“If we look at high-frequency indicators and the economic sentiment, we see that many things point to a contraction in economic activity this winter,” Gentiloni said at a press conference of the Eurogroup.
Paschal Donohoe, president of the Eurogroup, said everyone knows that the economy within the euro area is slowing down. In October, economic growth for the area stood at 0.5 percent.
The finance ministers, representing the 19-country euro area, met in Brussels on Monday to discuss the eurozone’s economic development, as well as budgetary measures to mitigate the impact of high energy prices.
According to estimates by the Commission, euro area governments have so far collectively spent about 200 billion euros, or 1.25 percent of the European Union’s (EU) gross domestic product (GDP), on energy support for the year.
Gentiloni said around 70 percent of the supporting measures adopted by the member states so far are untargeted, meaning “they benefit all, or a very large share, of the population.”
“We are aware of course that targeting is not always easy, politically and technically, especially if you have to react very quickly. This is also why we have the expectation that this targeting of measures can improve in the coming months,” he added.
Donohoe said the ministers noticed the challenges of significant supports and effectively managing the trade-off between reducing inflation, while supporting both vulnerable households and the euro area’s international competitiveness
Sisi made the remarks in an inaugurating speech to the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Implementation Summit (SCIS), which gathers heads of state and government worldwide here at the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Egypt’s coastal city of Sharm El-Sheikh.
Addressing the summit, Sisi called on world leaders to take real and concrete steps towards reducing emissions, enhancing adaptation to the consequences of climate change, and providing the necessary financing for developing countries that suffer the most from the current climate crisis.
“Time is running out for the world and there is no way to retreat from implementing climate commitments,” Sisi said.
“It is necessary for developing countries, especially in our African continent, to feel that their priorities are responded to and taken into consideration,” he said
“These countries bear their responsibility, to the extent of their capabilities and the amount of appropriate support and finance, in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, granting them some satisfaction with their position on global efforts to combat climate change,” Sisi added.
He stressed that this can only happen by creating an atmosphere of confidence as well as taking additional serious steps and of developed countries to fulfill their climate finance commitments.
He pointed out that the world is still facing many challenges that cast a shadow on its ability to reach the goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which is to keep the global average temperature rise this century as close as possible to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Addressing the climate summit, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also warned global leaders of the current climate challenges.
“We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator,” he said, adding “the planet is fast approaching the tipping point that will make climate chaos irreversible.”
“Greenhouse gas emissions keep growing, global temperatures keep rising, and our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible,” he adds.
He noted that humanity must “cooperate or perish” in the face of international crises that have battered economies and shaken international relations.
“It is either a climate solidarity pact, or a collective suicide pact,” Guterres warned.
“With an average of five people per household, around 10 million Rwandans have access to electricity currently. This puts us on course to achieving government’s vision of ensuring that all households in the country have access to electricity by 2024,” Fidele Abimana, the Permanent Secretary in Rwandan Ministry of Infrastructure said on Sunday during an event to connect the latest resident to power in Nyarugenge district in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital.
“We have connected a million households to power in the last two years. With the same number of households remaining shows that our target of universal connection in the next two years is within reach,” he said, adding that the government recognizes the role of electricity in national development and improving people’s standards of living.
Access to electricity has increased from 2 percent in 2000 to around 74.5 percent to date, according to the ministry.
At least 50.9 percent households are connected to the national grid while 23.6 percent use off-grid solutions including solar energy.
Even when a lot has been achieved, we still have a long way to go to ensure 100 percent access, Ron Weiss, the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda’s power utility company, Rwanda Energy Group, said during the same event.
“At least 25 percent of people should be connected in two years. It is still a big number but we assure that this is achievable,” he said.
More than 640,000 households are connected through off-grid solutions.
The Rwandan government has projected that by 2024 about 70 percent of households will be connected to the national grid while 30 percent will be using off-grid solutions.
The meeting which took place on the sidelines of the 27th United Nations Climate Change (COP27) on Monday 7th November 2022; was also attended by the President of Kenya, William Ruto; Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania and Congolese Prime Minister, Sama Lukonde.
The meeting is held amidst escalating tensions between Rwanda and DRC over reciprocal accusations related to the fight between Congolese Army (FARDC) and M23 rebel group.
FARDC continues to loose bases to M23 rebel group and attributes its strength to alleged support from Rwanda.
Rwanda has however denied the allegations repeatedly calling the fight with M23 an internal problem which should be addressed by DRC.
DRC President, Félix Tshisekedi recently revealed figuratively that it is time to wage a war on Rwanda after elucidating that diplomatic process is no longer a promising option to restore peace in the eastern part of his country.
Topics of discussions between the heads of state have not been disclosed.
Meanwhile, joint EAC forces are expected to be deployed to fight armed groups in DRC event though the country has boycotted Rwandan troops from participating in the regional efforts.
It is expected that Ugandan troops with work with Congolese Army (FARDC) to fight armed groups in Beni and Ituri regions.
Kenyan forces will be deployed in the outskirts of Goma and Rutshuru, Burundians will be based in Southern Kivu Province while others form South Sudan will be deployed in Haut-Uélé.
Areas of operations for Tanzanian troops have not yet been designated given that it already has soldiers in the country serving under The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
Sources indicate that they might assist in intelligence gathering and sharing of information.
Last week, President Ndayishimiye held talks with Uhuru Kenyatta, former Kenyan President who serves as Kenya’s peace envoy to the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region, with whom they agreed that Nairobi peace talks on security problems in eastern DRC have to resume on 16th November 2022.
The decision was reached as Kenyatta, the EAC facilitator on the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo visited Burundi where he met with Ndayishimiye on Friday 4th November 2022.
They discussed different issues including the resumption of Nairobi peace talks bringing together DRC and hostile armed groups.
Kenyatta and Ndayishimiye also discussed the plan to send EAC joint troops to eastern DRC.
In April this year, EAC demanded all foreign armed groups operating in DRC including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and the National Liberation Forces (FNL) to lay down arms or be annihilated militarily through joint regional force.
DRC had agreed to participate in the talks but rejected any negotiations with M23 which it labeled as a terrorist group.
However, it recently changed its position and announced that it would only engage in talks with the rebel after withdrawing from occupied areas.
The facility was launched on Monday 7th November 2022 in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt on the sidelines of the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference commonly referred to as Conference of the Parties (COP27).
Ireme Invest is a is a groundbreaking new investment facility powered by the Rwanda Green Fund and the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) with support from a range of valued partners.
Ireme Invest – a one stop center for green and sustainable investment – was launched with an initial capitalization of US$104 million to support the Private sector to access green finance.
“Climate adaptation requires big changes in how we produce and consume energy. How we move around, all that depends on climate adaptation and change. What we eat, and how it’s grown. All that comes together. In short the entire economy is affected, which means the private sector has a tremendous role to play,” said Kagame on the launch of Ireme Invest.
“Ireme Invest embodies Rwanda’s commitment to achieving tangible results toward a green economy through public-private partnerships in key areas,” he added.
The launch of Ireme Invest marks a significant milestone on Rwanda’s sustainable finance journey.
President Kagame commended the Development Bank of Rwanda for the seed capital it has invested in this fund, building on the solid track record of the Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA).
He also appreciated partner institutions including the Governments of France, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Investment Bank an the Green Climate Partnership Fund noting that without them all that being done by Rwandan institutions would not go very far.
The Head of State also noted that these partners have contributed to the first round of capitalisation, bringing the total to more than US$100 million.
The launch of Ireme Invest at COP27 convened leaders from global finance institutions and partners who have committed to this green finance initiative.
On Monday 7th November 2022, the Government of Rwanda released a statement indicating that a fighter jet Sukhoi-25 belonging to Congolese Army (FARDC) violated its airspace and briefly landed at Rubavu Airport in Western Province.
The jet touched down at the airport at 11h20.
On Monday evening, DRC Ministry of Communication also released a statement acknowledging that the country’s ‘unarmed reconnaissance jet accidentally entered Rwanda’s airspace’.
The violation followed escalating tensions between Rwanda and DRC over reciprocal accusations related to the fight between Congolese Army and M23 rebel group.
DRC accused Rwanda of supporting the rebel group, a claim which Rwanda has repeatedly rejected but accused DRC of working with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) during the fighting with M23.
FDLR is a terrorist group formed by individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
These were the people, who were at the time engaged in various unlawful cross-border activities such as smuggling and illegal fishing.
During its month-long community development activities dubbed the ‘Police Month’ to mark its 21st anniversary, in December last year, the RNP gave a financial support of over Rwf40 million to these cooperatives as part of its human security and crime prevention programmes.
Now, the force, in partnership with the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, and UNDP have donated nine computers and 150 smartphones to nine cooperatives supported by RNP, to facilitate them in record-keeping and communication.
The IT equipment were handed over this Monday, November 7, in Gisenyi, Rubavu District at the end of the three-week training for 205 members of the cooperatives.
During the three weeks, participants acquired computer skills and were enlightened on community policing.
While closing the training, Esther Kinda, the Director General for Innovation and Emerging Technologies in the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, thanked them for taking the right path to development.
She urged them to handle with care the given IT equipment and be an inspiration to others that are still engaged in illegal activities.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Jean Claude Kabandana, the director for human security in the RNP department of Community Policing, also urged them to inspire others to join cooperatives.
“You were organized in cooperatives because what you were doing was wrong and punishable by law. Now, you can see that there is always an alternative from unlawful practices. Be the voice against those who are still involved in lawlessness,” SP Kabandana said.
Rwanda FPU III-5 replaced Rwanda FPU III-IV, which is stationed in the capital Juba.
In the morning at about 11 a.m, 160 women and men of Rwanda FPU III-5, majority females, commanded by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Specioza Dusabe, left Kigali International Airport (KIA) for the one year peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.
The replaced contingent returned home later at about 3:30p.m after a successful one year tour-of-duty, under the command of SSP Mathias Muhire.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Costa Habyara, Commissioner for Counterterrorism in RNP presided over the departure and arrival of the contingents at the KIA.
The statement released by the government today reads that the incident occurred in the morning of Monday 7th November 2022.
“A Sukhoi-25 fighter jet from the Democratic Republic of Congo violated Rwandan airspace at 11h20 this morning and briefly touched down at Rubavu Airport in Western Province,” reads the statement in part.
“No military action was taken by Rwanda in response, and the jet returned to DRC. Rwandan authorities have protested this provocation to the DRC who acknowledged the incident,” adds the statement.
Commenting on the incident, the Spokesperson of the Government of Rwanda, Yolande Makolo has via Twitter account indicated that ‘the incursion by the DRC Sukhoi-25 fighter jet is one of many provocations following cross-border shelling of Rwandan territory with rockets earlier this year’.
The provocation has happened following media reports on Sunday that Goma Airport was closed the whole day on Sunday awaiting the arrival of fighter jets.
It comes amidst escalating tensions between Rwanda and DRC over reciprocal accusations related to the fight between Congolese Army (FARDC) and M23 rebel group.
FARDC continues to loose bases to M23 rebel group and attributes its strength to alleged support from Rwanda.
Rwanda has however denied the allegations repeatedly calling the fight with M23 an internal problem which should be addressed by DRC.
DRC President, Félix Tshisekedi recently revealed figuratively that it is time to wage a war on Rwanda after elucidating that diplomatic process is no longer a promising option to restore peace in the eastern part of his country.
Tshisekedi made the revelation in the evening of Thursday 3rd November 2022 as he delivered state of the nation address.
He said that the M23 rebel group is receiving support from Rwanda in terms of resources and reinforcement troops.
Alluding to waging a war on Rwanda, Tshisekedi said that his country had two options to address security problems in eastern DRC: diplomacy and war.
“I have resolved to prefer the first option over the second. So, the diplomatic option has been implemented,” he said.
Tshisekedi also ordered the Congolese army commander to establish dozens of military training centers as part of preparations to respond to alleged Rwanda’s support to M23.
“In response to the appeal of young people to enroll massively in our Armed Forces, I reiterate the instruction given to the Chief of Staff to accelerate the establishment of training centers through the twenty six provinces in our country,” he said.
“The war imposed on us by our neighbours demands sacrifice from each of us. It is time to silence our political differences to defend our motherland together,” added Tshisekedi.
The Senior Defence and Security Advisor in the Office of the President, Gen James Kabarebe has said that Rwanda can’t be drawn into war by provocations of Congolese citizens and politicians speaking ill of the country and staging protests because it would look like a fight with a mad person.
He was responding to a question raised by one of participants of talks that brought together youth volunteers and students from the College of Science and Technology at the University of Rwanda (UR-CST) in the evening of 2nd November 2022.
Gen Kabarebe further revealed that Rwanda fights strategic wars to protect its interests where it can’t be involved in provocations and reprisals over nonsense.
As he officiated the commissioning of 568 new officers of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) on Friday 4th November 2022, President Paul Kagame said that their primary job is to maintain security not to provoke wars.
“The Rwandan army and other security organs in our country are meant to protect Rwandans, to protect the country and all its citizens, and safeguard the development we have attained, as we move forward. That is what they stand for. That is where we start. We do not start by thinking that the national army as a profession, is just about fighting wars. That comes last,” he said.
“Their primary duty is security, securing our development gains. When the latter is threatened by war, that is when fighting comes in, that is why I said that is the last resort. What we and our country stand for and the mindset of our army professionals, is that the starting point is to protect what we have achieved. This is different from building an army that just fights wars that would be wrong,” added Kagame.
The provocation follows the meeting between Congolese and Rwandan ministers of foreign affairs in held in Angola on 5th November 2022 to de-escalate tensions through dialogue.
The inaugural direct flight to the new destination was operated on Sunday 6th November 2022.
The national career has via Twitter handle revealed that the first direct flight to London took off at 10:00 p.m. on Sunday.
RwandAir’s aircrafts will be landing at Heathrow Airport located in the West of London.
The airline has been operating flights to London via Brussels for the past five years.
RwandAir will be operating four weekly flights to London.
As per recent statement released by RwandAir, flights will depart Kigali each Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday night, to arrive in London the following morning.
The return flight departs the British capital each Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, arriving at RwandAir’s home hub the following morning.
Customers will experience RwandAir’s state-of-the-art Airbus A330, which offers a choice of flying in Business Class or Economy Class. It has the capacity to carry 250 passengers.
The airline has flown between London and Kigali since May 2017 via an indirect service through Brussels, having launched flights from London Gatwick on 26th May 2017.
In 2020, after three successful years of operations, the African carrier airline decided to switch flights to the UK’s busiest airport London Heathrow, helping to improve connections for those traveling from further afield.
From its hub at the heart of Africa at Kigali International Airport, RwandAir is renowned for its excellent on-time performance, customer service, and safety. The airline has for two successive years been awarded ‘The best airline staff in Africa’.
RwandAir currently serves 28 destinations across East, Central, West, and Southern Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
