual revenue and create approximately 3,500 well-paying jobs within the battery supply chain.

In addition to mineral refining, preliminary analysis indicates that countries such as Tanzania and Morocco could potentially manufacture batteries at costs competitive with Europe under certain conditions. For instance, production costs could reach $72/kWh in Morocco and $68/kWh in Tanzania, aligning closely with Europe’s $68/kWh production cost, which benefits from subsidies.

The report also projects battery demand, highlights further opportunities in battery packs, battery assembly, and recycling, and outlines the current landscape of companies engaged in battery value chains across Africa. It offers strategic recommendations for policymakers and investors to drive these opportunities forward.

This report follows the Foreign Secretary’s address at Kew Gardens on September 17, 2024, where he shared plans to collaborate with partners to establish a Global Clean Power Alliance.

During the Lagos event, the Foreign Secretary engaged with investors, development partners, and clean energy firms, including UK-based smart meter company SteamaCo and e-waste management firm Hinckley Recycling.

Both firms are active in Nigeria, where they assembled a second-life battery as a demonstration of their commitment to local sustainability initiatives.

Helen King, Director for Economic Development and Partnerships at the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, underscored that the report encourages investors to view Africa as a prospective battery manufacturer, not merely a consumer.

She reaffirmed the UK Government’s commitment to fostering inclusive, sustainable global growth, recognizing that this sector holds significant potential for African job creation and economic development.

“We look forward to engaging with policy makers and investors on taking forward the outcomes of this report and doing the hard work to realize the opportunity it represents,” she emphasized.

Aminu Umar-Saqid, Managing Director of Nigeria’s Sovereign Investment Authority, expressed that with Nigeria’s increasing energy needs, integrating renewable solutions and energy storage into local infrastructure is crucial to bridging the energy gap.

“This report, sponsored by the FCDO under its Manufacturing Africa Programme has been instrumental in calibrating our strategy thus providing a solid base for the development of our initiative,” he stated.

Professor Martin Freer, CEO of the Faraday Institution, pointed out that Africa’s abundance of essential minerals could enable the continent to play a transformative role in the global battery supply chain if it can address the challenges of investment, infrastructure, and workforce capacity.

“The report contains a wealth of information and analysis on the subject that will be valuable to a variety of stakeholders including potential investors in projects in other parts of the battery value chain beyond mining,” he noted.

Kemi Onabanjo, Nigeria Country Lead for the Manufacturing Africa programme, welcomed the report, stressing that turning Africa’s rich mineral resources into jobs and economic growth requires that African economies capture a larger share of the manufacturing process once minerals are out of the ground.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 7th CIIE and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum.

Running from Nov. 5 to 10, the 7th CIIE has attracted 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions. It also sets a new record with 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders attending the event.

More than 400 new products, new technologies and new services are set to be unveiled during the expo, which experts believe is a strong indication of global companies’ confidence in the Chinese market and their commitment to further development in China despite a sluggish global economic recovery.

The “Religious Leaders Forum and Graduation Ceremony,” a joint initiative by two prominent religious organizations, was set to take place in Paju, South Korea.

The event was expected to draw over 30,000 participants from 57 countries, including 1,000 religious leaders representing Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism.

However, the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, a public entity under Gyeonggi Province, abruptly canceled the venue rental without prior notice.

This last-minute decision has resulted in significant financial damage to the international event. Organizers of this event stated that the cancellation constitutes an unconstitutional act of discrimination against a specific religion, violating religious freedom, human rights, and due process of law.

The hosting organizations, the Association for Buddhist National Unification of Korea and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, said that they had received official confirmation on October 23rd and 28th that there was no plan of cancellation.

They also said that the unilateral cancellation was an unreasonable administrative action targeting a specific religious group. They further emphasize that other events scheduled for the same day were not affected, suggesting that the cancellation was “administrative decision caused by opposition from a specific religious group,” which “violates the principle of separation of church and state guaranteed by the Constitution.”

The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization cited security concerns related to recent North Korean actions and the planned activities of a North Korean defector group as reasons for the cancellation.

However, it was pointed out that other events, such as civilian bike rides and foreign tourist visits to the DMZ, were permitted within the same designated area.

The incident has reignited international debate about religious freedom and tolerance in South Korea. The U.S. State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report has previously highlighted concerns such as the prosecution of Shincheonji Church of Jesus and the government’s refusal to approve mosque construction.

The Association for Buddhist National Unification of Korea and Shincheonji Church of Jesus have called upon the South Korean government to respect religious freedom, uphold human rights, and rectify this decision.

They urge international organizations to monitor this situation and take appropriate action to protect religious freedom.

[Click this ink to watch the video->https://english.news.cn/20241104/ec9b657252f944f1a9e230100c2cb76f/c.html]