According to Clementine Mukeka, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the journey to evacuate Rwandans and foreigners from Sudan began on Tuesday, and the government first took them to Aswan city in Egypt from Khartoum before flying them to Kigali.
The exercise was conducted through partnership between the Rwandan government, the embassy in Cairo, and the embassy in Khartoum.
“We commend Egypt for having welcomed our citizens during these trying times, as well as the Sudanese and the Government of Sudan for their assistance in evacuating these people,” said Mukeka.
The citizens flown to Kigali include five Syrians, one Burundian, one Kenyan, two Ugandans, one Nigerian, and 32 Rwandans.
Mukeka also stated that two Rwandans preferred to stay in Khartoum for personal reasons, but they will receive support where necessary.
Mukeka disclosed that Rwanda is prepared to contribute to efforts aimed at achieving durable peace in Sudan through mechanisms that will be established by the African Union (AU).
Among the evacuees was Kenyan citizen Ogendo Daniel Oganga, who married a Rwandan.
Ogango commended the Government of Rwanda for the support extended to him and his family to leave Sudan.
Rwandan citizen Francis Kihumuro also expressed his relief for being evacuated from an area prone to heavy gunfire.
Since 15th April, Sudan has been mired in military clashes between following days of tension between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and its rival, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The country has been suffering a political crisis since the Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency in October 2021 and dissolved the sovereign council as well as the government.
“In the period of April 23-29, 2023, 484 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya,” IOM said in a statement.
“So far this year, a total of 4,819 illegal migrants have been rescued and returned to Libya,” IOM said, adding that 505 illegal migrants died and 319 others went missing off the Libyan coast on the central Mediterranean route in 2023.
In 2022, a total of 24,684 migrants were rescued and returned to Libya, 525 migrants died and 848 others went missing off the Libyan coast on the central Mediterranean route, the IOM revealed in the statement.
Due to the insecurity and chaos in the country since the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, many migrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya.
Police intercepted the commercial motorcyclist in Remera village of Gasiza cell in Bushoki sector, as he headed to Kigali.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Alex Ndayisenga, the Northern Region Political and Civic Education Officer (RPCEO) said that the suspect was arrested by the Revenue Protection Unit (RPU), which was in its routine operations along Musanze-Kigali highway.
“The RPU officers stopped the motorcyclist, searched his bag only to realize that it contained 10kgs of cannabis and 2 litres of Kanyanga, leading to his immediate arrest and his motorcycle registration number RB 902S, impounded,” SP Ndayisenga said.
The suspect was allegedly heading to Kanyinya sector of Nyarugenge District to supply clients. The taxi-moto operator is also a resident of Kanyinya, where he was operating his criminal business.
“He was coming from Gasiza where he got the narcotics from another supplier, who is yet to be arrested. Investigations are still underway to bring to book anyone connected to this ring,” he said.
Cannabis is listed as a”very severe narcotic drug” in Rwanda while Kanyanga is classified as a “simple drug.”
Anyone convicted for very severe narcotic drug, under article 263 of the law determining offences and penalties in general, faces between 20 years and life imprisonment, and a fine of up to Frw30 million.
In case of simple drugs, the offender faces between 7 and 10 years in prison.
The flight will arrive from Frankfurt in Nairobi at 20:30 hours and the returning flight will depart each evening from Nairobi at 22:25 (local time). It arrives the next day in the morning at Frankfurt, with all options for onward connections during the day.
The additional flights between Nairobi and Frankfurt are already bookable through all available sales channels.
“Kenya remains a focus market for Lufthansa in East Africa and the decision to maximise our offering into the country is largely driven by the significant increase in demand and resurgence in travel, coupled with the immense support of the local community within the region”, says Kevin Markette, General Manager East Africa, Lufthansa Group.
Lufthansa was one of the first airlines to restart regular commercial flights to Kenya directly after the Covid-19 pandemic, signifying the important commercial and economic ties between the two countries, as well as Lufthansa’s commitment to maintaining a direct connection for our customers in Kenya and Germany.
{{Eurowings Discover increasing capacity to five weekly flights to Mombasa}}
Not only is East Africa a popular destination and gateway amongst business travellers, but the region is also well known by those travellers seeking an idyllic holiday destination to unwind and relax. For this reason, the Lufthansa Group has decided to enhance the Eurowings Discover flight schedule to Kenya, by increasing the current four weekly flights between Frankfurt and Mombasa, to five weekly flights starting 20 June until 12 September 2023.
The additional capacity to Mombasa comes just in time for the peak travel season and will allow Eurowings Discover to offer holidaymakers the much needed flexibility and choice, when booking their flights.
{{Brussels airlines offering daily flights to Entebbe as well as five weekly flights to Kigali}}
As the Lufthansa Group continues to invest in expanding its network in Kenya through its premium Lufthansa product and its leisure carrier Eurowings Discover, the importance of growing in the entire East African region remains a high priority.
Therefore, a noteworthy highlight is the current capacity increase from four to five weekly Brussels Airlines flights between Brussels and Kigali, which was originally planned to be a seasonal increase, shall now continue all throughout the winter season of 2023.
This capacity adjustment comes on top of the daily flights offered by the airline between Brussels and Entebbe and it complements the existing twice-weekly flights between Brussels and Bujumbura, of which Brussels Airlines proudly remains the only European airline to offer flights to this East African City. With the additional frequencies, the Lufthansa Group is further cementing its commitment to growing in the region and on the African continent.
{{Lufthansa Group committed to sustainability and providing a consistent, high quality travel offer}}
Until 2030, the Lufthansa Group airlines will have at least 190 newly delivered and fuel-saving aircraft in service. This major investment in the future will reduce kerosene consumption and therefore CO₂ emissions by up to 30 percent on each flight.
Leading aviation into a sustainable future and to become carbon neutral by 2050 is the goal of the Lufthansa Group.
“We believe that sustainable aviation will continue to enable us to benefit from a connected world and by expanding the various airline schedules of the Lufthansa Group, we are maintaining a solid foundation and presence within East Africa. Our passion for connecting people, cultures and economies, thus bringing the world within reach, together with providing our customers a consistent, high quality travel offer across an extensive route network remains a top priority for the Lufthansa Group”, adds Kevin.
Dr. Jean Damascene Bizimana, the Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, made the remarks during an event Friday to unveil a 10-year funding package for the project in the Rwandan capital of Kigali.
“Digitization will preserve the history and provide visitors with electronic access to all information through videos and audio. It will enable people to visit these memorials without the need for a guide,” he said.
The move will start with three memorial sites, including Nyange and Murambi in western Rwanda, and Ntarama in the east, but with a target of covering other memorials across the country, according to Dr. Bizimana.
Bizimana said necessary data, including survivors’ testimonies, pictures, information about trials, and other relevant information, has been collected to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
The latest official figures show that there are more than 170 genocide memorial sites in the country.
On early Saturday, the capital of Khartoum and its adjacent cities, Bahri and Omdurman, were hit by air strikes, anti-aircraft weaponry, and artillery.
The weeks-long conflict between Sudan’s military factions has caused a humanitarian crisis in the country, sent a geopolitical shockwave that reverberates through the region, and prompted many countries to rush to evacuate their citizens.
{{Fighting continues despite truce pledges}}
Fierce clashes and explosions rocked Khartoum’s upscale Kafouri neighborhood on Friday and Saturday, according to media reports.
The government’s Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) warplanes were said to have bombed their rivals, the paramilitary unit Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Clashes were also reported around the Republican Palace, the SAF’s headquarters, and the area close to the Khartoum international airport on Friday. These areas have been flashpoints since the war erupted on April 15, with explosions also heard across the river in Omdurman.
On Friday, Türkiye reported that one of its evacuation planes was hit by gunfire outside Khartoum with no casualties, only hours after the two sides agreed to the latest ceasefire, which was brokered by foreign powers and is supposed to last until midnight on Sunday.
The RSF accused the government forces of violating the ceasefire with air strikes on its bases in Omdurman and Mount Awliya, while the army blamed the RSF for violations.
The two rival generals leading the SAF and RSF have targeted each other in the media. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC) and leader of the government forces, branded the RSF a militia that aims “to destroy Sudan” in an interview with U.S.-based TV channel Alhurra. He also claimed that “mercenaries” were crossing the border from Chad, Central African Republic, and Niger to exploit the chaos.
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy chairman of the TSC and leader of the RSF, denounced his rival in an interview with the BBC, calling him “not trustworthy” and a “traitor.”
The friction between the SAF and RSF had been building for months. Both sides were required to cede power to civilian parties under a transition plan meant to be finalized earlier this month, but the process foundered over timing issues, including when the RSF would be absorbed into army ranks.
{{Humanitarian crisis }}
As violence continues to grip Sudan, residents in Khartoum are enduring dire conditions, with dwindling access to basic necessities and restricted movement due to the volatile security situation.
Food, water, and other essential services are scarce. Electricity is cut off across much of Khartoum and other cities. The cities are also plagued by fighters who loot and destroy homes, shops, businesses, and open-air markets.
According to the United Nations, the death toll has reached at least 512, with close to 4,200 wounded, though it believes the real figures are much higher. More than 75,000 people were internally displaced within Sudan in the first week of the fighting, while only 16 percent of hospitals were operating normally in the capital.
The ongoing violence has driven tens of thousands of refugees across Sudan’s borders, posing a risk to the volatile region between the Sahel and the Red Sea.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Tuesday the violence could spread to other countries in the region, saying that it is “lighting a fuse that could detonate across borders, causing immense suffering for years, and setting development back for decades.”
Despite intensifying pressure from international mediators, the rival generals have only managed to achieve temporary ceasefires that have failed to stop the clashes.
Moreover, the UN has expressed concern over the “alarming” situation in Darfur, where at least 96 individuals have been reportedly killed in Geneina, a city located in West Darfur State, since Monday.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reported extensive looting, destruction, and burning of property, including at camps designated for displaced people. As a result of the ongoing conflict, Sylvain Perron, MSF’s deputy operations manager for Sudan, said that they have been compelled to suspend nearly all operations in West Darfur.
{{Countries rush to evacuate citizens}}
The conflict has triggered a rush of countries to evacuate diplomats and citizens. Several countries have evacuated nationals by air, while some have gone via Port Sudan on the Red Sea, more than 800 km away from Khartoum.
On Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that over 1,300 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated from Sudan. China has actively helped bring foreign nationals out of Sudan, and has so far helped nationals of five countries to evacuate from Sudan on Chinese ships.
Despite these efforts, there are still a small number of Chinese citizens outside the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, she said, adding China will continue to do its utmost to assist them and other countries who have requested assistance in evacuation.
Other countries have also been conducting evacuation operations. Egypt has evacuated a total of 6,399 Egyptians, 1,072 of whom were evacuated on Friday. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday some 16,000 people had crossed the border from Sudan into Egypt, including 14,000 Sudanese citizens.
France said on Thursday that it had evacuated 936 people, including U.S. and British nationals.
Saudi Arabia, Britain, the United States, and Japan also have conducted evacuation missions to get their nationals out of Sudan.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that 65 Iranian citizens had left from Port Sudan, through Jeddah, to Iran, praising the “influential cooperation” from Saudi Arabia in the country’s evacuation mission.
The event took place on April 30th, 2023, in Kagugu Cell, Kinyinya Sector of Gasabo District.
The community work involved clearing bushes nearby a road in the area and refurbishing damaged paths, among other activities.
Emmanuel Habanabakize who represented KBS employees at the exercise said that joining residents in the community work is the best way to cement their relationships to foster national development together.
“We have conducted usual community and engaged directly with citizens that we serve. They actually want our backing in daily life and we are convinced that it is our responsibility to stay closer to them in development activities,” he said.
Philip Mundia Githiora, Kenya’s Ag. High Commissioner to Rwanda, hailed the welcome they received to participate in the activity and the cordial relations and cooperation that continue to be deepened between the people of both countries.
He noted that the exercise further cements bonds of friendship between the two countries.
Kenyans living in Rwanda donated Rwf2 million to subscribe 500 Kinyinya residents for Mutuelle de Santé and pay school fees for 500 Primary School learners.
Boniface Nzioki Mutua, the president of the Kenyan diaspora in Rwanda, said that joining Rwandans during the community work and their contribution reflects their gratefulness for cordial relations between Rwanda and their country.
He reiterated their commitment to continue walking with Rwandans along the development journey.
The Executive Secretary of Kinyinya Sector, Havuguziga Charles, welcomed the donation, noting that it would be utilized to increase the number of residents subscribed for Mutuelle de Santé and support vulnerable learners.
The training, which concluded on Saturday, April 29, was attended by 80 officers from various units of South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS), deployed in Malakal.
The Rwandan peacekeepers trained their counterparts in crowd control, when to use force and provision of First Aid.
Crowd control looked at three aspects; peaceful, hostile and aggressive demonstrations.
The deputy Police commissioner for Malakal, Major General Chol Atem Jongeth, commended the “practical cooperation” between the Rwandan Police peacekeepers and the South Sudan Police.
“Rwanda and South Sudan Police institutions enjoy good working relations, especially in training. Here in Malakal, you have continued to preserve that good legacy to share with us your policing experience and skills,” Maj. Gen. Chol said.
He reminded the trained officers to put the acquired skills to good use and to share them with others.
The Rwanda FPU contingent commander, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prudence Ngendahimana reminded the trainees that training is continuous.
“Our primary responsibility as peacekeepers is to protect civilians and key UNMISS installations but also to support the local people in human security activities and capacity development for the South Sudan Police.
We work well with the South Sudan Police and always committed to share with you the knowledge and skills,” SSP Ngendahimana said.
One of the trainees, Second Lieutenant Jal Deng Chol, said that the course is crucial as it provided them with the required knowledge and skills to respond to common security issues.
“This is the second training that the Rwandan peacekeepers have conducted and we are gaining a lot to ensure law and order, community policing and Umuganda (communal work) to support community development and to give back to the people as our partners, environmental protection and fighting gender based violence,” Deng said.
Rwanda FPU-1 of 240 officers is the seventh rotation since the maiden contingent was deployed in Malakal in 2015.
The request was made on 28th April 2023 as BRD remembered for the 29th time its former employees and others from the Caisse Hypothécaire du Rwanda (Mortgage Bank of Rwanda) killed during Genocide against the Tutsi.
The event was characterized the laying of wreaths at the memorial monument, lighting the flame of hope , reading names of slain victims including former employees and clients of the two banks as well as testimonies.
The CEO of BRD, Kampeta Sayinzoga said that commemoration is a moment to honour victims brutally killed over innate personality, stand in solidarity with Genocide survivors and strive to prevent reoccurrence.
“It is a moment to reflect on unity and reconciliation of Rwandans and national development as well. We lost employees and clients who contributed to national development. This event serves as an opportune occasion to comfort those who lost relatives and continue to walk together as we remember and rebuild ourselves,” she noted.
Kampeta assured BRD’s commitment to continue standing in solidarity with Genocide survivors and disclosed plans to provide them with green cooking stoves under ‘Tekera Aheza’ campaign.
Faustin Mafeza, Research Analyst at MINUBUMWE requested BRD to lend a hand in writing history of Genocide against the Tutsi with a view to shun trivialization.
“Public, private institutions and banks need to take the leading step to write about history of Genocide against the Tutsi to shun misinterpretation, prevent denial and trivialization,” he said.
“Let us commit ourselves to have produced a book compiling history of Genocide against the Tutsi with a focus on BRD. It is possible,” added Mafeza.
Kalinda Ndabirora, a Commissioner for Justice at IBUKA, umbrella organization of Genocide survivors who delivered a talk at the event stressed the need to draw much attention on fighting propagandists denying and trivializing Genocide against the Tutsi.
“We need to devise strategies to fight them because they also change tricks overtime,” he advised.
Kalinda explained that reducing the number of slain victims, changing its appellation and undermining the essence of commemoration are among tools used by propagandists noting that fighting them is possible.
Maimuna Mukamana one of relatives of former BRD employees killed during Genocide against the Tutsi narrated her ordeal and journey to survival when RPA Inkotanyi soldiers stopped the Genocide.
Despite the bitter history, Mukamana disclosed that she has regained strength along with her children who survived and thanked BRD for having walked with her along the resilience journey.
Today, 13 former BRD employees, 7 employees of Caisse Hypothécaire du Rwanda and 15 clients have been identified among victims of Genocide against the Tutsi.
Members of the Trilateral Mechanism made the call in a joint statement along with the Quad on Sudan that brings together Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States, according to a joint statement issued Friday.
“Members of the Trilateral Mechanism and the Quad welcome the announcement by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to extend the current ceasefire for an additional 72 hours and call for its full implementation,” the statement reads.
They also welcomed the readiness of the two Sudanese warring factions to engage in dialogue toward establishing a more durable cessation of hostilities and ensuring unimpeded humanitarian access.
This initial phase of diplomacy to establish a process to achieve a permanent cessation of hostilities and humanitarian arrangements will contribute to action on the development of a de-escalation plan as outlined in the April 20 African Union communique, the statement says.
Since mid-April, Sudan has been mired in military clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF following days of tension between the once-allied leaders of both sides.
The country has been suffering a political crisis since the Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency in October 2021 and dissolved the sovereign council as well as the government.
