Author: Sam K. Nkurunziza

This 15th edition of the training program was attracted 45 participants, including 15 officers from South Sudan, 21 from the Rwanda National Police (RNP), three from the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), four from the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), and two from the Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS).

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) in charge of Operations, Vincent Sano, officiated the closing ceremony, emphasizing that capacity-building is key to addressing evolving security challenges in an increasingly dynamic world.

“In today’s security operations, it is essential for personnel across all relevant institutions to possess the necessary knowledge and skills to address security threats effectively within our countries, the region, and globally. This is why the Government of Rwanda, particularly the Rwanda National Police, invests heavily in capacity building,” said Sano.

He highlighted the importance of the training for all participants: “The training you completed today is significant for the Rwanda National Police, the South Sudan National Police, and for you as individuals.
Successfully completing it is an achievement that reflects your journey, the dedication of the institution’s leadership, faculty, and the collaboration among yourselves.”

Sano encouraged the graduates to apply the skills and knowledge gained during the program while upholding discipline and a strong work ethic in their respective roles.

“This training aims to equip participants with advanced skills in strategic thinking, planning, and implementing security operations beyond traditional methods, aligned with modern challenges. The expertise and professionalism you have gained, combined with your exemplary conduct and commitment, will enable you to excel in your assignments and deliver impactful results,” he added.

Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni called for an end to subsistence farming, emphasizing the importance of commercial agriculture to secure food and economic prosperity.

Highlighting Uganda’s progress, Museveni said, “67% of Ugandan homesteads are now part of the money economy compared to only 9% at independence.” He credited strategies like improved seed distribution, farmer sensitization, and disease control for this success.

“With these measures, Africa will be a superpower economically. This Africa of having no food and begging is not the real Africa but a shameful legacy of colonialism,” he declared.

Museveni underscored the need to add value within Africa to retain wealth and jobs. “A shirt like the one I’m wearing now involves six job levels—from growing cotton to tailoring. Africa often stops at level two, exporting raw materials while losing jobs and money,” he said.

He also called for environmental preservation and innovative solutions like desalinization technologies to address water challenges.

Leaders at the summit agreed to remove non-tariff barriers and strengthen intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). “Non-tariff barriers are crippling intra-African trade. We must eliminate these obstacles urgently,” Museveni added.

The African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, lamented the slow progress in implementing the agricultural targets set in the 2003 Maputo and 2014 Malabo Declarations.

“Despite 60% of the world’s uncultivated land and a youthful population, millions of Africans remain food insecure,” Faki said. He called for increased investment in mechanization, modern farming technologies, and governance reforms to ensure accountability.

Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie emphasized linking smallholder farmers to urban markets. “The AfCFTA provides a vital framework to allow African agricultural products to compete freely across the continent,” he said, urging member states to implement the CAADP Kampala Declaration effectively.

Angolan President João Lourenço stressed the need for rigorous monitoring of commitments. “We must double our efforts to meet the targets outlined in our action plans, including producing fertilizers and vaccines for food security,” he said.

Norway’s State Secretary for International Development, Bjorg Sandkjær, reaffirmed international support for Africa’s agricultural agenda. “The bold vision of the new CAADP strategy aligns with Africa’s broader goals for resilience and prosperity,” she said, pledging continued financial and technical assistance.

The summit adopted the CAADP Kampala Declaration, a ten-year blueprint emphasizing agricultural modernization, climate resilience, and value addition. Uganda’s Agriculture Minister, Frank Tumwebaze, hailed the summit as a milestone. “The Kampala Declaration validates Uganda’s remarkable journey in agricultural development,” he noted.

As leaders return to their countries, the challenge remains to translate these commitments into concrete actions, unlocking Africa’s potential to ensure food security and economic prosperity for its 1.4 billion citizens.

Initially expected to grace the occasion, Netanyahu’s absence has sparked speculation over the reasons behind the decision, which range from personal health concerns to legal and diplomatic challenges.

A senior aide to the prime minister confirmed the cancellation, noting that Netanyahu had not received a formal invitation to the ceremony.

While Trump reportedly extended informal invitations to several global leaders, including allies and adversaries, it remains unclear whether Netanyahu was ever invited.

Health concerns were cited as a significant factor where Netanyahu underwent prostate surgery late last month and has been advised to rest, making the trip inadvisable.

However, the decision is also seen in the context of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November, citing alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Although the United States has refused to recognize or enforce the ICC warrant, Netanyahu’s travel risks are heightened by the possibility of an emergency landing in a country that complies with the court’s directives.

This would have been Netanyahu’s first trip abroad since the ICC issued arrest warrants against him and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The charges stem from the conflict in Gaza, which escalated following the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel, leaving 1,200 Israelis dead and hundreds taken hostage. Israel’s subsequent military response has led to significant destruction and casualties in Gaza, with over 46,700 Palestinians reported dead.

Trump, who has often broken with diplomatic norms, invited several foreign leaders to his inauguration.
These invitations included controversial figures such as Brazilian ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, who is under investigation for his role in a 2023 attempted coup. Bolsonaro has confirmed his invitation but is working to secure his passport in time for the event.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed interest in attending but has not yet confirmed, citing scheduling conflicts. Chinese President Xi Jinping declined the invitation but will send senior officials as his representatives.

Argentine President Javier Milei, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán are among the other invitees. Orbán, a close ally of Netanyahu, has publicly assured the Israeli leader that Hungary would not act on the ICC warrant.

Netanyahu’s relationship with Trump has oscillated between camaraderie and tension. The two leaders collaborated closely during Trump’s first presidency, but the bond soured in 2020 when Netanyahu congratulated Joe Biden on his election victory, a move Trump viewed as disloyal.

The relationship appeared to recover in recent months, with Netanyahu visiting Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and congratulating him on his election win.

However, Trump’s decision to share a controversial video this week, in which an American professor called Netanyahu a “dark son of a bitch” and accused him of pushing the US toward war with Iran, has reignited questions about the strength of their alliance.

Netanyahu’s decision to cancel his trip underscores the complex challenges he faces, balancing domestic issues, international legal threats, and delicate diplomatic relationships.

For Trump, the absence of a key ally at the ceremony highlights the unpredictable nature of global politics as he prepares to take office as the 47th US president.

It overtook the US to top the latest Global Innovation Scorecard, a biennial ranking of 74 countries and the European Union that the Consumer Trade Association (CTA), a US trade body, has tabulated since 2019.

Out of 25 countries that were named global innovation champions, Singapore received the highest composite score, a jump from its 15th position in 2023.

Rounding off the top five innovative countries were the US, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland ranked across 16 categories and 56 metrics, making it the most comprehensive analysis to-date, according to the CTA.

The other innovative champions include Australia, Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Singapore was presented with the Global Innovation Champion award on Jan 9 at CES, the world’s largest tech fair where companies showcase their latest products and prototypes, in Las Vegas. The four-day exhibition, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, concludes today January 10, 2024.

CTA said its scorecard measures countries on the basis of their political, economic and demographic realities to see how well-placed they are to fuel tech innovation, with the latest edition evaluating countries on a wider range of metrics than before.

While the 2023 scorecard had 40 indicators, the latest one had 56, comprising a range of data sources from agencies such as the World Trade Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Singapore achieved top scores in four of the 16 categories measured: business environment resilience and data transparency; the pro-innovation nature of its legal environment; its friendliness towards start-ups and small businesses; and its tax policies for companies.

It also scored well in other categories, such as the ethnic and immigrant diversity of its workforce; openness to telehealth and cross-border data flows; and broadband speeds.

CTA chief executive officer Gary Shapiro said in a brief ceremony that the scorecard looked at whether countries have the conditions that catalyze their innovators to invent a better future.

“That means not just evaluating the investment in cutting-edge sectors or red tape for start-ups, but also recognizing that countries that ensure freedom of speech create opportunities for workforce diversity and respect people’s fundamental freedoms,” he said.

“By celebrating the best of the best, our innovation champions, we encourage other countries to follow their lead. As always, the countries that rank highest on the scorecard demonstrate the best of collaboration between government and industry,” he added.

In a Facebook post on Jan 9, Enterprise Singapore said the Republic is proud to be the highest-scoring innovation champion of all the countries evaluated.

“This top honour recognizes Singapore’s skilled workforce, advanced broadband connectivity, entrepreneurial climate and openness to new technologies,” it said.

The event, centered on advancing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2035, underscored the urgent need to pivot toward self-reliance in food production.

Uganda’s Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, set the tone by highlighting Africa’s paradoxical reliance on food imports despite its abundant natural resources. Her call to action was that Africa must harness its potential and invest in its agricultural systems to break this cycle of dependency.

“Our continent spends billions annually importing food while sitting on fertile soils and vast arable lands. This is a contradiction we can no longer afford and innovative solutions must be adopted to transform Africa’s agricultural sector,” she remarked.

Ministers explored avenues for enhancing agricultural productivity, such as policy reforms, research investment, and the adoption of climate-resilient practices. Emphasis was placed on mechanization, irrigation, and value addition to agricultural products as means of creating sustainable food systems.

Nabbanja also underscored the need for regional integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which she described as a “catalyst for intra-African trade and cooperation.”

Discussions also revisited lessons from the 2023 CAADP review, which revealed persistent challenges in achieving food security and sustainability. Ministers were urged to align their strategies with the Kampala CAADP Agenda, a blueprint for fostering innovation and climate adaptability in agriculture.

Particular focus was given to breaking trade barriers that hinder regional agricultural markets, enabling nations to capitalize on their strengths and share resources effectively. The summit’s resolutions aim to redefine Africa’s agricultural priorities, emphasizing food security, increased productivity, and regional cooperation.

These strategies, once refined, will be presented to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government for adoption. The hope is that these efforts will serve as a turning point for a continent poised to feed not only itself but also the world.

This innovative initiative marks the first time the city will have infrastructure specifically designed for car parking, signaling a significant step forward in urban planning and infrastructure development.

Speaking to the national broadcaster, RBA, Ms. Emma Claudine Ntirenganya, the Director General in Charge of Communication and Public Education at the City of Kigali, highlighted the transformative nature of the project.

“In order to solve the issue of parking in a lasting way, we are planning to establish buildings specifically and strictly designed for parking. This will not only reduce the congestion caused by cars parked in designated areas but also elevate Kigali’s urban standards to align with global cities,” she said.

The new parking complexes are part of a broader effort to enhance Kigali’s urban infrastructure and ease transportation challenges. Ntirenganya also emphasized the importance of improving public transportation as a complementary measure.

“To sustainably solve this problem, we are further streamlining the general public transport system,” she explained. “If, for example, people are fully served and satisfied by public means, with vehicles operating at designated times and places, there will no longer be a need for everyone to drive to the city in their private vehicles.”

This project adds to the milestones Kigali and Rwanda as a whole have achieved in infrastructure development. Over the years, the city has witnessed the construction of state-of-the-art roads, modern bus terminals, and innovative green spaces, all aimed at improving the quality of life for residents and enhancing the city’s reputation as a modern African metropolis.

The government has also prioritized urban planning and smart city initiatives, with Kigali leading the way as a model city in Africa.

The prospect of dedicated parking buildings brings a sense of relief and excitement. These facilities promise pave the way for a more efficient and organized urban experience.