Teaming up with the biggest names in the entertainment industry, MTN Rwanda is set to bring Rwandans an extravaganza like no other. The Company is thrilled to announce partnerships with renowned Deejay Marnaud, the captivating cultural dance team “Ingazo Ngali,” the vibrant Hill Festival, and the soul-stirring gospel artists Israel Mbonyi and Alex Dusabe.
Desire Ruhinguka, Acting Chief Consumer and Digital Officer, extends his heartfelt gratitude, stating, “It is with immense pride and gratitude, that we commemorate 25 years of transforming lives. MTN Rwanda’s success story would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Government of Rwanda, our loyal customers, dedicated staff, and the entire Rwandan community. We pledge to continue serving you with the utmost dedication and innovation.
The MTN sponsored events will be held on various dates, with Music Therapy by Deejay Marnaud kicking off the festivities on 28 July. Subsequent events will take place in the following weeks, featuring Ingazo Ngali on 4 August, Hill Festival on 4 and 5 August, and the Gospel concert on 11 August. For more details, visit MTN Rwanda’s social media pages @MTNRwanda.
Teta Mpyisi, MTN Rwanda Senior Manager Brand and Communications, expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming events, saying, ” We are looking forward to bringing our community together for a truly unforgettable experience. Let’s celebrate everything we’ve achieved for Rwanda’s progress together.”
MTN Rwanda’s 25th anniversary celebrations promise to be a once-in-a-lifetime event filled with music, dance, culture, and camaraderie, epitomizing the Company’s commitment to enriching the lives of Rwandans.
Xi made the remarks while addressing a welcoming banquet ahead of the opening ceremony of the Chengdu Universiade in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
Xi made the remarks while addressing a welcoming banquet ahead of the opening ceremony of the 31st summer edition of the FISU World University Games in Chengdu, capital city of southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
Garibashvili is here to attend the opening ceremony of the 31st summer edition of the FISU World University Games and visit China.
Over the past 31 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Georgia have consolidated political mutual trust and scored remarkable achievements in cooperation in various fields, Xi said.
He said that during Garibashvili’s visit, both sides will issue a joint statement and announce the establishment of China-Georgia strategic partnership.
Taking this as a new starting point, China and Georgia should plan bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, promote the sound and steady development of the strategic partnership, and provide momentum for the development and revitalization of both countries, Xi said.
Ndayishimiye is here to attend the opening ceremony of the 31st summer edition of the FISU World University Games and visit China.
Xi said that China-Burundi relations have withstood the test of international changes and uncertainties, and the two countries are all-weather friends who share weal and woe and good partners respecting each other and developing together.
China firmly supports Burundi in upholding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in pursuing an independent and self-reliant development path, Xi said.
China is willing to strengthen exchanges of state governance experience with Burundi, Xi said, adding that China will accelerate the progress of major cooperation projects and support the early export of Burundi’s agricultural products to China.
He said China encourages capable Chinese enterprises to invest in Burundi, and will help Burundi achieve food self-sufficiency and sustainable development.
China is willing to work with Burundi to jointly contribute to peace and stability in Africa, Xi said.
Noting that China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future, Xi said the two sides need to strengthen unity and cooperation to safeguard the common interests of developing countries as well as international fairness and justice in a world that is facing multiple challenges and crises.
China is willing to provide new opportunities to African countries with its new development, and work with Africans to promote Belt and Road cooperation, align the Global Development Initiative with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and achieve common development and progress, said Xi.
Ndayishimiye said Burundi regards China as an all-weather cooperative partner for its national development, and firmly adheres to the one-China policy and considers Taiwan as an inalienable part of China.
Burundi firmly supports the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative put forward by China, opposes double standards on human rights issues, and stands against interference in other countries’ internal affairs, he said.
Ndayishimiye expressed the hope to strengthen cooperation with China in agriculture, mining, animal husbandry and other fields.
Burundi is willing to enhance communication and cooperation with China in regional and international affairs, strengthen Africa-China unity and cooperation, and build a more just and reasonable international order, he said.
Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Wang Yi, and Shen Yiqin attended the meeting.
Since late 2021, M23 has been in confrontation with the Congolese Army (FARDC), accusing the DRC of failing to implement peace accords signed in 2013.
In the meantime, Congolese leaders persistently accuse Rwanda of supporting the rebel group, which Rwanda consistently denies, branding these claims as an attempt by DRC to shift blame onto Rwanda.
According to the recent report by the United Nations Group of Experts, DRC collaborates with and supports the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda and other armed groups like Mai Mai, based in eastern DRC.
FDLR is a terrorist outfit comprised of individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Amb. Uyarra stated that the bloc closely monitors developments in the DR Congo, particularly in the eastern region, expressing great concern and calling on all warring factions to put an end to hostilities.
She emphasized the importance of inclusive dialogue that involves all concerned parties to effectively address the security challenges in eastern DRC.
In December 2022, a high-level meeting was held in Luanda, Angola, leading to the establishment of Luanda Roadmap. The main objective of this agreement was to urge warring fractions to end hostilities.
Despite the establishment of the Luanda Roadmap, the government of Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo remained critical of this regional approach to addressing the issues.
As of February this year, the European Union launched a new cooperation and support program for the countries in the Great Lakes region, aiming to enhance peace and security in the area, providing valuable assistance to the involved nations.
The MoU outlines their joint commitment to address threats to biodiversity, including climate change, food production systems, poverty, and weak governance. Both parties pledge to cooperate and collaborate to advance these goals and support African State Parties in negotiating and implementing a successful post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
The announcement was made during the Society for Conservation Biology’s (SCB) 31st International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2023) taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, July 23-27, 2023. The theme of the Congress: ‘The Future is Now: Sustaining Biodiversity for Today and Tomorrow’, reiterates and reinforces the urgency of collective action in protecting our natural resources.
The congress is the premier global meeting for conservation scientists and professionals, including researchers, students, agency personnel, environmental educators, practitioners, and other conservation stakeholders to address conservation challenges and present new research in conservation science and practice.
The Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group (ABCG) is a multi-institutional association that brings together cross-sectoral expertise to achieve greater impact than any one individual organization.
Speaking at the event, ABCG Director Rubina James lauded the partnership terming it a milestone for conservationists in the region as the collaboration will benefit its members through sharing of information and access to technical and scientific data, advancing the development implementation of conservation programs, advocacy and influencing activities that enhance achievement of sustainable development and transformative policy shifts, among other benefits.
“By accessing the wide-ranging expertise and extensive networks of ABCG members throughout sub-Saharan Africa, ABCG is in a unique position to address critical conservation issues by developing, testing, and promoting innovative conservation approaches,” she noted.
The Society for Conservation Biology is a global community of conservation professionals, students and non-profits dedicated to advancing the science and practice of conserving biodiversity. This new collaboration will support to mobilize assistance, resources, and strategic support for the purpose of strengthening SCBA’s capacity.
“We are excited as SCBA to collaborate with ABCG in advocacy and influencing activities that enhance our shared vision on conservation and work towards transformative policy shifts at government and the continent’s leadership levels. With our collective efforts as scientists and conservationists we can make big strides in the conservation of our planet,” Badru Mugerwa, President of the SCBA
The 31st ICCB conference provides a platform for sharing latest science and insights in biodiversity conservations with topics in genetics, ecology, biogeography, anthropology, history, psychology, economics, conservation marketing, and religion.
ABCG will present findings on a study titled, ‘Assessing Community Responses to Climate Change and Impacts on Biodiversity: A 3-year study in sub-Saharan Africa’. The study highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between climate change coping strategies and their potential impact on biodiversity, providing valuable insights for developing nature-based actions to improve the resilience of people and nature to climate change.
The consortium will also share their progress in engaging stakeholders to develop and mainstream land use planning in Africa towards climate-smart sustainable development.
{{About ABCG}}
ABCG is a coalition of seven international conservation non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with field-based programming in sub-Saharan Africa: African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), Conservation International (CI), the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Resources Institute (WRI), and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
{{About SCBA}}
The Society for Conservation Biology is global community of conservation professionals, students and non-profits dedicated to advancing the science and practice of conserving biodiversity.
In a statement released on Thursday, July 27, 2023, the Congolese Army accused Rwandan soldiers of crossing the Congolese border and attacking border security forces.
In response, RDF has issued a statement denying the accusations.
“The accusations are baseless and part of a long-standing pattern of misinformation and propaganda by the DRC leadership to divert attention from their internal failures in maintaining peace and security within their own borders, while continuing to support, arm and fight alongside the genocidal militia FDLR,” reads the statement in part.
The statement from the RDF also notes a continued trend of false accusations and escalation, which it believes may serve as a pretext for a planned attack by the FARDC/FDLR on Rwandan territory.
Recently, Rwanda released another statement warning the DRC against continuously searching for justifications to launch attacks on Rwanda. Through the statement issued by the Government Spokesperson, Rwanda emphasized its commitment to safeguarding its territorial integrity and asserted that it would take all necessary measures to protect itself.
This response came after a statement released on July 19th by the Congolese Army, signed by spokesperson Maj Gen Ekenge Bomusa Efoma Sylvain. At the time, FARDC claimed to be reacting to a statement allegedly made by the Rwandan government on July 18th, in which Rwanda supposedly announced its readiness to send troops from the RDF to the DRC.
However, Rwanda denied the existence of such a statement, adding that the claim by FARDC is merely a pretext aimed at escalating hostilities and justifying an attack on Rwandan soil.
The DRC has been accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, a claim that Rwanda has consistently denied. Rwanda characterizes the clashes between the Congolese Army and M23 as an internal conflict and has advised the neighboring country to take responsibility for its internal problems instead of externalizing them.
Meanwhile, Rwanda accuses the FARDC of supporting, arming, and fighting alongside the genocidal militia group known as the FDLR.
DRC is reported to have previously provoked Rwanda on multiple occasions and launched rocket attacks on Rwandan territory in collaboration with the FDLR terrorist group.
Congolese fighter jets have also trespassed into Rwanda’s airspace three times since 2022.
Junior’s journey took a tragic turn in March 2019 when he was involved in a severe accident that resulted in the amputation of one of his arms. This life-altering event brought immense challenges and hardships, as he battled pain and suffering, eventually leading to cancer in the affected arm.
A witness at Nyarugenge Hospital, where Junior Multisystem spent his final moments, revealed that despite the efforts made to save his life, the outcome was unfortunate.
In 2009, after completing secondary school, Junior Multisystem joined the music industry and quickly gained recognition for his exceptional skills. After one year, he joined F2K Studio, which was a hit at the time, and worked closely with Producer Lick Lick. This experience opened doors for him, and in 2011, he was recruited by Unlimitted Records.
Throughout his career, Junior Multisystem made significant contributions to Rwanda’s music scene, leaving his mark on several popular songs.
These include “Umwanzuro” by Urban Boys, “Niko nabaye” by DJ Zizou, “I’m Back” by Jay C and Bruce Melodie, “Ntujya unkinisha” by Bruce Melodie, “Too much,” “Ndacyariho” by Jay Polly, “Byarakome,” and “Ndaje” by The Ben. He cherished these songs as his all-time favorites, and they continue to resonate with music enthusiasts.
In the final chapter of his career, Junior Multisystem collaborated with Oda Paccy at Empire Records, where he had worked before the tragic accident. Despite resuming work after his amputation, the onset of cancer forced him to halt his creative endeavors due to the excruciating pain he endured.
His talent, dedication and impact on the music scene will be forever remembered and celebrated.
The UNWTO is the agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.
After receiving 14 votes out of a possible 20, Rwanda joins Ghana, which received 17 votes, Nigeria (15 votes), Namibia (12 votes), Tanzania (12 votes) and DRC (11 votes) for the Executive Council’s 2023-2027 term.
In addition, Rwanda is now part of the working group for the setup of the Tourism PanAfrican Fund together with Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Zambia.
The UNWTO Executive Council acts as the Governing Board of the organisation and takes all necessary measures and decisions linked to global tourism development.
It works directly with the Secretary General and the Council members meet at least twice a year during their four-year tenure.
After the election, Michaëlla Rugwizangoga, Chief Tourism Officer at the Rwanda Development Board, noted: “We are very pleased to join the UNWTO Executive Council. Rwanda’s mandate will focus on African integration by promoting intra-African travel, sports tourism, sustainability and nature-positive tourism.”
The Annual General Assembly of the UNWTO will take place in Uzbekistan on 16-18 October 2023.
Algeria will welcome the 67th Regional Commission for Africa meeting in 2024.
