The MoUs have been signed during a ceremony held in Kigali on Friday 15th April 2022.
Rwanda’s delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta while Angola’s delegation was led by the Minister of Eternal Relations, Amb. Antonio Tete.
The agreements have been signed in the areas of Double Taxation Avoidance, Extradition, Legal Assistance; Transfer of Convicted Persons; Agriculture and Livestock Development, on Local Administration and cooperation in the field of Health.
Others were signed on Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; and an MoU between National School of Administration and Public Policies (ENAPP) and Rwanda Management Institute (RMI).
Both parties have exchanged on achieved milestone in different areas of cooperation including justice, agriculture, health and assess feasibility to forge new avenues to expand cooperation.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Biruta said that the parties will work together to ensure both countries’ people benefit from signed agreements.
He also revealed that the exemption of visa for Rwandans visiting Angola is among advantages citizens will pull from the agreements.
Minister Biruta further stated that Rwandans can visit Angola for business reasons and benefit from signed agreements on avoidance of double taxation.
Angolan Minister of External relations, Amb. Tete Antonio explained that today’s move sets framework for existing relations between both countries.
He underscored that the signing of agreements is a great milestone for both countries and encouraged technical team to work hard and develop a shared agenda for the creation of innovations, follow up of signed agreements and implementation.
Dr. Biruta said that both countries will continue to hold discussions and agree on other areas of cooperation rooted on high-level political will.
Having opened doors to Rwanda recently, Pyramids Eye Center is one of health facilities that are taking advantage of technology to offer advanced health services.
Based in Kigali, the hospital has introduced Lasik Eye Surgery which uses the best known ‘Lasik’ technology to correct vision problems and help people get rid of glasses as they continue their work without disruptions.
Dr. Mohamed Nasif, an ophthalmologist with specialty in eye surgery at Pyramids Eye Center has told IGIHE that the advanced healthcare is the first of its kind introduced in East Africa.
Dr. Mohamed Nasif graduated from Cairo University in 2006. Since then, he started training in Cairo under a fellowship program and graduated from Royal College of Surgery and Ophthalmology of Glasgow in Scotland in 2015.
He explained that Pyramids Eye Center offers all ophthalmology services like squint surgery and cataract surgery.
Other services offered include the new Lasik procedure to get rid of glasses and correct vision without glasses and the oculoplastic surgery.
During Lasik surgery, a special type of cutting laser is used to precisely change the shape of the dome-shaped clear tissue at the front of one’s eye (cornea) to improve vision.
The surgery can be conducted between 10 and 15 minutes before the patient gets prescriptions.
Health experts indicate that the technology is deployed after assessing the nature of patient’s conditions to be proactive on possible side effects.
It was introduced for the first time in 1980s and is approved by ophthalmic organizations globally.
“With this technique, a patient can get rid of glasses and see a hundred percent without using glasses. So, it is a new technique here but not new outside Rwanda,” said Dr. Mohamed.
{{Latest equipment }}
The Lasik surgery can be conducted using general and local anaesthesia or topical anesthesia.
Dr. Mohamed has explained that the type of surgery requires advanced, latest equipment to make the operation fast and efficient.
“These new machines give very high quality and the procedure should be very short. It can take two to three minutes to get rid of these glasses. In fact, you can say the cataract surgery can take two to five minutes while squint correction surgery can take ten minutes.
We have experienced doctors with international competencies. All operations here can take from two to ten minutes. Because of the modern technology we have, everything becomes very fast and the procedures are very efficient,” he said.
Patients treated under Lasik surgery should be aged above 18. Children are not allowed to undergo this procedure because their retina has not yet reached maturity.
The surgery is also prohibited for breastfeeding and pregnant mothers to prevent possible adverse effects.
Every patient receives the service after {{an investigation machine}} is used to detect the nature of one’s conditions and establish whether it could not be dangerous if the surgery is conducted.
Another checkup is made to ensure whether the patient received glasses deservingly.
After all screenings, the patient can be treated through Lasik surgery or other alternatives depending on his/her conditions.
The ceremony which took place recently on 12th April 2022 brought together seven companies including Rwanda Mountain Tea Ltd, Petrocom Ltd, SP Ltd, SP Aviation Ltd, Integrated Infrastructures Company (IIC) Ltd, Prime Insurance (General) and Prime Life Insurance.
Bonaventure Niyibizi who represented the the Board of Directors of the Group Companies said that it was a good moment for the management, staff and their friends to honour Genocide victims.
“We cannot dissociate our work with the country’s vision. We are Rwandans concerned with issues of our country. We should know our history to prevent reoccurrence and become more responsible citizens playing a role in shaping the nation’s future,” he said.
“The majority of our staff is the youth. They are strong and a have a long journey of life ahead. So, they have a major role to play for us to create the right path leading to our country’s bright future,” added Niyibizi.
Some of employees from these companies revealed that they learnt a lot about history of Genocide against Tutsi reminding them of their role to strive for national unity.
The Commercial Director at Prime Insurance, Regis Uramutse Ndahimana said that visiting Kigali Genocide Memorial is much needed as it holds great history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Considering the fact that Prime Life Insurance was created after the Genocide, Uramutse underscored that its employees, majority of whom being the youth, have to learn from the tragic history to prevent reoccurrence.
“It is an important lesson, 28 years after Rwanda overcome the dark past of Genocide against Tutsi. This is a place where we get an opportunity to interact with our beloved ones, honour them and learn from our country’s bitter history to prevent reoccurrence,” he noted.
The seven companies organize annual events to commemorate Genocide against Tutsi, pay tribute to victims that were killed on the basis of their identity and remind the youth to take leading steps to strive for peace as the foundation for Rwanda’s future.
Three months after its inauguration, the lottery has attracted a lot of attention prompting the management to increase its weekly jackpot to Rwf5 million from the initial Rwf1 million.
Inzozi Lotto has two games.
The first is{{ Quick Lotto }} where one will be asked to choose one number within 35 (0 to 34) and precise the stake amount. The system draws a number and if you match it, you win 15 times tax exclusive of your stake.
For instance, if your stake is Rwf2000, you will get Rwf30,000. The lotto takes place every 10 minutes with recommended stake amount ranging from Rwf300 and Rwf10,000.
The second game is {{JackPot Lotto}} where the player selects a series of six numbers within a pool of 49 numbers that start from 1 to 49, to make it one combination.
In Jackpot Lotto, tickets cost Rwf500 and each ticket has six digits.
Players can either pick out the numbers themselves or have the system generate random numbers for them.
To play Inzozi Jackpot Lotto, you need to pick six numbers (from 1 to 49) to make a line on your ticket.
Every Sunday at 7pm on RTV the winning combination plus one bonus number is unveiled.
The Deputy Managing Director of Carousel Ltd which manages Inzozi Lotto, Thierry, Nshuti has said that Rwandans have understood the benefit of this lotto.
“It is clear that this lotto was not launched for selfish interests but is meant to support the Government and citizens. We want to see benefits extended to participating Rwandans and promote sports as well. They must go hand in hand because the project is advantageous to the country,” he noted.
Once revenues are ready for distribution, Nshuti explained that different sports associations might be consulted for the funds to serve the right purpose.
Inzozi Lotto has agents in different parts of the country, majority of whom being in Kigali, Musanze and Rubavu. The number is expected to increase to cover all parts of the country.
Interested individuals can play through the support of agents, visit the website www.inzozilotto.rw or dial *240# using mobile to participate.
Kagame arrived in Jamaica on Wednesday 13th April 2022 where he was received by the Governor-General of Jamaica and Prime Minister, Andrew Holness upon arrival.
During his three-day visit to be concluded on Friday, Kagame visited Jamaica’s National Heroes Park where he paid tribute to the country’s first National Hero, Marcus Garvey and addressed a joint sitting of the Jamaican Parliament.
As he addressed parliamentarians, the Head of State said that it is no accident that the idea of African unity arose from the island where the descendants of those who had been forcibly separated from their ancestral homeland deeply felt the pain of disunity and contempt.
“Celebrating what we share as Africans and the African diaspora helps us confront the harsh realities of this world we live in. Even now, we are constantly reminded that we have to work together and support one another,” he noted.
Kagame also highlighted that it is high time for Africa and the Caribbean to work together in a direct and sustained manner, both through respective regional organizations — CARICOM and the African Union — and bilaterally.
“As Rwanda, we are also keen to cooperate with Jamaica much more closely and share experiences in trade and investment, as well as national unity and citizens’ development,” he revealed.
On Thursday afternoon, Kagame also met with Opposition Leader of Jamaica and President of the People’s National Party, Mark J. Golding and Parliamentarian Lisa Hanna, for discussions on a range of topics including increasing trade and cooperation.
On Wednesday, April 13, security organs and local leaders took 56 children and young adults off the streets of Gisenyi town, an effort also aimed at preventing their acts of lawlessness.
“This is a deliberate effort to get children and the young people from streets to educate them on the best alternatives to a better future, including education and to form or join cooperatives to be productive,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said.
“When we get these young people, we talk to them to understand what influences them to go on streets, meet their parents to emphasize the importance of parental care, to send their children to school and to guide them accordingly,” he added.
According to the spokesperson, majority of the street children come from the sectors that neighbors Gisenyi town, including Rubavu, Nyamyumba and Rugerero.
“Some of them were as young as 8 years and the eldest was 36. Clearly, for an 8-year to be on the street, there is relatively lack of parental responsibility, and these children will likely grow up with negative thoughts engaging in unlawful acts,” said SP Karekezi.
He outlined pick pocketing, snatching valuables from people, theft of clothes spread out for sun-drying, begging, and being used by drug dealers and smugglers, among others, as some of the criminal acts these young people engage in on streets.
Others engage in hectic economic acts like carrying goods.
“Some of them are young to engage in hectic activities, and this amounts to child labour. People should, therefore, be mindful of the age when employing casual workers to avoid committing crimes.”
He further urged grassroots leaders to closely follow up and work with the identified families to ensure that children continue to be guided.
The challenge organized by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) is an annual competition aimed at exposing students in Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) to the capital market industry while instilling in them the culture of saving and investment.
Interested students can register [{{here}}->https://investor.cma.rw/cmuc/login/index.php].
The registration to participate in the contest started on 17th March 2022 during a ceremony attended by hundreds of students at Kigali Independent University (ULK).
The registration will be closed on 15th April 2022.There are no limitations for the number of participants.
As the registration gets underway, participants of the previous edition have shared experiences where they got many opportunities as they got inspiration for saving culture and learnt more about CMA.
“I thank the management of CMA for offering these opportunities and encourage every student to participate in this life-changing contest,” said Phiona Akatakunda who won in last year’s contest at the level of Kigali City.
Over 10,000 students have participated in the contest since it started nine years ago.
The majority of participants were awarded shares in companies registered on Rwanda Stock Exchange (RSE) to instill the culture of saving.
Redempta Singiza was a university student when he participated in the competition in 2017. He was participating along with five members of his saving group which emerged among winners and secured capital to run own businesses.
“We perceived the competition as an opportunity to promote our saving group. I was part of a team of three that competed in the essay category while three others contested in quiz category. Fortunately, both teams emerged overall best performers,” he said.
Winners in quiz category received shares worth Rwf 700,000 in Bank of Kigali Group Plc while colleagues in the essay category received shares worth Rwf 400,000 in I&M Bank as one of companies listed on Rwanda Stock Exchange (RSE).
After graduating in 2018, these students founded a company dubbed ‘Reliable Immense Company Ltd’ to offer training on digital skills and software development.
In 2019, the group traded shares owned in Bank of Kigali to expand business.
“We kept shares in I&M Bank which continue to generate profit. In fact, the Capital Market Authority presents huge opportunity for long-term saving and investment,” explained Singiza.
He requested university students to participate and tap into advantages of the CMA if they are to meet aspirations to become entrepreneurs.
The annual contest seeks to promote the creation of savings clubs/groups among students by providing them with capacity building on how best, through their clubs, to save and invest through the local capital market.
{{ How to participate}}
The competition framework will involve a set of quizzes and a topic for essay writing aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge among students about the capital market industry and its importance for Rwanda’s socio-economic development. All interested students are allowed to register to participate in the Capital Market University Challenge 2022.
The registration is done through: https://investor.cma.rw/cmuc/login/index.php
Previous winners are not allowed to participate in the current edition. Individuals will compete either in Quiz and Essay categories after creating an account. After creating accounts, they will wait for the Quiz or Essay to be uploaded in the system and be communicated on when to undertake it once ready.
The challenge will comprise of three stages in quiz category at provincial level whereby winners from each stage shall go to the next round. Three winners from the 3rd round at provincial level shall immediately go to the national level.
Round 1 for the competition for the Quiz category is expected on April 19, Round 2 on April 22 and Round 3 on April 29. Top winners in the quiz category at the provincial level will sit for a special round on national level on May 13 while physical awarding of winners is expected on May 27.
For those to compete under the essay category, they will submit the final essays in the system through https://investor.cma.rw/cmuc/login/index.php. The title of the theme is “How does the capital market finance the socio-economic development of Rwanda”.The essay writing should be original and innovative, have not more than 800 words while copying and pasting information from websites will amount to plagiarism, punishable with discontinuation from the challenge.
{{Expected prizes}}
Awards will be given to the winners of both the quiz and essay categories in a form of securities i.e shares and bonds listed at the Rwanda Stock Exchange as a way to initiate students on the culture of saving and investing through the capital market.
Awards in Quiz category at provincial level comprise Rwf400,000, Rwf300,000 and Rwf200,000 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd winners respectively in every province. The awards will be the same in the essay category. The winners at national level will secure Rwf700,000, Rwf500,000 and Rwf300,000 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd winners respectively in each category. In addition to that, all top winners at provincial level shall get their certificate of participation.
The partnership was signed on Thursday 14th April 2022 by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta and UK Home Secretary Priti Patel in Kigali.
The development comes at a time when deep global inequalities are driving millions of people from their homes in search of opportunity, at the same time as millions are forcibly displaced by conflict, persecution, and other threats to safety.
This has created immense demands on the immigration systems of many countries, including the UK. This situation has driven vulnerable people to place their lives in the hands of criminal smuggling gangs, resulting in countless tragedies.
The partnership between UK and Rwanda is expected to address this urgent humanitarian crisis by tackling its roots. By relocating migrants to Rwanda and investing in personal development and employment for migrants, both nations are taking bold steps to address the imbalance in global opportunities which drives illegal migration, while dismantling the incentive structures which empower criminal gangs and endanger innocent lives. The partnership will disrupt the business model of organised crime gangs and deter migrants from putting their lives at risk.
Crucially, the partnership will prioritise the dignity and rights of migrants, empowering them with a range of opportunities for building a better life in a country which has been consistently ranked as one of the world’s safest. Migrants will be integrated into communities across the country.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Biruta welcomed the partnership, stating that “Rwanda is committed to international co-operation and partnership on migration, in particular the opportunities that a robust protection system as well as a comprehensive human capital investment program can create, for migrants and for development of the host country.”
He highlighted that there is a global responsibility to prioritise the safety and well-being of migrants, adding that Rwanda welcomes the partnership with the United Kingdom to host asylum seekers and migrants, and offer them legal pathways to residence.
“This is about ensuring that people are protected, respected, and empowered to further their own ambitions and settle permanently in Rwanda if they choose,” Minister Biruta noted.
Commenting on the development, the UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said that the global migration crisis and how illegal migration can be tackled requires new world-leading solutions.
“There are an estimated 80 million people displaced in the world and the global approach to asylum and migration is broken. Existing approaches have failed and there is no single solution to tackle these problems. Change is needed because people are dying attempting to come to the UK illegally,” she said.
“Today we have signed a world leading migration partnership with The Rwandan Government which can see those arriving illegally into the UK by dangerous methods relocated to Rwanda to have their claims for asylum considered and, if recognised as refugees, to build their lives there – helping break the people smugglers’ business model and prevent loss of life,”added Patel.
Under the programme, asylum seekers will be entitled to full protection under Rwandan law, equal access to employment, and enrolment in healthcare and social care services.
The UK’s upfront investment of £120 million will fund invaluable opportunities for Rwandans and migrants including secondary qualifications, vocational and skills training, language lessons, and higher education.
The partnership reflects Rwanda’s commitments to protecting vulnerable people around the world, and ensuring development and prosperity for Rwanda and its people.
Rwanda’s history has embedded a responsibility to protect vulnerable people around the world. Since 1994, Rwanda has been an active contributor to peacekeeping missions – indeed the largest troop contributor in Africa – and other humanitarian initiatives.
Rwanda was once one of the world’s leading producers of refugees, and as such is particularly concerned with taking urgent steps towards more humane solutions to the global migration crisis.
The country already hosts almost 130,000 refugees from multiple countries – including neighbours like the DRC and Burundi, but also from countries like Afghanistan and evacuees from Libya – all of whom have full legal and employment rights. This partnership reflects the ongoing effort to create a safe and empowering haven in Rwanda for all those seeking refuge.
Since 2001 the Uk has granted protection to around 80,000 people from African nations for asylum claims and from 2010, and have resettled 6,500 people.
This partnership also advances the Rwandan Government’s priority of improving the lives and livelihoods of the Rwandan people. Over the last 28 years, Rwanda has made significant strides towards national development, and has ambitious goals for the future. Under Vision 2050 – the national development plan – Rwanda aspires to become an upper middle-income country by 2035 and a high-income country by 2050.
The National Migration Policy recognises the value of migrants in contributing to our economic, cultural, and social development.
This partnership, which is an extension of Rwanda’s welcoming policy towards all migrants – whether they are seeking refuge or opportunity – is expected to advance the good cause.
With the investments made by the UK , the government will be able to invest in programmes including secondary qualifications, vocational and skills training, language lessons, and higher education, will be made available to migrants and Rwandans alike. Investments in tech-enabled jobs and small businesses will be a particular priority.
The fund will also fund further progress on some of the key initiatives that Rwanda has worked on with the United Kingdom. These include environmental policies – reflecting our national goal to become climate resilient and carbon neutral by 2050 – girls’ education, building back better from COVID-19, bolstering trade, investing in human capital, supporting effective and accountable institutions.
Upon arrival in the country, Kagame was received by the Governor General of Jamaica, Patrick Allen and Prime Minister, Andrew Holness.
Ahead of the visit, Jamaica’s Office of the Prime Minister said in statement that President Kagame’s visit, which comes during the year of Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence, represents an important opportunity for the deepening of bilateral relations between the countries.
The OPM noted that the visit will also help to reinforce “the steadily burgeoning relationship between the African continent and the CARICOM Region”.
On the first day of his visit, President Kagame visited Jamaica’s National Heroes Park where he paid tribute to the country’s first National Hero, Marcus Garvey.
Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican-born Black nationalist and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement, which sought to unify and connect people of African descent worldwide.
Marcus Moziah Garvey was born on August 17, 1887 in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica to Marcus Garvey and Sarah Jane Richards. His father was a stonemason and his mother was a household servant. Though the couple had 11 children, only Marcus and one other sibling survived into adulthood.
He died in London on June 10, 1940 from complications brought on by two strokes.
Due to World War II travel restrictions, he was initially buried in St. Mary’s Roman Catholic cemetery in Kensal Green, London. On November 13, 1964, his body was exhumed and buried beneath the Marcus Garvey Memorial in National Heroes Park in Kingston, Jamaica.
On the second day, President is expected to address a joint sitting of the Jamaican Parliament and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Holness at Jamaica House, on Friday morning, during which the leaders are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding.
The current population of Jamaica is 2,984,111 as of Wednesday, April 13, 2022, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.
Jamaica is an island located in the Caribbean Sea. It’s also part of the Greater Antilles, situated south of Cuba and west of Haiti.
In terms of size, Jamaica is the third-largest island in the Caribbean, after Cuba and Hispaniola.
Jamaica’s three largest cities are Montego Bay, Portmore, and Kingston, which is the capital and largest city. The country of Jamaica is recognized for reggae, sprinters, sandy beaches, and jerk food.
