Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

Industrial parks have been instrumental in boosting investment, increasing exports, and expanding job creation across the country. Rwanda is currently home to over 1,300 industries, the majority of which are small and medium-sized enterprises.

A recent report by the Office of the Auditor General for the fiscal year ending June 2024 noted that eight industrial parks remain underutilized due to inadequate basic infrastructure.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Antoine Marie Kajangwe, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, said that a feasibility study estimated the total cost of fully developing all industrial parks to be over $130 million, a figure that cannot be mobilized at once.

“We reached an agreement with MINECOFIN and other relevant institutions to proceed with a strategic and phased development. Over the next five years, we will focus on completing infrastructure in four priority industrial parks,” Kajangwe said.

The parks prioritized in the initial phase are located in Musanze, Rwamagana, Muhanga, and Bugesera.

“For the 2025/26 fiscal year, we have secured Frw 10 billion to support infrastructure development in these four sites, including compensation for affected residents where resettlement is necessary,” he added.

Currently, Rwanda hosts eight industrial parks and two Special Economic Zones, one in Bugesera and the other in Kigali.

Since 2017, industrial output has tripled from Frw 591 billion to Frw 1.68 trillion, driven largely by value-added manufacturing.

To date, more than 230 factories are fully operational within the industrial parks, while an additional 98 are still under construction.

Employment in the industrial sector has also grown significantly, with the workforce increasing from 180,000 in 2017 to 259,000 in 2024.

In the 2023/2024 fiscal year alone, the manufacturing sector contributed more than Frw 495 billion in tax revenues.

According to AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, the killings took place on July 12, 2025, in the Cirunga, Kabare territory.

“These forces killed four of our compatriots from the Cirunga area. These actions clearly demonstrate the regime’s disregard for the ongoing peace talks and its aggressive intentions,” he posted on X.

Civil society actors operating in Kabare confirmed that among the victims were two primary school teachers from Kabare 1 Primary School. The teachers had just returned from a national examination center in the Canya area.

Kanyuka further alerted both the national and international community about the ongoing massacres being carried out by the coalition forces of the Kinshasa regime, as well as the deployment of its troops and heavy weapons near their positions.

AFC/M23 has warned of the possibility of renewed fighting if the ongoing peace talks between the group and the Congolese government, currently taking place in Qatar, do not yield results.

In the past decade since the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted, notable global achievements have been made in health, education, energy and digital connectivity, said “The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025.”

New HIV infections have declined by nearly 40 percent since 2010. Malaria prevention has averted 2.2 billion cases and saved 12.7 million lives since 2000. Social protection now reaches over half the world’s population, up significantly from a decade ago. Since 2015, 110 million more children and youth have entered school. Child marriage is in decline, with more girls staying in school and women gaining ground in parliaments around the world, the report said.

In 2023, 92 percent of the world’s population had access to electricity. Internet use has surged from 40 percent in 2015 to 68 percent in 2024. Conservation efforts have doubled protection of key ecosystems, contributing to global biodiversity resilience, the report said.

However, the pace of change remains insufficient to meet the SDGs by 2030.

More than 800 million people still live in extreme poverty. Billions still lack access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services. Climate change pushed 2024 to be the hottest year on record. Conflicts caused nearly 50,000 deaths in 2024. By the end of that year, over 120 million people were forcibly displaced. Low- and middle-income countries faced record-high debt servicing costs of 1.4 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, according to the report.

The document called for action across six priority areas — food systems, energy access, digital transformation, education, jobs and social protection, and climate and biodiversity action.

“We are in a global development emergency — an emergency measured in the over 800 million people still living in extreme poverty, in intensifying climate impacts, and in relentless debt service, draining the resources that countries need to invest in their people,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the launch of the report.

“Today’s report shows that the Sustainable Development Goals are still within reach. But only if we act — with urgency, unity, and unwavering resolve,” he said.

When introducing the report, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua called for “urgent multilateralism” to address the lack of progress in the SDGs.

“The challenges we face are inherently global and interconnected. No country, regardless of its wealth or capacity, can address climate change, pandemic preparedness or inequality alone. The 2030 Agenda represents our collective recognition that our destinies are intertwined and that sustainable development is not a zero-sum game, but a shared endeavor that benefits all,” said Li.

“This moment demands what I call ‘urgent multilateralism’ — a renewed commitment to international cooperation based on evidence, equity and mutual accountability. It means treating the SDGs not as aspirational goals but as non-negotiable commitments to current and future generations,” he said.

The event, themed “Breakthroughs amid Crisis: the Future of HIV Innovation,” has convened about 4,000 participants, including global leaders, researchers, scientists, and civil society members.

Speaking at the conference, Rwandan Minister of Health Sabin Nsanzimana said that Rwanda’s experience in the HIV response over the past few decades demonstrates what is possible when countries prioritize people-centered approaches and invest in strategic partnerships.

“We have better tools for prevention and treatment. We have better ways to engage our communities to fight stigma and discrimination, and better integration within our systems. This means we can not only achieve HIV control, but we also need to strengthen our health systems,” he added.

IAS President Beatriz Grinsztein underlined new World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, groundbreaking licensing agreements, and promising research as signs that long-acting HIV prevention and treatment options are becoming more feasible for widespread use.

“Our next challenge is clear: leaders must commit the funding and resources needed to integrate these scientific advances into health systems quickly and equitably so that people everywhere can benefit from these life-changing options,” Grinsztejn emphasized.

At the event, the WHO issued a statement announcing new guidelines that recommend using injectable lenacapavir twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis option for HIV prevention — a landmark policy action that could help reshape the global HIV response.

“While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is quoted as saying in the statement.

The IAS Conference on HIV Science is recognized as the world’s most influential meeting on HIV research and its applications.

Its 2025 edition, which runs until Thursday, features hundreds of sessions and presentations focused on translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world impact, with a particular emphasis on solutions for regions and populations most affected by HIV.

Ababu Namwamba, Kenya’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Office at Nairobi and the UN Environment Program, said that eradicating all forms of environmental crimes is urgent to place Africa on a path of renewal, resilient growth and stability.

“We want to see action against environmental crimes in Africa to be at the center of our conversation around sustainability, climate action and biodiversity protection,” Namwamba said.

Giovanni Broussard, acting head and Africa coordinator for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Global Program on Crimes that Affect the Environment, said that Africa has borne the brunt of illegal actions against nature, amid threats to tourism, heritage pride and ecosystems’ resilience.

In the last two decades, the continent has grappled with poaching of iconic species such as elephants, rhinos and pangolins, with illegal logging being rampant as well, Broussard observed.

“We also see a lot of smuggling of waste that generally comes from the Western world and then dumped illegally on landfills in parts of Africa,” Broussard noted, adding that unregulated fishing and extraction of critical minerals threaten environmental sustainability on the continent.

Fred Boltz, head of the Programming Division at the Global Environment Facility, said that partnerships, innovative financing and community engagement are key to revitalizing action on environmental crimes in Africa, enhancing the resilience of nature and societies.

Hospital officials highlighted these figures on July 14, 2025, during an explanation of discrepancies noted in the report by the Auditor General of State Finances for the year ending in June 2024. The report raised issues such as the purchase of various items at inflated prices, sometimes doubling the expected cost.

Brother Charles Nkubiri, the Director-General of CARAES Ndera, told members of the The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the hospital’s primary procurement, such as for medication, was based on projections.

However, the fluctuating number of patients made it difficult to predict the exact needs, as the number of patients could either increase or decrease unexpectedly.

“When patient numbers rise, you need more beds, more medication, and in some cases, even more staff.” The number of hospital staff increased by 18% in 2024 due to the rise in patients.

Brother Nkubiri also shared that the hospital received 94,000 patients in 2023, while in 2024, the number surpassed 101,000.

“As you can see, patient numbers are steadily increasing. Essentially, CARAES Ndera needs to expand and develop further. We were once at the level of a district hospital, but now we are a teaching hospital that also provides medical care, and this requires growth to meet the demand and align with available resources,” he explained.

Currently, CARAES Ndera is operating at 116% capacity, with patients often facing delays in payments for services rendered.

Brother Nkubiri shared the difficulties, stating, “A person brings a patient, calling it an act of kindness, and you thank them for bringing the patient. But then, you ask, ‘Who will pay for the services provided?’ They often reply, ‘The district will cover it,’ but the payment ends up delayed.”

He emphasized the need for detailed planning and modernization of the hospital’s infrastructure to bring it up to the desired level. “A thorough study is needed to build modern facilities. Just like Kigali University Teaching Hospital [CHUK] is relocating to a larger space in Masaka, Ndera should not be left behind. Built in 1968, it needs to expand in line with the growth of Kigali,” he added.

Nkubiri also noted that nearly 45% of the hospital’s patients come from Kigali. “As Kigali grows, so does the number of patients treated at the hospital, and nearly half of them are from this city. Just look at how much Kigali has expanded since 1968,” he stated.

He also pointed out that the hospital has seen a significant increase in mental health patients following the COVID-19 pandemic, although the rise did not reach the global average of 30%.

“Globally, COVID-19 increased mental health issues by 30%, and we saw a similar but slightly lower rise. Cases of severe depression, anxiety, and PTSD increased significantly,” he explained.

The proposal will extend both measures to Nov. 5 after their scheduled expiration date on Aug. 7, according to the parliament’s press service.

The martial law and general mobilization have been extended 15 times since they were first introduced in February 2022 in response to the ongoing conflict with Russia.

In the past two weeks alone, Turkish gendarmerie forces have detained 50 more suspects in coordinated raids in Ankara and 19 other provinces, 33 of whom were formally arrested, five placed under judicial control, and the rest going through proceedings, Yerlikaya said on the social media platform X.

The individuals are accused of conducting activities within the current structure of the movement, maintaining contact with senior operatives via payphones, financing organizations affiliated with the movement, and spreading its propaganda on social media, he said.

The Turkish government classifies the Gulen movement as a terrorist organization and holds it responsible for the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, in which more than 250 people were killed. The movement was led by Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lived in the United States from 1999 until he died in 2024.

In the years since the failed coup, Turkish authorities have arrested thousands of suspects accused of links to the movement.

Amb. Dushimimana highlighted this message on July 12, 2025, during the 31st anniversary celebration of Rwanda’s Liberation Day, attended by Rwandans in the Netherlands and their friends.

On July 4, 2025, he had also hosted diplomats, representatives from international organizations, and Rwandans from various associations to join in the celebration of Rwanda’s liberation.

The event took place after Amb. Dushimimana officially presented copies of his credentials to King Willem-Alexander on June 18, 2025, formalizing his role as Rwanda’s representative in the Netherlands.

In his speech, he underscored the profound significance of the country’s liberation, emphasizing the progress Rwanda has made and the importance of remembering the experiences of those who lived through both periods of Rwanda’s history.

He reflected on the clear distinctions between the two eras and honored the sacrifice of brave women nd men who stopped the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The Ambassador further acknowledged that the progress Rwanda has achieved was built upon the foundation of its liberation. He called on every Rwandan to contribute to the ongoing journey of the nation’s growth.

Addressing the youth, Amb. Dushimimana urged parents to take an active role in instilling a love and understanding of Rwanda in their children.

He emphasized the importance of ensuring that the younger generation carries the nation’s vision forward and contributes to its development.

Amb. Dushimimana posed a reflective question to parents, wondering if, when they are no longer able to champion the cause of Rwanda, their children would inherit the same passion for the nation.

He also pointed out that a child might be born in the Netherlands and hold Dutch citizenship, but that their roots are deeply Rwandan, thus reinforcing the importance of connection to their heritage.

The Ambassador also urged those present to stand up for the truth of Rwanda’s history, particularly in the face of distortion. He encouraged them to fight not with weapons, but with the power of truth, stating that when people speak negatively about Rwanda, it is essential to highlight the country’s positive aspects.

Amb. Dushimimana emphasized that it is the responsibility of all Rwandans to ensure the true history of the nation is known, as many who speak ill of the country often spread falsehoods.

The event concluded with a social gathering, where the attendees celebrated Rwanda’s progress and unity.

{{Moments captured at the diplomatic reception}}

Photos: Emmy Uwimana

karirima@igihe.com