Charles assumed the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on Thursday, aged 96. The accession ceremony introduced the new monarch to the country.
In his declaration at the accession ceremony, King Charles III, 73, told the Accession Council of hundreds of senior political and religious advisers that he would strive to follow his mother’s “inspiring example.”
“I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of Sovereignty which have now passed to me,” he said in the ceremony televised for the first time in history.
The Accession Proclamation was then read out from the balcony of St James’s Palace, a royal residence, to a trumpet fanfare, followed by gun salutes. The proclamation will also be read publicly in other capital cities of the United Kingdom — Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast — and other locations.
In his first address to the nation and the Commonwealth on Friday night as the new monarch, King Charles III bestowed the title of Prince of Wales to his eldest son William, 40, a title he had held for over 50 years and is a title reserved exclusively for the heir apparent to the British throne.
The theme of the event organized by the China Cultural Center in the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam was tourism promotion and culture exchange between China and Tanzania.
Wang Siping, the cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania and director of the China Cultural Center in Tanzania, said China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism took this event as an opportunity to strengthen cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation with other countries.
“It’s important to remove the barriers, conflicts and superiority between different civilizations with communication, mutual appreciation and coexistence, in order to promote the establishment of a community with a shared future for mankind,” said Wang.
A series of videos were presented through five main themes, highlighting the diversity of China from multiple aspects, such as cultural heritage, tradition, gastronomy, natural landscape, modernity and economic development.
The China Cultural Center also invited some Chinese students studying in Tanzania, and Tanzanian students who have studied in China or are going to study in China to celebrate the event.
“I believe their respective feelings and impressions about China and Tanzanian tourism are more vivid and convincing than our text and picture introductions,” said Wang.
Gladstone Mlay, the acting director of Marketing for the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, also introduced recent developments in the Tanzanian tourism sector to China.
Mlay appealed to the Chinese community to invest in the tourism sector in Tanzania, saying the country offered a number of opportunities, including accommodation facilities, sightseeing, tour operation business, conference centers, food services, recreational facilities, and training institutes.
“Throughout her life, Her Majesty the Queen (…) was an inspiration,” he said in his televised speech. “Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.”
He said he felt “profound sorrow” over the death of his mother and that he shared the public’s “sense of loss beyond measure.”
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch in history, died at Balmoral, Scotland, on Thursday, aged 96.
Charles, 73, will be officially proclaimed King at the Accession Council on Saturday in a ceremony held at St. James’s Palace in London.
Charles bestowed the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales on his eldest son William and daughter-in-law Kate — titles that he and his late wife Diana previously held.
He also expressed love for his son Harry and daughter-in-law Meghan Markle as they “continue to build their lives overseas.”
The development was confirmed on Friday 9th September 2022 as Danish Immigration Minister, Kaare Dybvad and the country’s Minister for Development and Nordic Cooperation, Flemming Møller Mortensen visited Rwanda.
During their visit, the Danish officials held talks with Rwandan counterparts focusing on the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on asylum and migration issues.
Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Vincent Biruta has said that Rwanda and Denmark began talks in April 2021 regarding efforts to deal with issues of migrants and asylum seekers which remain a burden for European countries while putting at risk the lives of those people trying to resettle in Europe.
“We agreed with Denmark to work together to find a durable solution for the issue of trafficked asylum seekers. As of today, we already have the agreements’ framework but we are having deep discussions on all aspects: Who are the targeted people, what does it require, how they will be resettled, what will happen once they arrive […] these are part of ongoing discussions,” he said.
Both parties have agreed to open joint office in Kigali to ensure effectiveness of the agreements where two diplomats will be assigned to follow up on the issue day to day.
As Rwanda signed agreements to receive asylum seekers from the United Kingdom (UK) in April this year, critics arose from different people and organizations claiming that they won’t be treated decently.
This time around, Dr. Biruta said that they will engage different organizations for common understanding.
“We committed ourselves to talk to international organizations overseeing interests of refugees […] to get common understanding on how the issue of asylum seekers […] If the usual system of handling them cannot work, what can we do to establish a new and effective mechanism to solve problems?” he wondered.
Minister Biruta also revealed that people against the arrangement ignore the truth willingly because they have worked with Rwanda on similar schemes which succeeded.
“These issues are being raised nowadays in relation to UK Migration and Economic Development Partnership but were not voiced when we received migrants and asylum seekers from Libya. Those issues were not raised when we received over 130,000 refugees from neighbouring countries including Burundi, DRC and elsewhere,” he stated.
“Because there are some people against the deal, they started accusing Rwanda of being unsafe claiming that it harasses opponents and so forth. […] These people are against the new system. That is why they will bring anything to tamper with the partnership,” added Dr. Biruta.
The Danish Immigration Minister, Kaare Dybvad also expressed optimism that the partnership with Rwanda will yield good results.
Denmark is among countries that have been receiving asylum seekers and migrants accommodated in Rwanda, particularly the ones deported the East African country from Libya.
Akamanzi visited Malawi this week where he attended and addressed participants of Malawi Investment Summit held on 7th September 2022.
It brought together business leaders, government officials, investors and policy makers to discuss Malawi’s economic growth, identify opportunities and address challenges.
As he addressed participants of the summit held at Bintu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, Akamanzi shared how improving the business and investment environment has supported Rwanda’s economic growth.
The 2020 World Bank Doing Business indicated that Rwanda remained the second easiest place to do business in Africa and 38th globally.
The ranking is mainly attributed to instituted reforms where the country adopted technology in business registration among other incentives attracting investors.
The summit was also attended by Malawian president, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera who officially officiated the opening of the summit, the Minister of Energy, Ibrahim Matola; Minister of Finance and Economy, Sosten Alfred Gwengwe and the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mark Katsonga Phiri among other government officials.
Rwanda and Malawi enjoy cooperation in different areas including trade and security.
In 2021, Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Malawi Police Service (MPS) signed an extradition treaty that will see both countries exchanging suspected criminals to face justice.
As he presented credentials to President Paul Kagame in June this year, Malawian ambassador to Rwanda, Andrew Zumbe Kumwend said that more efforts will be expended to promote trade for the benefits of both countries’ people.
“I am here to learn what Rwanda is doing right. Rwanda is at the stage where we want to be. So, I will do my best to learn and advise my government what we must do. Besides, there is a lot we can do together like trade and tourism,” he said.
“We need to end this idea that we need to get visas to go to Malawi or come to Rwanda. I think Rwanda has done that and Malawi needs to do the same. Apart from that, there are things to do with the youth and women to empower people,” added Zumbe.
The closing of the training was presided over by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Munyuza alongside the Mayor of City of Kigali, Pudence Rubingisa.
IGP Munyuza emphasized the role of the young people in security and community development and challenged them to live up to their expectations.
“You are partners in security and we thank you for your spirit and responsiveness in all aspects of security to further make your country safer for all,” IGP Munyuza told the youth.
He urged them to engage in individual development programmes, be defined by Rwandan values, discipline and to always feel proud in fighting and defending the image of their country.
The IGP asked the youth to refrain from drunkenness, fight any unlawful practices such as theft, drug trafficking, sell and abuse; and corruption.
He further appealed to them to actively fight all environmental degradation practices, be hygienic and to support security and development activities in their communities.
The youth volunteers group, which currently has close to 500,000 members across the country, was formed in 2013 particularly to drive the national security and development agenda.
Mayor Rubingisa thanked the youth for their spirit of volunteerism but urged them to be innovative.
“You have the ability to create change in your families and communities; utilize that advantage and have one voice,” the Mayor said.
During the five-day training, the youth were enlightened on job creation, community policing, patriotism, fighting crimes such as narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and theft.
At the end of their training, the youth adopted at least 23 resolutions, all related to supporting security and community social development.
The national mourning has been announced in a statement released by the Office of Prime Minister signed by Premier, Dr. Edouard Ngirente.
“Upon the passing of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul Kagame has instructed that the National Flag and the Flag of the East African Community, on Rwandan territory, be flown at half-mast from today, 9 September 2022, until the conclusion of the State Funeral Service for Her Majesty,” reads the statement.
Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday 8th September 2022. Earlier in the day, Buckingham Palace had said the monarch was under medical supervision due to doctors’ concerns over her health.
She is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch in history.
Born on April 21, 1926, Elizabeth II was proclaimed Queen after the death of her father, King George VI, on Feb 6, 1952. She was formally crowned the monarch of the United Kingdom on June 2, 1953.
She was considered “a beacon of hope” for the nation as she used her annual Christmas speeches, televised since 1957, to rally the nation in times of hardship.
In total, the Queen greeted 15 prime ministers during her long reign, including Winston Churchill, her first, and Truss, her last.
Her husband, Prince Philip, died at the age of 99 in April 2021.
The majority of visas had been issued to Russian citizens before the Russia-Ukraine conflict and “under different geopolitical conditions and considerations,” said the release, adding that the influx of Russian citizens to the EU and the Schengen area through their countries’ borders, however, poses “a serious threat” to their “public security and to the overall shared Schengen area.”
The agreed “national temporary measures” are not “an outright entry ban” to Russian nationals, the statement said, adding that the restrictions should enter into force in each country by Sept. 19.
The four prime ministers said that they welcome the suspension of the EU visa facilitation agreement with Russia, and called for further measures to “drastically limit the number of visas issued (primarily tourist visas)” and to decrease the flow of Russian citizens into the EU and the Schengen area.
During their informal meeting in Prague on Aug. 30-31, EU foreign ministers agreed to suspend the visa facilitation agreement that allows simplified procedures for the issuance of visas to Russian citizens. The decision, however, has yet to be legalized.
Russia responded on Sunday that it will take serious retaliatory measures if the EU formally introduces visa restrictions on Russian citizens.
“We are expecting doctors from some fields where we have some gaps in terms of specialists. We appreciate this partnership. After 40 years of medical cooperation between the Rwandan government and China, today we are expanding this agreement for another five years because we appreciate the services of those doctors so far in the country,” Dr. Daniel Ngamije, Rwandan Health Minister, said at the signing ceremony on Wednesday 7th September 2022.
The doctors will be working in Masaka Hospital in Kigali and Kibungo Hospital in eastern Rwanda.
Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, Wang Xuekun said that China and Rwanda enjoy a long-lasting friendship, and cooperation in the fields of medical and health care demonstrates the two countries’ deep traditional friendship of sharing weal and woe, through thick and thin.
“The Chinese government sent the first Chinese medical team to Rwanda in 1982. Over the last 40 years, 22 medical teams and more than 270 Chinese doctors received up to hundreds of thousands of patients and performed more than 10,000 surgical operations in Rwanda,” Wang said.
He added China is willing to join hands and work together with Rwanda, to further deepen cooperation on medical and health care matters and lift their ties to a new height in the post-pandemic era.
During the talks in Kiev, the parties talked about U.S. financial, economic and military aid for Ukraine, in particular, the security assistance of 675 million U.S. dollars announced by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier in the day.
Zelensky thanked the U.S. government for the recent decision to provide Ukraine with 6 billion dollars in grant aid, which includes 3 billion dollars in security assistance and 3 billion dollars in financial support earmarked through the World Bank.
Speaking about military assistance from the United States, Zelensky said that American weapons, especially the HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems, have strengthened Ukraine’s positions in the conflict with Russia.
Zelensky and Blinken also discussed the prospects of increasing defense support for Ukraine and the launch of the Lend-Lease program.
Blinken arrived in Kiev earlier in the day for his second visit since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February this year.
