The two-day visit aims at promoting bilateral relations.
According to communiqué from the Gabonese Presidency, the visit is an opportunity for the two Heads of State to examine the state of the bilateral cooperation and relations between the two countries and to develop prospects for the future.
They are also expected to discuss development of their sub-regions and the continent.
President Ali Bongo is the Chair of Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) while President Kagame is the chairing East African Community (EAC) since February 2019.
Gabon is among 44 countries that signed the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECA) at the Extraordinary Summit of the African Union held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2018, which will enter into force next July in Niger, at the next summit of this organization.
The President of the Republic of Rwanda is the sixth guest of honor in 48 hours to be received by the Head of State of Gabon the day after the commemorative ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the demise of Omar Bongo Ondimba.
President Ali Bongo Ondimba was in Rwanda last on 13th February 2018 on one day working visit.
At the time, both Heads of State held discussions focusing on cooperation between both countries and regional security. They also discussed on reforms of ECCAS to which both countries are members.
Rwanda and Gabon signed cooperation agreements in 1976 that were revised in 2010.
As seen in the pictrure posted on twitter account of Presidency Office, residents were delighted to meet President Kagame unexpectedly.
President usually makes surprise stops to greet residents in different centers countrywide.
On 27th May 2019, President made a surprise stop on his way from Bugesera to Kigali and greeted residents in Nyamata town where he stayed for 15 minutes greeting the crowd that was excited to see him unexpectedly.
He had also done the same previously on 8th May 2019 during the citizen outreach program in Northern and Western Province where he stopped in Musanze to greet residents.
Such moments leave great memories to citizens who interact with President Kagame face to face and have a chance to shake hands with him.
He was arrested red-handed on Saturday with the fake money in Rwantonde Cell of Gatore Sector.
The Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana said that 74 (Rwf74, 000) fake notes Rulindo was found with were in the denominations of Rwf1000, while 90 (Rwf45, 000) other notes were in the denominations of Rwf500.
“Information was shared by someone whom Rukundo was attempting to recruit to circulate the fake currency notes,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
It is said that the suspect reached out to a man in Gatore and tried to sell him Rwf100, 000 fake money for Rwf20, 000 genuine one.
According to the informer (name withheld), Rukundo wanted to recruit him as his usual customer.
“I know it is a risky business and criminal act, which I can’t associate myself with,” the informer said.
“It’s a criminal business that cripple other legal businesses and lead traders into loses when they are given such fake notes unaware, so i have to fight it,” he added.
CIP Twizeyimana thanked the informer for being a “law abiding citizen and custodian of the law.”
“We urge the general public to be vigilant not to be dupped by such criminals, check the money thoroughly to prevent loses and report anyone you suspect to be involved in such financial crimes,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
The replica of Rwanda’s monthly traditional exercise by the blue berets in South Sudan, according to UNMISS leadership, is meant to “make mission camps and surroundings of Juba and IDP camps cleaner, greener, healthier and more environmentally efficient.”
During the launch of the communal exercise on Saturday, UNMISS leadership, all Police, military and civilian peacekeepers from various UN contributing nations, cleaned the city and other towns of plastic bags and littered bottles, and planted trees.
The launch of the monthly exercise was presided over by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) to UNMISS, David Shearer.
Rwanda maintains three FPU contingents of combined 560 peacekeepers and three military contingents. Two FPU contingents of 160 each, are deployed in Juba while a hybrid contingent of 240 officers is deployed in Malakal of Upper Nile State, about 650 kms from the capital Juba.
The exercise, which was also inline with the World Environmental Day, marked the launch of the “Environmental Sustainability Policy Statement” and “Umuganda Cleanliness Campaign”, which “will be conducted every month.”
Rwandan peacekeepers across all missions where they are deployed have been conducting Umuganda.
Umuganda is a practice that takes root from Rwandan culture of self-reliance and cooperation.
Members of the community come together every last Saturday of the month to help each other complete a difficult task and to supplement national development programmes in their localities.
These include creating and rehabilitating roads, water channels, building shelter for the disadvantaged families, planting trees and fighting soil erosion, among others.
The communal exercise is concluded with a community meeting where locals discuss pressing security and development issues and come up with solution to challenges faced in their respective localities.
The discussions brought together around seventy representatives from the public sector, private sector organizations, civil society organizations, students and citizens among other, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the National Commission for Children, international and local NGOs, and other stakeholders
The discussions focused on how women and girls can access pads at an affordable price. They discussed the need for safe toilets and disposal facility (sanitary bins) as well to change and dispose-off the used pads in schools, in health care facilities, at work, and in public places.
WaterAid recognizes the efforts of the Government of Rwanda to support girls at policy and practice level, especially the fact of making Menstrual Hygiene Management Rooms compulsory in all schools. However, WaterAid reveals that challenges remain for girls from poor families especially in the lowest economic ranking (Ubudehe Category 1), to access sanitary pads.
The Country Director of WaterAid Rwanda, Maurice Kwizera said that the organization expects from the meeting, the clear picture of challenges faced by poor families’ girls and women to access sanitary pads, the impact on their daily life and contribution in development and recommendations on how they can be solved. The report with resolutions will be shared within the sector especially policymakers to enhance girls’ access to pads during the menstrual period.
“For instance, a poor household might need money to buy pads for 2-3 persons, which is around RWF 3,000 on a monthly basis. One should wonder if a family in that category gets that money regularly. If we cater to their Medical Insurance, for water bill and other essential needs, we should also be concerned about their need for sanitary pads,” he said.
Kwizera explained that in such circumstances poor families’ girls and women have no alternative but to use inappropriate dirty pieces of cloths in their menstrual periods that lead to different infectious diseases such as reproductive tract infections, discomfort, lack of confidence and poor or lack of performance in education and work. He stressed, the issue is persistent in schools where quite several girls miss classes over lacking sanitary pads. Researches suggest that averagely, a girl with no access to sanitary pads misses 50 days of classes per year.
“The Government should try to ensure schools girls have access to such sanitary pads at school and at home. The government should consider making menstrual hygiene management materials tax free. The government should also encourage locally made sanitary pads. Moreover, workplaces, Taxi Parks, Banks, Health Care Facilities and other public places should be considered as target places to avail menstrual hygiene management materials and safe toilets with sanitary bins readily and freely available for women and adolescent girls”, noted Kwizera.
Solange Umutoniwase, a student at Rilima Catholic in Bugesera district has told IGIHE that lacking pads is part of major challenges facing them at school.
“A girl receives only one pad when they are available at school, but the matter lies in what to use at home given her parents are poor. In such a situation, the girl uses pieces of clothes available at home which she cannot take to school. Indeed using one pad is likely to cause bruises,” she said.
Dr. Zuberi Muvunyi, the Director General of Clinical and Public Health Services in the Ministry of Health who was the guest of honor, highlighted the importance of girls’ empowerment in national development agenda and why the Government needs to take heed on girls’ health ensuring that she obtains necessary menstrual sanitary kits.
He said that lacking the menstrual kits usually results into absenteeism to schools, poor performance or school dropouts among other inconveniences.
Muvunyi stressed the issue menstrual Hygiene Management particularly access to menstrual sanitary kits should be discussed in the National Leadership dialogue since its status affect much girls and women’s health, education, empowerment, dignity and the overall development of the country.
WaterAid was founded in 1981. It was officially registered and started operating in Rwanda in 2010. WaterAid Rwanda is one of the many country programs of WaterAid around the world. WaterAid supports the Government of Rwanda in the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services. It currently runs operations in Bugesera and Nyamagabe districts.
The graduation ceremony was presided over by the RDF Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Patrick Nyamvumba on behalf of the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of RDF.
The student officers have been undergoing a year-long course in analytical and communication skills, personal and collective values, as well as professional military knowledge designed to help them in their future command and leadership management responsibilities.
CDS Gen Nyamvumba extended his gratitude to every one who contributed to the successful completion of the course and encouraged them to share experience and insight in various approaches to overcome security challenges at national, regional, continental and at global level.
“As you depart, go and convincingly use that knowledge to contribute in whichever way you can and in the best possible manner to make Africa peaceful, strong, prosperous and a better place to live,” he said.
“I believe that your studies here have equipped you with the necessary analytical, planning and communication skills to enable you make the transition from tactical to operational and strategic focus and to deal with complex security challenges,’’ he added.
The 47 graduates were awarded with the symbol ‘Passed Staff College’ certificate and among them 30 also were awarded a Master of Arts degree in Security studies by the National University of Rwanda.
Major Evans Mensa KOMEDJAH from Ghana emerged the best overall student followed by Major Emmanuel Mugabo from Rwanda who was the second-best overall student and the third was Lt Col Allan Gilbert Mittawa from Malawi.
The graduates were of the rank of Major and Lieutenant Colonel from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe has told IGIHE that preparations are underway for Zimbabwe embassy to open in the near future.
He explained that the opening of the new embassy reflects Rwanda’s ambitions to promote relations with African countries.
“ The gesture demonstrates improved relations with African countries because we have opened many embassies specifically in Southern Africa,” observed Nduhungirehe.
Nduhungirehe said the opening of Zimbabwe embassy to Rwanda is also an opportunity to promote inter-trade and cooperation as well as Rwandan community in the country.
Last year, Rwanda opened embassy in Zimbabwe whereafter Amb James Musoni presented letters of credence to represent Rwanda in Zimbawe to President, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa in January 2019.
In April 2017, Rwanda’s National Carrier , RwandAir launched flights to Harare, Zimbabwe.
Made-In-Africa Leadership Conference (MLC) is an exclusive annual gathering of African business owners and business leaders, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Managing Directors (MDs) of mid-sized companies.
The leaders attending the conference held on 6th to 7th June 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda convened to learn from each other, inspire each other to greater leadership performance, and network with each other. They also discussed on measures to Promote Made in Africa.
The continental conference is the first of its kind and is organized by Breakfast Club Africa, a Pan African CEO membership organization, formed with a singular purpose of helping leaders of companies to become better leaders, thus benefiting their organizations and employees.
Talks held during the conference revolved around seeking together solutions addressing problems affecting small and medium-sized firms.
After attending the conference , participants toured development projects located in Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kigali city.
Special Economic Zone is home to renown manufacturing plants including C&H Garment, Africa Improved Food, Pharma Lab producing medicines and Safintra manufacturing roofing sheets among others.
After receiving explanation on activities carried out in SEZ, the leaders also visited different companies operating in Rwanda like telecommunication company Airtel Rwanda, Volkswagen, DMM Hehe, Kigali Innovation City and Carnegie Mellon University Africa branch among others.
They were also taken through challenges facing these institutions and discussed possible solutions.
Dr Karusisi who was speaking to 100 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of medium sized and large institutions from Africa attending ‘Made In Africa Leadership Conference’ held in Kigali to seek ways of promoting Made in Africa, explained that women are in most cases involved in leadership of medium enterprises noting that women presence is lacking in decision making positions in large enterprises.
She however observed that women and girls fear to take responsibilities even when they are assigned in such positions.
“We are often the first root causes of such exclusion because we don’t have self-confidence. We have inner feelings pushing us not to expose ourselves wondering what people shall think about you. They will consider me arrogant, …And this restrains you from raising hand to express an idea,” noted Dr Karusisi.
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The conference was held for the first time on 6th June 2019 and was organized by Breakfast Club Africa.
Breakfast Club Africa is a Pan African CEO membership organization, formed with a purpose of helping leaders of companies to become better leaders, thus benefiting their organizations and employees.
The second day of the conference attracted different panelists including Dr Karusisi who shared insights on challenges and opportunities for African woman.
Results from a survey conducted by Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) in 2016 indicated that only 39.5% women among citizens who have accounts at financial institutions. The report also indicated that 68.9% of men have acquired loans while only 26.8% women got loans.
“ I don’t know the essence of this but the issue exists. I remember when I worked at the office of the presidency, he often asked me to share ideas and I would share good ideas. But I had inner feelings that I have nothing to say , like something is obstructing me to stand and share an idea,” she added.
Dr Karusisi explained that 23% of girls drop out from primary schools while the boys are 19%. Female teens dropping out of school are 36% and 32% for boys.
Dr Karusisi emphacized that giving girls opportunities to decision making positions should start with setting up policies enhancing their access to education.
Lusubilo Chakaniza, the CEO of Ethanol Company Ltd from Malawi was among the discussants.
He said that girls lack confidence amidst bareers restricting them to particular opportunities.
The Managing Director of BPR Atlas Mara, Maurice K. Toroitich pointed out an example of previous graduation ceremony he attended where girls were best performers noting that girls can execute their duties articulately if they are given opportunities.
“We have to understand that being a girl doesn’t mean you are not able to perform like boys,” he said.
Rwanda is among countries promoting gender balance in top government positions. The 2003 Constitution as amended to date stipulates that women should have at least 30% representation in decision making positions.
The office of the presidency has posted photos showing the president with the center’s management though areas of discussions held during the visit were not revealed.
President Kagame visits the center as Rwanda awaits hosting (on 12th -14th June 2019) a summit reflecting on five year journey since SDGs were inaugurated, and identifying together gaps,challenges and drawing measures towards achieving the goals in 12 years ahead.
In September 2015, the United Nations ratified 17 Sustainable Development Goals after completing Millenium Development Goals.
These goals are engulfed in broad plans for economic development aimed at eradicating poverty, promoting inter-continental harmony and inclusive development. They were aligned with Africa’s Agenda 2063.
The latter is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future.
It is the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity pursued under Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance
The Director General of the Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa (SDGC/A), Dr Belay Begashaw told media yesterday that the upcoming summit will focus on three areas namely: Health, Education and Agriculture with the aim of promoting food self-sufficiency.
The summit to be held in Rwanda on 12th-14th June 2019 will attract around 2000 participants including representatives from non-governmental organizations, Governments, entrepreneurs and researchers among others from across the World.
Six heads of states are expected to make a presentation on the progress of Sustainable Development Goals in Africa on the last day of the summit.
