Author: Publisher

{Kigali will be cashing in on a number of high-level conferences scheduled for the end of the year through mid-2014.}

This, government officials and industry players say, is the result of a long-term strategy to combat the seasonality problem through developing conference tourism.

Among key events are this month’s Transform Africa conference, with 1,500 delegates from all over the world, the recently concluded Uganda-Rwanda Business and Agri-Business Forum, the East Africa Business Summit due next year and the African Development Bank (AfDB) general assembly. The two-week AfDB assembly in Kigali in May is expected to bring in about 4,000 delegates.

The government hopes conference tourism, which is free from the seasonality problem, will help it to achieve its big plans for the sector.

Tourism has been on an upward trend, having fetched $251 million last year and is expected to net $352 million next year. Its projection for 2017 is $860 million.

Officials say investments made to improve customer service and increase room numbers makes them satisfied that Rwanda will be ready to host these conferences.

Statistics indicate some $300 million in investment was pumped into the hospitality industry last year with much of it going into hotel business, which explains a jump in the number of rooms from 4,825 in 2009 to 6,800 in 2012.

The hospitality industry is also set to receive a major boost early next year when the 244-room Marriot Hotel opens its doors.

The Marriot will be the first hotel in East, Central and Southern Africa shall break the monopoly of Serena Hotels in the five-star segment in Rwanda.

“There is enough market for everybody,” said Solomon Adede, the chief executive officer of New Century Development Ltd. “Kigali can be made a preferred destination by making cost of accommodation affordable and available.”

{{The East African}}

{{A recent Standard Bank report authored by its analysts Simon Freemantle and Jeremy Stevens revealed that Indian motorcycle exports to Rwanda rise by 850% since 2008
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“These motorcycles have become indispensible components of urban and rural transport across some of Africa’s fast-growing and still poorly connected (in terms of physical infrastructure) economies,” says the report. “As such, Indian motorcycle exports have increased by 175% to Africa since 2008, with the most pronounced ascent in Egypt (850%), Rwanda (870%); and Sierra Leone and Djibouti (both over 1,000%).”

According to Standard Bank’s research, Indian-based Bajaj Auto – the world’s fourth largest manufacturer of motorcycles and auto rickshaws – exports to 35 African countries. As at June 2012, Africa accounted for over 40% of Bajaj’s total overseas shipments

Last year, 48% (or US$204m) of India’s total motorcycle exports to the continent went to Nigeria, followed by Angola ($59m) and Uganda ($31m).

The report notes that the growing focus on Africa for Indian vehicle manufacturers is partly to offset lower demand in its domestic market. India’s domestic vehicle market dropped 6.7% to 1.89m units in 2012-2013, after expanding in 2009-2011

A decade ago India was Africa’s 12th largest source of vehicle imports; by 2012 it had moved to sixth position, ahead of France and the UK.

Indian companies such as Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra have grown their presence in Africa from their bases in South Africa. Tata has become one of the continent’s fastest growing passenger vehicle manufacturers and it also claims to be the third largest player in South Africa’s commercial vehicles market.

Mahindra’s growth has largely been centred on pick-up trucks.

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest vehicle manufacturer by volume is also looking to grow its exports to Africa. The continent already absorbs 30% of the company’s car exports

{A US Peace Corps volunteer was expelled from Rwanda for his involvement in violence against one of his mates}

Mr Mathias Van Dis, who arrived in Rwanda several months ago, was teaching English in a secondary school in Rutsiro, in western Rwanda, official sources said on Monday in Kigali. A reliable source told IGIHE that Van’s colleagues have decided to deport him from the country due to his indiscipline.

Meanwhile, PANA website reported that sources close to the Rwandan security services said the Peace Corps volunteer was “a threat to public safety”, which justified his expulsion.

He was accused of alleged “serious voluntary assault and battery” during a fight in a bar during which he struck one of his friends with an empty bottle

US Peace Corps was invited to return to Rwanda for the first time since the 1994 genocide by President Paul Kagame, and the agreement between the governments of the United States and the Republic of Rwanda was signed on July 18, 2008. The first group of volunteers arrived in Rwanda on January 27, 2009.

Other Peace Corps Volunteers in Rwanda work in education, with the vast majority serving as English teachers assigned to secondary schools throughout the country by MINEDUC.

Source: PANA
Additional reporting: IGIHE

{Mike O’Neal, a former president of Oklahoma Christian University, has been named chancellor of the University of Rwanda, the umbrella institution under which all state universities in the country fall.
}

President Paul Kagame announced O’Neal’s appointment this week.

O’Neal will not get involved in the day-to-day operations of the institution, but will rather be the advocate for its vision and advancement.

“It’s not like what we would think of as a (university) president here,” O’Neal said.

O’Neal said his role will be largely ceremonial, presiding at graduation ceremonies and other events. He only agreed to take the position on the condition that he would be able to help move higher education in Rwanda forward, he said. He will continue to live in Oklahoma. Under his leadership at Oklahoma Christian, many Rwandan students received support and sponsorships. The university offers a master of business administration program in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city.

Edmondsun

{Rwandan High Commissioner Ernest Rwamucyo has encouraged Indians to invest in Rwanda, especially considering the policy of zero-tolerance against corruption as well as the country’s conducive business environment.}

Rwamucyo has been conducting several road shows to attract Indian investors and enlightening them on the opportunities in Rwanda’s fast growing economy, which some Indians living in Rwanda are already enjoying today.

He pointed out that global corruption watchdog Transparency International had in July ranked Rwanda as the “least corrupt country in Africa.” With a bribery rate of 13%, Rwanda is ranked the 13th least corrupt country worldwide.

“Rwanda’s special ties with India predate our joining the Commonwealth. Like elsewhere in East Africa, Rwanda also has many persons of Indian origin, while its current importance can be seen from the fact that India has become the biggest source of FDI (foreign direct investment) in Rwanda,” Rwamucyo noted.

“There’s no single country in Africa with so many students in India as Rwanda has, with over 2,000 of them studying here. Rwandan students find Indian education very relevant, and also affordable,” the high commissioner said.

He further remarked that setting up major India-supported projects in Rwanda like the India-Africa Vocational Training Centre, a food testing laboratory and the India-Africa Entrepreneurship Development Centre were on track, with the latter scheduled to be completed by December.

The country’s only modern textile mill, sugar refinery and cosmetics factory are owned by persons of Indian origin. India has also extended an $80 million line of credit to Rwanda for constructing a 27.5 MW hydroelectric power plant on the Nyabarongo river.

Bilateral trade stood at $49 million in 2011-12, registering nearly a 50% growth over the previous fiscal. The balance is however heavily tilted in India’s favor.

{The Energy Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA) has announced that within the next 4 years the number of Rwandans who have an Electricity grid will increase from the current figure which stands at 17% to 70%.
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This initiative is in line with other projects aimed to increase electricity production; which, currently stands at 110 megawatts to the government target of at least 563 megawatts by 2018.

The Director General of EWSA, Ntare Karitanyi, explained that the government seeks to achieve this target by increasing its energy capacity with various sources; such as, methane gas, peat, solar and biogas.

Ntare stated; “some projects were implemented while others have yet to be implemented”

In a press briefing session that took place on 21 October 2013, the EWSA administration emphasized that the target is to allow more Rwandans to have access to Electricity.

He added that although some mega energy projects were delayed, particularly, the 100 megawatt methane gas project on Lake Kivu, the country is still on course to achieve its targets.

Another major project that Rwanda counts on is the Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project: which received a boost of US$340 million this past August to produce 80 megawatts of electricity for Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.

{The African Development Bank (AfDB), will participate in “Transform Africa 2013 Summit” to be hosted by the government of Rwanda from 28 to 31 October in Kigali. This pan African ICT event will bring together more than one thousand participants from Africa and beyond, representing various sectors including governments, business and the youth to discuss the future of broadband on the continent.}

In Kigali the AfDB will launch its report titled “Connecting Africa: An Assessment of Progress towards the Connect Africa Summit Goals”. In addition, the AfDB’s Vice-President for Infrastructure, Gilbert Mbesherubusa, will make a keynote statement.

“The Transform Africa Summit builds on the success of the Connect Africa Summit. It is important because not only does it take discussions forward as to the use Africa must make of ICT, but because it has a convening power. Many countries will be present ensuring that no one is excluded from the discussions and that all can learn from one another’s experience,” says Mbesherubusa.

“Transform Africa Summit” will see the launch of a high-speed (4G LTE) broadband network, established through an agreement between the Government of Rwanda and KT Corporation, South Korea’s largest telecommunications provider. This network will cover 95 per cent of the population within three years.

This rapid deployment of high-speed broadband capability in Rwanda will accelerate the development of the country’s ICT sector, create jobs, as well as help facilitate social and economic progress. Based on recent reports published by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), 95 per cent broadband penetration will translate into a 10 to 13 per cent boost in GDP growth for Rwanda.

The first day of the Summit will review what Africa has achieved in ICT since the influential Connect Africa Summit of 2007, hosted exactly six years earlier by the Government of Rwanda. The summit will also feature five key events including the Leaders’ Summit, the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Extravaganza, an international tech exhibition and Continental Awards.

Rwanda’s minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, said that the meeting is a prime opportunity for leaders in both public and private sectors to explore ways that next generation technology can drive social and economic transformation across the African continent.

“At Transform Africa, discussion will focus on how African countries can maximize the opportunities of the Digital Economy, harnessing its power to drive innovation, deliver services, as well as create jobs for young people,” says Nsengimana.

“Once infrastructure is in place, it is paramount that we all play our part in driving investments in content development and service delivery,” says Valentine Rugwabiza, CEO of Rwanda Development Board.

The summit is co-organized by the government of Rwanda and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU); while the AfDB has provided financial support to ensure its success, and in keep with the Bank’s commitment to the development of ICTs in Africa.

Source: AfDB

{The Rwanda Governance Board has announced that within the last two years over 405 religious institutions requested to register so that they operate legally in Rwanda. However, RGB said that to date some of them are already registered, while others are still going through the registration process.}

The legal advisor in the department that oversees political parties, religious organizations and NGOs at RGB, Bwenge Jean Marie Vianney, told IGIHE that since the inception of RGB the number of religious institutions in the nation has grown.

Mr. Bwenge stated that ”By the end of September 2013 we had 405 religious organizations requesting to operate in Rwanda and about 221 of those have already registered and received full permission to operate because they fulfill all necessary requirements. Other cases are being examined”

Furthermore, Mr. Bwenge added that there is a Law no 06/2012 of 17/2/2012 which sets processes and requirements to establish a religious organization in Rwanda. The requirements include a request letter addressed to the Head of the Rwanda Governance Board and many other legal documents.

“They also have to tell us other plan of actions that they will implement within the first year of operation, as well as the budget they will use within that year of approval” noted Bwenge.

Since its creation, RGB has dealt with disputes involving people in religious organizations. A couple recent cases involved individuals of muslim faith. And another case occurred this year in an ADEPR Church.
The majority of such disputes involve church leaders who failed to share resources and leadership among their respective churches.

Bwenge said RGB has warned such institutions to abide to their requirement, while at the same time avoiding quarrels that may result in legal actions taken against them due to malpractice within their respective religious organization.