The certification applies to all core banking processes at its head office, branches, disaster recovery sites, and business resumption sites.
Speaking about this certification, Cheick Travaly, Ecobank Group Regional Executive for Central and Southern Africa said: “The certification is a clear indication of the strength of the bank’s investments in people, processes, and technology and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the sustainability of our business while enhancing the customer experience.”
Travaly said that Ecobank being a Pan-African bank, subscribes to international best practices in business continuity management systems and certification by an independent external standards institution affirms it.
Other Ecobank affiliates in the Central and Southern Africa Region namely Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe also received this prestigious certification.
The certification resulted from a comprehensive audit conducted by the independent and highly respected BSI, the United Kingdom’s national standards body which enjoys the prestige of a Royal Charter.
BSI is a business improvement and standards company that helps organizations make excellence a habit.
Experts say that equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water remains a global challenge which is why under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), governments around the world are committed to national targets for clean water and sanitation by 2030.
Rwanda aims to achieve universal access to clean water by 2024 by increasing daily production of clean water to 303,120 cubic meters by 2024, from 182,120 available today. On the other side however, the goal itself is a very challenging one as it requires investment in infrastructures, sanitation, and sensitization towards hygiene.
Currently, Rwanda water supply in cities is equal to 187,293 cubic meters per day compared to 290,038 cubic meters needed. The gap is bridged by proportionately distributing water as a temporary solution to ensure everyone gets a share.
The Ministry of Infrastructure stated that water sanitation companies are working towards increasing the volume of distributed water from 267, 660 cubic meters to 365, 298 cubic meters per day.
Gatete Claver, Minister of Infrastructure said: “We are working towards building adequate infrastructures especially in Kigali using funding from the African Development Bank (Afdb).”
He said that one of the projects that are expected to solve access to water are Gihira Hydropower Plant which will up the volume of water distributed from 15,000 cubic meters to 23,000 cubic meters. There is also Mwoya water treatment plant which will provide up to 3000 cubic meters, Busogwe in Nyanza which will provide 12,000 cubic meters and Kagaga in Muhanga which will avail 9000 cubic meters.
In addition, Mushogoro plant will provide 7000 cubic meters, Sake 6000 cubic meters, Muhazi plant located in Gatsibo district, 10,000 cubic meters while Kanzenze plant will provide 40,000 cubic meters per day.
Minister Gatete said “All these projects give us hope that we will achieve universal water access and sanitation by 2024 as we have planned. Currently, Rwanda supplies 267,660 cubic meters of water per day but in 2024, we expect an increase of 100,000 cubic meters.”
On Tuesday, February 19th, 2020, Amb Imai visited Mutobo Demobilization Centre in Musanze district and was impressed with how Rwanda repatriated ex-combatants, allowing them to settle in as Rwandan citizens, a practice he said is uniquely Rwandan.
His visit aimed at assessing the implementation and results of different initiatives Japan sponsors in Rwanda including inculcating technical skills to handicapped demobilized soldiers from 2005 to 2008.
Other initiatives financed by the government of Japan include supporting ex-militia and other handicapped fighters in finding jobs from 2011 to 2014 through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Amb Masahiro said that teaching technical skills to ancient rebels is a pillar to development, unity, and reconciliation in Rwanda.
“I am really impressed with the strides Rwanda has been making to repatriate ex-rebels. This doesn’t exist anywhere else, even in Japan. Our government will keep supporting financially these initiatives, increase its investment and promote trade deals between Rwanda and Japan.” He said that Japan will keep sponsoring Mutobo Demobilization Centre.
Rtd Lt Col Fred Nyamurangwa, the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) commissioner said that the support Mutobo center received from the government of Japan allowed the ex-rebels to move forward in their lives especially those who acquired technical skills.
“Some ex-rebels have become entrepreneurs after acquiring technical skills from the center and can currently fulfill all their financial needs. It is a great thing that ex-combatants will be allowed to rejoin their family and join hands with the Rwandan community in building our country.”
Recently, more than 300 women who were part of armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been repatriated and are receiving civic education while 166 among them have started technical courses.
The repatriated ex-militia said they were surprised by how they were received in Rwanda and the support they receive from the government of Rwanda to settle in afresh.
48-year old Habiyaremye Patrick is one of the ex-militia who lost his right arm in combat. He said that he didn’t gain from being part of armed groups for 25 years in DRC forests. However, he said that after receiving training from the Mutobo demobilization center, he chose to become a farmer for a living.
“I am proud I will get to contribute to the development of my country. The knowledge I will gain from here will allow me to practice modern agriculture and earn a living through it.”
Nyirahabimana Leoncie who is now a tailor said she left DRC forests in August 2019 and that she has hope that the knowledge she has received will give her and her 3 children a decent life since her husband died while they were still in Congo.
Mutobo Demobilization Center has hosted up to 11,000 people until now, most of them being ex-rebels who receive civic education and are trained in various fields including couture, construction, farming, and modern livestock rearing.
Apart from financing the government of Rwanda initiatives through JICA, the government of Japan has established a wider footprint in trade activities from 7 to 30 organizations.
Apex Biotech will manufacture antibiotics which are commonly used to treat diseases caused by bacteria, painkillers, anti-malaria tablets, tuberculosis medicines and antiretroviral drugs. The plant is located in Kigali Special Economic Zone.
It is expected that during its first year, Apex Biotech Ltd will provide job opportunities to 100 Rwandan citizens who will also be trained and be acquainted with pharmaceutical industry operations.
When construction works for the pharmaceutical industry started, former Minister of Health, Dr. Diane Gashumba told IGIHE that 90% of pharmaceutical drugs used in Rwanda are imported and that Apex Biotech will contribute to bridging the cost gap which comes with imported drugs.
“Drugs will be manufactured from inside the country and the price will significantly reduce. Rwanda FDA will be supervising all activities conducted in the manufacturing process to ensure only quality drugs are put on the market. Another benefit is that the plant will avail employment opportunities to many people and drugs will be available with no added cost for transport.”
“We spend more than Rwf 30 billion to purchase, transport and store drugs in a year. The purchase only takes up to Rwf 25 billion. If we could have more pharmaceutical industries, it would be a great addition.”
Apex Biotech abides by measures of international regulatory bodies and promises the manufacture of quality drugs which meet international standards.
The national team is in preparation for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) that will take place in Cameroon from April 4, 2020, to April 25, 2020.
Amavubi’s first training took place at Amahoro Stadium from 4 p.m. Present were 28 players including Bukuru Christophe and Twizeyimana Martin Fabrice who were in the national team’s training for the first time.
The head coach of Amavubi Mashami Vincent first talked to the players for about 10 minutes before taking them in different sports drills, building their team spirit together.
The players had an air of joy for that first training which will be followed by another training this Tuesday before they leave for Cameroon for a friendly match they will play with the country’s team on Monday, February 24, 2020.
Amavubi will also play another friendly on February 28, 2020, with Congo Brazzaville on Amahoro Stadium.
Rwanda National Football Team has been drawn in Group C of the CHAN finals alongside Morocco, the incumbent cup holders, the neighboring country Uganda and Togo that will be playing CHAN for the first time.
Sempoma Felix, Benediction team coach chose 5 racers including Munyaneza Didier who won Tour du Sénégal 2019.
The 21-year old racer was nominated among 15 best African racers in 2019 and was ranked 8th during La Tropicale Amissa Bongo race. He also came 4th during the Grand Prix Biya race.
He will race along Nzafashwanayo Jean Claude who won Tour de la RDC in 2019, Manizabayo Eric ‘Karadiyo’, Byukusenge Patrick and Uwihirwe Byiza Renus who was ranked 16th during La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2020.
Benediction Ignite team was ranked 6th the first time they participated in Tour du Rwanda. Manizabayo Eric was 22nd, Munyaneza Didier 23rd, and Byukusenge Patrick 23rd as well.
Two other Rwandan teams will participate in Tour du Rwanda 2020 along Benediction Ignite including Team Rwanda and SACA.
Musengimana Jean Damascene, CBC Managing Director said that Muyongwe was chosen as one of the regions with a coffee processing plant and the highest quality of coffee in Rwanda.
“We have informed coffee farmers that every time we sell coffee from their gardens and earn more than we expected, we will come back and give them a bonus per kilo sold. We do so to motivate them to improve the quality of coffee they cultivate. Coffee is the most traded commodity in the world and farmers who do the most backbreaking work should get as much profit.”
In 2015, in a contest that was organized by the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), Coffee from Muyongwe won the prize for best coffee quality with a note of 90.3%.
Civilise Jean de Dieu, the farmers’ representative in Muyongwe said that the bonus he has received will enable him to better treat his coffee and improve its quality.
“Besides solving my financial needs, the bonus I have received will enable me to treat my coffee trees and improve yield and quality.”
Coffee farmer, Kanamugire Francois Xavier thanked CBC saying that it is the first time he is going to receive a bonus on the coffee he sold.
“I sold 600 kilograms of coffee and received Rwf 48,000 in total. I cannot thank enough CBC for this initiative.”
Ntezirizaza Faustin, Muyongwe Sector Executive Secretary said: “The money they have received will enable them to save, subscribe for medical insurance, buy fertilizers and cover so many other financial needs.”
“It is in this regard that we would like to take this opportunity to deeply thank our highly esteemed buyer and friend, San Francisco Bay, that tremendously helped us in this great social initiative by purchasing our coffee at a generous price!” says Loic Rwagasana, a director at CBC.
Coffee Business Center was founded in 2002 and deals in coffee export. Its headquarters are located in Masoro, Gasabo district.
Fidèle Nzabonimpa and Selemani Kabayija were immediately set free after the verdict was pronounced. The jury was chaired by Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti after prosecution led by Cpt. Ambrose Baguma decided to drop all charges against the two Rwandans as New Vision announced.
The 9 Rwandans who were recently released include Rene Rutagungira, Herman Nzeyimana, Nelson Mugabo, Etienne Nsanzabahizi, Emmanuel Rwamucyo, Augustin Rutayisire, Adrien Munyagabe, Gilbert Urayeneza, and Claude Iyakaremye.
Among other accusations, the two Rwandans were on trial for the alleged abduction of Jackson Kalemera also known as Ndinga as well as Lieutenant Joel Mutabazi.
During the trial, prosecutor Capt Baguma stated he had received strict orders to drop all charges against Kabayija and Nzabonimpa.
“Your Excellency, President of the Jury and Excellencies Judges, since November 8th, 2019, the two Rwandans stand accused of illegal possession of firearms but I have received orders to drop all the charges.”
He did not mention who gave the orders or what was the reason behind acquitting the two Rwandans. Gen Gutti ordered their immediate release although the alleged crimes they committed are usually punishable by death.
Unjustified arrests of Rwandans have become recurrent in Uganda where they are denied trial but instead thrown in jail and tortured based on allegations of possessing firearms and being Rwandan spies. Some who are tortured are left permanently handicapped while others immediately die.
Rwanda accuses Uganda of financing anti-Rwanda armed groups and coercing Rwandans who are held in jails to join those groups or risk being murdered.
In a bid to mend the precarious relations between Rwanda and Uganda, a fourth quadripartite summit is scheduled on February 21st, 2020 where President Kagame will meet President Museveni at Gatuna Border.
On Friday last week, Sam Kutesa, Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs said that in order to solve conflicts between Rwanda and Uganda, Uganda acquitted 9 Rwandans who were accused of illegally possessing firearms.
“I am requesting Rwanda to show good faith as well and release the 50 plus Ugandans being held in Rwandan jails.”
Olivier Nduhungirehe, State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that there are 9 Ugandan prisoners who are serving their sentence in Rwanda and that they will be granted the freedom to meet Ugandan envoys as the law dictates.
“In accordance to the Luanda Memorandum of Understanding, Rwanda has dropped charges against 15 Ugandans and they were set free.”
The meeting of the Ad Hoc Commission between Rwanda and Uganda that was held on February 14th, 2020 agreed on 6 resolutions.
The first resolution states that both parties agreed to verify the number and status of nationals of either party detained in each other’s country and report it through a ‘Note Verbale’ in three weeks.
Both parties also agreed to protect and respect the human rights of nationals of either party.
The third resolution states that “both parties committed to finalize the Extradition Treaty to be signed in the presence of the Heads of States at the fourth quadripartite summit to be held at Gatuna/Katuna common border between Rwanda and Uganda on February 21st, 2020”
As for the fourth resolution, by February 15th, 2020, the Government of Rwanda will write a note addressed to the Government of Uganda about alleged destabilizing activities carried out by Anti-Rwanda terrorist organizations on Ugandan territory.
Uganda will respond to the issues that can be immediately addressed by February 20th, 2020 and further investigate the unresolved issues.
The Ad Hoc commission recommended to the quadripartite summit to consider normalizing the movement of people and goods between Rwanda and Uganda.
Finally, both parties agreed to resume collaboration between defense and security organs in order to improve national security.
After the third quadripartite summit that was held in Angola, President Museveni wrote on his Twitter account that “Uganda will do its part to ensure resolutions of the summit are implemented.
The training is categorized in 10 stages, with each stage allowing training for 80 staff for 5 days. By the end of the training, all 800 staff will have been trained.
At the official launch of the training, Commissioner of Police (CP) Robert Niyonshuti, the Commissioner for Training and Development in Rwanda National Police (RNP) said that they will train staff from 10 in 17 security institutions across the country. He said that the training aims at teaching professionalism and good customer service.
CP Niyonshuti thanked RNP administration for organizing the training and the institutions in attendance for their will to improve staff skills and professionalism at work.
“We live in a time where crime prevails and we must adopt the appropriate measures to fight crime. Staff in security institutions should be able to check people, to identify criminal activities and to verify the authenticity of identification papers.”
He said that RNP will keep collaborating with security institutions in Rwanda and provide training for security to prevail.
“RNP is developing a curriculum to assist security institutions in fulfilling their responsibilities. I urge all staff who will attend the training to be attentive and apply what they have learned at work.”
Alexis Ruterere, the vice-chairperson of Rwanda Private Security Association thanked RNP for the initiative to train private security service providers.
“The knowledge we will acquire from the training will allow us to perfect the security services we provide. It will also allow us not to restrict ourselves to the Rwandan market and start offering security services in other countries as well.”
Currently, Rwanda counts 17 private security institutions with more than 26,000 staff members combined.
This is why SOS Children’s Villages Eastern and Southern Africa (SOSCV) and leading digital television operator StarTimes joined hands in 2018 to support youth empowerment.
SOS Children’s Villages is a non-profit organization that has been supporting children, young people and families since 1949 and are present in 26 countries in East & Southern Africa. Every year, they take care of thousands of children across the continent who have lost parental care or who are at risk of losing parental care.
In most countries, these young people are facing social and economic exclusion and face challenges when entering the professional world. In March 2017 SOSCV launched the YouthCan! initiative through which partners such as StarTimes provide youth with training and exposure to the professional world so they can transition successfully into professional life and lead independent lives.
The media group StarTimes has been growing very fast these past years, creating thousands of jobs on the continent. Luis Lu, StarTimes Vice-President in charge of Human Resources, explains that “StarTimes Group is committed towards empowering youth. They are the next generation of African leaders and they are eager to acquire knowledge and skills, but above all they are eager for an opportunity to show what they can do, that they can contribute. At StarTimes, through this partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Eastern & Southern Africa, we are humbly trying to give some of them this opportunity.”
Dozens of young people from SOS Children’s Villages East & Southern Africa programs have already interned at StarTimes in Africa.
In Tanzania, 19 year-old Rukia Zakaria Dahwa undertook a five months training as a Customer Care Agent. She explains that “it was my first internship” and “I learnt about good communication skills between workers and customers, to be active and work hard to meet targets. Although I am still pursuing my studies, I am sure the skills I got through the internship will help me find a job in the future.”
In Nigeria, Tina Odiah, 26, was hired as a full time staff after getting what was her first internship in a company.
“Before I didn’t know how to use many work tools like Excel. But when I started I realized it was a very important tool and I was trained on how to use it. Today I’m better at it and I also learnt how to behave in a formal environment. Later, there was an opening at the company I am sure I was selected because of the internship I did – that made me a better person.”
In Rwanda, Sonia Nishimwe, 24, explains that although her internship at StarTimes isn’t her first experience in a company, “it is the realest”. Working as a marketing assistant, “I am learning how to develop ideas that match with the working environment and also taking responsibilities of the work that am assigned to, learning how to deal with clients.”
In Burundi, Oscar Havyarimana learnt more than skills through his a two-month internship in StarTimes’ sales department, it gave him “the confidence to talk to people from different languages and background”. And that convinced him he could make his dream of creating his own business come true. “I am currently opening my own electronic shop.”
Since being launched, YouthCan! has established six global and more than 130 national corporate partnerships. During 2018, it reached out to 5,060 young people in 25 different countries, equally supporting boys and girls.
