Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani arrived in Rwanda Thursday for two-day working visit.
Discussions with Premier Ngirente revolved around assessing achievements from Rwanda-Qatar relations, needed efforts for improvement and different issues concerning Africa.
Following discussions, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Richard Sezibera highlighted that both country’s relations are on a good note.
“Cooperation between Rwanda and Qatar is on good progress, Africa, Qatar cooperation is vibrant too. The visit was meant to pave way for strengthening existing relationships,” he said.
Dr Sezibera explained that they held talks concerning investment in agriculture, transport, aviation, irrigation and mining yesterday.
Rwanda, Qatar have a long-standing relationship.
Last year, President Paul Kagame made a two-day visit to Qatar and held talks with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on improving economic cooperation.
Both Heads of State held a meeting before attending a luncheon hosted in honor of President Kagame.
This visit is expected to be an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties in different areas including air transport, security, justice, free movement between both countries’ people, ICT and governance.
Both heads of states are expected to hold a press conference on the second day of the visit.
In February this year, both countries signed cooperation agreements fostering security and public order in the interest of their citizen.
The two governments last year signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement under which the national carrier, RwandAir, and Angola’s national airline TAAg got seven frequencies a week on either side.
In June last year, Angola unveiled willingness to remove visa for Rwandan citizens traveling to Angola as a result of existing good relations.
Angola is a central-African country with the total area of 1,246,700 km2 and over 25 million people. It is among African countries rich in minerals.
It was the first time for the Presidents of the two neighboring countries to meet after Tchisekedi was declared winner of the Presidential elections held in DRC last year.
The 32nd AU two day Summit that was held in Addis on February 10 to 11th this year was the first AU Summit President Félix Tshisekedi attended after his election as President of Democratic Republic of Congo in December last year.
What marked President Kagame and Kagame’s meeting was not announced by Rwanda’s Presidency.
After he was elected to lead the DRC, Tchisekedi expressed that his country wishes to join the East African Community which is chaired by Rwanda for a year stint.
Over the last 20 years, DRC became home to groups that expressed wishes to cause insecurity in Rwanda.
Kagame made the remarks on Sunday as he chaired the Official Opening of the 32nd AU Summit where he also handed the AU Chairmanship to new AU Chairman, President Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt.
Opening the Summit, Kagame said he was grateful to his fellow African Heads of States for entrusting him with “the privilege of leading our organization during this eventful year in service to you and the people of Africa.”
“Our objective was to continue building a stronger and more capable African Union that is able to deliver on the pillars of Agenda 2063, and better represent Africa’s interests on the global stage,” Kagame said adding that the steps forward achieved reflect the long-standing commitment and aspirations of Africa’s leaders and citizens.
Achievements realized during Kagame’s one year spell as Chairman of the African Union include ,among others, the signing of the Continental Free Trade Area Agreement which was done in Kigali on March 21, 2018.
“The CFTA was signed, and now, less one year later, it stands only weeks away from entry into force,” Kagame said as he commended Guinea-Bissau, Botswana and Zambia for “signing the instrument during this [32nd AU] Summit and encouraged those signatories who have not yet ratified to do so at the earliest opportunity.”
“Last year, we strengthened our partnerships with other regions both in substance and tone, and that trend will continue,” Kagame said, revealing that the relaunched Peace Fund now stands at 89 million dollars with 50 Member States contributing.”
“This demonstrates the force of our collective resolve and ability. We will continue to work with the United Nations towards a sustainable mechanism for funding African-led peace support operations,” he noted.
Kagame also commended the recent peace agreement reached among the parties in the Central African Republic, and thank the Commission and the Member States involved in supporting this process adding that “this accord must be implemented and respected.”
On President Fattah Al-Sisi whom he handed the AU Chairmanship baton, Kagame said; “With our full and unqualified support, there is no doubt that he will take our Union forward decisively, to new and greater heights.”
“In Africa, we have high-quality people for any service you want, from any part of our continent. All we need to do is tap into that talent and move forward with Africa’s agenda,” Kagame told the AU reform committee members.
Kagame also thanked the African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahammat and and the Commissioners.
“I would be remiss if I did not particularly single out the comfort, joy, & support that I got from the AUC Chairperson and the Commissioners working together as a team. They are world-class & did everything we needed of them,” Kagame said.
Kagame who doubles as the Chairperson of the African Union made the remarks as he chaired the African Leadership Meeting on Investing in Health held in Addis Ababa ahead the 32nd African Union Summit.
The meeting has brought together African Heads of State and Government, business leaders and global health organisations to launch a new initiative designed to help deliver increased, sustained and more impactful financing for health across Africa.
In his remarks, Kagame said, “Investing in the health of our citizens has already had transformative effects on the people of our continent. But there is much more to do. We will get better results if we work together as a continent.”
“We also have a lot to learn from each other’s experiences implementing programmes such as universal health insurance, and community-based healthcare,” Kagame said.
According to the 2018 WHO Global Health Expenditure Database, only two out of the 55 AU Member States meet Africa’s target of dedicating at least 15% of the government budget to health and do not reach the suggested threshold of US$86.30 per person required to provide a basic package of health services.
Here, Kagame called on the governments to increase domestic investment in healthcare.
“Governments should surely be willing and able to increase domestic investment in healthcare. A good indicator of this is the progress we have made toward securing the financial health of the African Union and mobilising our own resources for joint priorities, such as the Peace Fund. We should be the first ones to contribute to efforts that directly benefit our people,” Kagame said.
“We are entering a period where most of the special health financing vehicles must replenish their resources. This creates the necessity—or rather the opportunity— for Africa to increase its ownership of the process. Together we can set an even more ambitious agenda for the next phase,” he emphasized.
Kagame also called on private companies to invest more in the business of healthcare in Africa.
“The private sector is the key to success. The role goes beyond taxes and philanthropy as central as those are. We also need to see the private sector investing more in the business of healthcare in Africa as service providers,” he said.
Kagame also noted that companies can also ensure their employees have high-quality, private health insurance coverage and this creates more demand in the market, and allows governments to focus on the most vulnerable.
This Saturday, 9 February 2019, African Heads of State and Government, business leaders and global health organisations are gathering in Addis Ababa to launch a new initiative designed to help deliver increased, sustained and more impactful financing for health across Africa.
The meeting to be hosted by the African Union will be chaired President Paul Kagame who is also the current Chairperson of the African Union is themed as ‘Africa Leadership Meeting: Investing in Health’.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres, the Co-Chair and Founder of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates and Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg are among special guests in the meeting.
African countries are gradually increasing domestic investments in health with 35 out of 55 AU Member States (over 64%) having increased the percentage of their DP invested in health over the previous financial year, according to the 2018 WHO Global Health Expenditure Database.
Despite huge steps African countries have made in increasing domestic investments in health, only two out of the 55 AU Member States meet Africa’s target of dedicating at least 15% of the government budget to health and do not reach the suggested threshold of US$86.30 per person required to provide a basic package of health services.
More than half of Africa’s population currently lack access to essential health services, and millions die every year from commonly preventable diseases.
Tomorrow, Sunday, President Kagame will gather with his fellow African Heads of States for the 32nd Ordinary Session of the African Union which will be the last for him as AU Chairperson.
Kagame who has been AU Chairperson since January 28th 2018 will be replaced by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
It will always be remembered that it is during Kagame’s mandate as the Chairperson of the African Union that the African countries signed the historical African Continental Free Trade Agreement among other achievements.
49 of the 55 AU Member States have signed the AfCTA that was signed on March 21, 2018.
President Paul Kagame will continue to serve as the leader of the African Union institutional reforms, a role he was mandated by his fellow African Heads of States and Government in 2016.
Gen. James Kabarebe who now serves as President Paul Kagame’s Advisor on Security Matters has held several positions in the Rwandan army where he served as Rwanda’s Minister of Defence and Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) Chief of Defense Staff among other duties.
During the liberation struggle by the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) that later changed name to current Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), Kabarebe served as the Private Secretary of Maj. Gen Paul Kagame who was Head of RPF military wing (RPA) and later became the Commander of the High Command Unit at Mulindi.
In October 1990, RPF Inkotanyi launched an armed war to liberate Rwanda after several peaceful attempts to let Rwandan refugees repatriate that had ended in vain.
RPF Inkotanyi has been at different times accused of having carried out the attack on a plane that carried President Juvenal Habyarimana on April 6, 1994, a plane crash that was followed by the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi that left over a million lives lost.
Speaking to 500 youths who gathered at Kimisagara Youth Development Centre on a theme entitled ‘Rubyiruko Menya Amateka yawe loosely translating as “Youth, Know your history’’, Kabarebe said RPA soldiers were very much disciplined and had a great and genuine reason to fight which helped them win the struggle.
“RPF Inkotanyi armed forces were so disciplined that you would not imagine they were a rebel movement. You would have thought FAR [Rwanda Armed Force) which was the national army of Rwanda until 1994] was instead a rebel group due to its indiscipline and disorganization,” General Kabarebe said.
Kabarebe explained that RPF recognized the enemy of the country as the bad, corrupt and exclusive governance while Habyarimana’s regime said Rwanda’s enemy was all Tutsi.
“You can’t win a war against a force that fights to liberate Rwandans and develop the country while you fight to kill part of its citizens. Whatever ammunition you may have, whatever knowledge your army may have, you can’t win that struggle,” Kabarebe emphasized.
“RPF never fought to seize power. Some people say we won the war just because Habyarimana had died. This is false because if we wanted to take power first, we would have conquered the nation and take Habyarimana by hands. We were so strong that FAR could not stand our way,” he said.
{{Habyarimana was not a threat to RPF}}
Gen James Kabarebe told the youth RPF saw no interest in killing President Habyarimana as he was not a threat to their struggle.
“Habyarimana would come in CND [Parliamentary premises] where many RPF soldiers lived but they never shot at him despite the fact that he was guarded by his junior guards. If RPF soldiers had wanted to kill him, they would have done it at CND,” Kabarebe explained.
Kabarebe urged the youths to keep a watchful eye and fight any kind of divisionism that can take Rwanda back to dark moments it went through.
Despite allegations that the plane that carried President Habyarimana was shot down by RPF, the French intelligence document recently revealed that Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, who was Chief in Defence Ministry and Laurent Serubuga, a former Chief of Staff of the Rwandan Armed Forces were instigators of the April 1994 plane attack.
Osman Mohammed was acompanied by Sudan’s Minister of Information Bushara Juma’a Arur and the Deputy Secretary General in Sudan Presidency office, Ambassador Jamal El-Sheikh.
President Paul Kagame commended Sudan’s efforts to bring peace to Southern Sudan, and the agreement signed between the conflicting parties in Central African Republic, which was recently hosted by Khartoum, stressing his follow-up on all current events on the continent.
Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reports that Kagame described Rwanda’s relations with Sudan as deep and historical, expressing his country’s desire to develop it to serve the interests of both countries and people.
Rwanda holds good bilateral relations based mostly on peace keeping.
Official figures as of November 2018 indicate that Rwanda is the country with the highest number of peacekeepers in Sudan under the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) with 1629 peacekeepers followed by Pakistan with 1159, Ethiopia with 1092 while Tanzania has 805 peacekeepers as the fourth country with most UN peacekeepers in Sudan.
During a press conference in Kampala, Fred Mukasa Mbidde, who is also the DP Vice President, condemned what he called “inhumane incarceration of innocent Rwandan nationals as retribution for Kigali’s deeds.”
He advised security institutions to have utmost respect for human rights in the course of handling criminal suspects and advised Uganda People’s Defence Force [UPDF] to cease targeting citizens of the East African community, particularly the Rwandan nationals which is against known protocols on human rights including the treaty for the establishment of the East African Community.
Mbidde said the party was aware of at least 13 Rwandan nationals who are languishing in various detention centers across the country.
The detained Rwandans listed by Mbidde include Rene Rutagungira, who was arrested from a bar in Kampala in August 2017, Emmanuel Rwamucyo and Peter Augustin Rutayisire who were arrested last year for alleged espionage.
Mbidde went on to call on the Ugandan government, to iron out its differences with Kigali, whose effects he said could be catastrophic to the regional integration process.
“It is therefore demanded that government explains the general relationship between Rwanda and Uganda in very certain terms. The prisoners, all civilians are released from the court martial and if suspected of offences be charged in civil courts with a possibility of obtaining bail to look after their families”, he is quoted by a Ugandan online media, Chimpreports.
The president was presenting during a session on Digitalizing Emerging Markets with AliBaba Group Executive Chairman, Jack Ma on the Second day of the World Economic Forum 2019.
“In most of what we do, there is a need for sustainability and predictability,” Kagame told the Davos 2019 audience. “We have to do what we have to do and believe it works.”
Alibaba Group and the government of Rwanda have agreed to multiple bilateral initiatives to promote Rwanda’s economy through increased cross-border trade, capacity building, and others. Among the agreements is the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), an initiative for public-private dialogue to foster a more effective and efficient policy and business environment for cross border electronic trade (eTrade) development.
At that, President Kagame noted that the platform is a special, exciting partnership bringing together marginalized people in society to connect directly with the consumers.
“eWTP has democratized benefits. If you look at the number of people who will benefit; young entrepreneurs and farmers who are involved in coffee businesses, it is all inclusive”
Alibaba Group Executive Chairman, Jack Ma, echoed his remarks, observing that the initiative is a pioneering methodology for Globalization.
“We believe in globalization, but many don’t believe in it because it is not inclusive. How can we improve it? In the last 20 years, globalization was controlled by 60,000 companies worldwide, imagine if we could expand that to 60 million businesses.” Ma said
According to Jack Ma, eWTP is about the “Four T’s”: Training, Trade, Technology, and Tourism.
The Electronic World Trade Platform is a private sector driven initiative and will be implemented in other countries after its debut in Rwanda. “We want to convince countries where the government has the wisdom and the courage to support small business… that’s the vision.”
At date, farmers in Rwanda are already selling coffee directly through the platform, which facilitates tariff-free trade for transactions of less than US$1 million. Coffee is already being sold through this platform to Chinese customers, farmers were getting around $8 dollars per kilogram, they are now getting $12 per kilogram.
