The institutions said Thursday that the risk of the deadly disease occurring in eastern Africa in both humans and livestock is high due to favorable environmental conditions and increased movement of livestock and human beings.
“During the period March-May, heavy, prolonged and widespread rains triggered severe flooding in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Western Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda creating a suitable environment for vector multiplication,” the institutions said.
They added that extensive hotspots for vector multiplication are predicted in Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia while localized hotspots are predicted in Uganda, Sudan, Burundi and Tanzania.
“The suitable conditions for vector amplification are predicted to persist in the region due to favorable forecasts for June to August,” the agencies warned, asking regional governments to enhance surveillance.
RVF is an endemic vector-borne zoonotic disease that is a threat to both humans and animals and is spread by mosquitoes.
According to experts, it is a complex disease, making monitoring of the risk and carrying out efficient control measures challenging.
Heavy rains and prolonged flooding increase habitat suitability for vector populations, leading to the hatching of RVF-competent mosquitoes (Aedes and Culex), thus influencing the risk of an outbreak.
The disease disrupts livestock industries, food security and the livelihood of the pastoralist communities, the FAO warned.
This ambitious endeavor builds upon the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has already secured USD 319 million in financing for the Rwandan government. The partnership involves the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), signaling a collaborative approach to address climate change challenges and foster sustainable development.
The initiative aligns with the global efforts to reshape the climate finance architecture, moving beyond small-scale projects towards substantial long-term investments that can make a significant impact. By capitalizing on existing mechanisms and facilitating public-private partnerships, the partnership aims to attract private climate investments and contribute to the worldwide transition to a climate-resilient economy.
The primary objective of the collaborative support is to fortify Rwanda’s response to climate change and its effects on vulnerable communities. It will further enhance the catalytic effect of the IMF’s RSF arrangement by attracting additional budget support from partners. The plan also introduces a programmatic approach for climate investments and seeks to scale up Ireme Invest, a unique investment facility dedicated to private sector green investment launched by President Paul Kagame in November 2022 at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt.
The initiative revolves around a three-pronged approach, focusing on policy reforms, capacity development, and financing arrangements. By implementing policy reforms, Rwanda aims to address challenges posed by climate change, integrate climate risks into fiscal planning, enhance public investment management’s sensitivity to climate issues, strengthen climate-related risk management for financial institutions, and bolster disaster risk reduction and management efforts.
Additionally, the partnership aims to support capacity development initiatives in Rwanda and attract and manage climate capital more effectively. It plans to consolidate and mobilize various climate finance resources for Rwanda, including programmatic budget support for green public financial management. The AFD will provide EUR 50 million in programmatic budget support, complemented by a EUR 3 million technical assistance grant. The International Finance Corporation, in collaboration with the Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA), will develop long-term investment plans for climate smart agriculture and sustainable urbanization. Moreover, Ireme Invest, the green investment facility powered by the Rwanda Green Fund and the Development Bank of Rwanda, will be scaled up to facilitate private sector investments.
To ensure the success of the initiative, the European Investment Bank is expected to contribute EUR 100 million, backed by the European Union’s support under the Global Gateway strategy. Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the Italian Development Finance Institution, is engaged in discussions with the Government of Rwanda and the Development Bank of Rwanda to bridge public and private investments in climate finance. Furthermore, Ireme Invest private stakeholders will contribute EUR 130 million in private equity, augmenting the creation of private green assets in Rwanda and attracting future private investment.
The coordinated efforts of the partnership, along with the policy reforms facilitated by the IMF’s RSF arrangement and capacity development support, are expected to strengthen Rwanda’s resilience to economic shocks and climate change impacts. This collaboration exemplifies the power of partnerships in addressing global challenges and sets a precedent for other nations and financial institutions to explore innovative financing mechanisms and work together towards a sustainable and climate-resilient world.
Moreover, the World Bank, along with the Governments of Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark, has been providing substantial financial and technical support to Rwanda’s climate resilience efforts. The support from the World Bank, specifically the International Development Association (IDA), aims to enhance Rwanda’s climate resilience, protect its natural assets, promote green finance and trade, and unlock private investments.
The announcement of this collaborative initiative has garnered positive responses from key stakeholders. The Prime Minister of Rwanda, Dr. Edouard Ngirente, expressed gratitude to the partners involved and emphasized the significance of the partnership in realizing Rwanda’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) estimated at USD 11 billion by 2030.
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, praised the partnership as a transformative shift in climate finance provision and commended Rwanda’s long-term climate action strategy. She highlighted the collaborative approach’s potential to accelerate investment for a greener and more prosperous future worldwide.
Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, emphasized the importance of international cooperation in addressing the climate crisis. She highlighted the European Union’s commitment to bridging the investment gap and supporting partner countries, particularly in Africa, in their efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Urpilainen stressed the need for a multilateral approach to achieve a fair and sustainable green transition.
Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank, praised the close cooperation between the Government of Rwanda, the IMF, and international financing partners. He emphasized the strategic use of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to amplify climate action investments, showcasing the EIB’s commitment to combating climate change and supporting sustainable development in Rwanda and beyond.
Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation, highlighted the innovative nature of the partnership, which aims to maximize public finance to attract private capital for climate-related projects. He emphasized the joint efforts to develop an investment pipeline that focuses on sustainable cities and climate-smart agriculture, fostering a resilient, low-carbon economy in Rwanda.
Remy Rioux, Director General of Agence Française de Développement, commended the cooperation between AFD and Rwanda’s financial ecosystem on climate finance. He underscored the alignment between Rwanda’s vision and the international community’s efforts to channel investment flows towards climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The partnership serves as a testament to the power of collective action and exemplifies the urgent need for international cooperation to combat climate change and build a sustainable future for all.
In partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Ministry of Infrastructure, and City of Kigali, Vivo Energy Rwanda and RSSB will procure the buses and build a charging and maintenance depot.
The agreement follows the completion of a feasibility study by Vivo Energy, in conjunction with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the City of Kigali, on the electrification of the public bus fleet in Kigali. The parties will now work towards the implementation of the project.
Speaking at the signing, Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive Officer, RDB said: “It’s always a good thing when you have an investor that’s already doing business in Rwanda and wants to do more. It’s a vote of confidence in the country and the environment. We very much welcome this partnership, which will improve our public transport as Kigali is a fast-growing city. We are committed to making this happen.”
On his part, Hans Paulsen, Executive Vice President East and Southern Africa, Vivo Energy said that Rwanda has ambitious green development goals that will support the country to counter the effects of climate change on people and the economy.
“With our partners, we are delighted to be supporting the Government of Rwanda to help Kigali achieve its low-carbon goals and progress its electromobility plans. The introduction of electric buses in Kigali will not only contribute to the development of sustainable transportation but also serve as an exemplary initiative for other cities in Africa to follow,” he noted.
Paulsen also thanked the Government of Rwanda for creating a conducive investment environment and went on to thank all the teams who have worked tirelessly to get to this milestone.
Pudence Rubingisa, the Mayor of Kigali City expressed commitment to the success of the project as it will ease public transport in Kigali.
“Everything that’s required for the seamless delivery and introduction of the electric buses will be in place in the coming months,” he said.
Regis Rugemanshuro, Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda Social Security Board also sexpressed delight for the partnership to invest in electric buses to improve public transport while prioritising sustainability.
“Together, we’re committed to enabling a greener future, and ensuring efficient and eco-friendly mobility for all,” he stated.
{{About the Rwanda Development Board}}
The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is a government agency in Rwanda with a vision to transform Rwanda into a dynamic global hub for business, investment, and innovation. Its mission is to fast-track economic development in Rwanda by enabling private sector growth.
{{About Vivo Energy}}
Vivo Energy operates and markets its products in countries across North, West, East and Southern Africa. The Group has a network of over 2,600 service stations in 23 countries operating under the Shell and Engen brands and exports lubricants to a number of other African countries.
Its retail offering includes fuels, lubricants, card services, shops, restaurants and other non-fuel services. It provides fuels, lubricants, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and solar energy solutions to business customers across a range of sectors including marine, mining, construction, power, transport, wholesalers and manufacturing.
The Company employs around 2,800 people, has access to over 1,000,000 cubic metres of fuel storage capacity and has a joint venture, Shell and Vivo Lubricants B.V., that sources, blends, packages and supplies Shell-branded lubricants.
In a statement released on June 22, 2023, Rwanda pointed out that the report affirms the grave threat posed by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a genocidal militia backed by Kinshasa, and highlights their increased capacity to jeopardize Rwanda’s security.
The report further reveals the financial support, weaponry, and political cover provided to the FDLR by the government of the DRC. It also acknowledges that the FDLR has been fighting alongside the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), which have repeatedly violated Rwandan territory over the past year.
Rwanda’s statement highlights that the UN Group of Experts’ report heavily relies on questionable evidence and unreliable sources that perpetuate the false narrative blaming Rwanda for the insecurity and internal problems in the DRC.
Besides, Rwanda said that the report fails to include Rwanda’s responses to the accusations against the Rwanda Defence Force where the sources used by the UN Group of Experts include the DRC Government, former combatants, anti-Rwanda Congolese civil society campaigners, and current members of illegal armed groups, including elements of the so-called “Wazalendo” coalition allied with the FARDC.
Rwanda asserts that the report disregards the ongoing regional peace efforts, where the United Nations plays a supporting role, and fails to acknowledge the documented efforts by the DRC to obstruct the Nairobi and Luanda processes, including the work of the East African Community Regional Force deployed in the eastern DRC. The report also overlooks multiple violations against Rwanda’s territorial integrity and the DRC’s potential path toward all-out war.
Rwanda’s statement expresses concern that the report downplays the risk of ethnic cleansing targeting Congolese Tutsi communities and shockingly blames the victims for their own suffering. This contradicts the findings of the UN and other organizations, echoing the rhetoric of genocide deniers and ideologues. Rwanda emphasizes that these assertions contradict the testimonies of numerous Congolese refugees who have been compelled to flee to neighboring countries, including Rwanda, over the past two decades.
Additionally, Rwanda clarifies that the report inexplicably fails to mention the statements made by the UN Special Adviser on Genocide Prevention in November 2022 and January 2023, in which the adviser expressed alarm over the killings of Tutsi in the DRC and warned of the potential for genocide if steps are not taken to protect the targeted communities.
The statement from Rwanda regrets that the UN Group of Experts continues to perpetuate dangerous distortions and fabrications that obscure the root causes and realities of the conflict in the eastern DRC. This not only prolongs the conflict but also endangers the lives of millions of people in the region while perpetuating insecurity and threats along Rwanda’s border.
Rwanda asserts that it will maintain reinforced defensive and preventive measures to safeguard its airspace and borders, and to counter any spillover from armed groups, ensuring total security for its territory and people. The statement reiterates Rwanda’s commitment to working within regional mechanisms, particularly the Nairobi and Luanda processes, to contribute to stability in the Great Lakes Region.
Emmanuel Uwarugira, his brother, confirmed the sad news to IGIHE, stating that Pastor Niyonshuti was returning from Uganda.
According to sources, the accident occurred while Pastor Niyonshuti was accompanied by two other individuals. Sadly, one person died on the spot along with Pastor Niyonshuti, while the condition of the third person in the car has yet to be confirmed.
Uwarugira expressed his grief and confirmed the incident, saying, “It is true that he passed away. I am currently en route to the location to assess the situation. He was involved in the accident with two other individuals, one of whom also lost their life instantly, while the fate of the other is uncertain. It is suspected that he may have also succumbed to his injuries.”
Details about the death of Niyonshuti emerged in the wee hours of Friday, June 23, 2023.
A member of the ADEPR Church, Pastor Niyonshuti, had gained a significant following due to his inspiring transformation and his unique approach to evangelism, characterized by his use of street language and tone.
Prior to becoming a pastor, Niyonshuti had experienced a difficult life on the streets, which was not how he envisioned his future, considering his privileged upbringing in a prosperous family.
The money was recovered from two people, who were arrested in Rwagwa village, Cyabajwa Cell in Kabarondo sector.
The recovered money is part of Rwf1, 445, 000, which was stolen the previous day from a home in Rwinyinya Sector, Nyagatare District.
One of the suspects, a 20-year old, was a house-help for the victim. He allegedly fled after stealing the money. The second suspect is a man, who allegedly helped him in orchestrating the plan and to go into hiding in Kabarondo.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, said that the suspects were arrested due to the information provided by the victim.
“The victim immediately reported the alleged theft at Nyagatare Police station when he found the money missing from the bedroom. He suspected his house-help, who was nowhere to be seen, to be the thief,” SP Twizeyimana said.
He added that the duo was arrested at about 02:00 a.m. as they came from a bar in Rwagwa village, Kabarondo sector.
“At the time of their arrest, they were found with only Rwf1,266,000. The prime suspect had used about Rwf700, 000 to buy a smartphone, bag, shoes and spent others at the bar,” SP Twizeyimana explained.
The prime suspect said that he had planned with his accomplice to start a joint business. They were handed over to RIB at Kigabiro station for further investigations .
Article 166 of Law Nº 68/2018 of 30/08/2018 determining offences and penalties in general, stipulates that any person convicted of theft is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and not more than two years and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf2 million, community service in a period of six months or only one of these penalties.
Article 167 of the same law says that; the penalty for theft doubles if: the offender committed the crime through burglary, climbing or possession of keys other than the owner; the theft is carried out in an occupied house or a building used for habitation or in its surroundings.
Rusesabagina, the former President of the MRCD-FLRN terror group, had been sentenced to 25 years in 2021 for his involvement in terrorism activities. However, in March 2023, he was released from Mageragere prison after President Paul Kagame commuted his sentence. This decision came about following Rusesabagina’s request for a pardon, which he had submitted in an October 2022 letter.
Surprisingly, just three months after his release, Rusesabagina made statements that contradicted his previous letter, in which he had pleaded for clemency, citing his advanced age and chronic health issues, and claiming that he had no personal or political ambitions anymore.
In his letter dated October 14th, Rusesabagina expressed regret for any association his work with MRCD may have had with the violent actions taken by the FLN.
“As the former head of the MRCD, I regret not taking more care to ensure that members of the MRCD coalition fully adhered to the principles of non-violence… If I am granted a pardon and released, I understand fully that I will spend the remainder of my days in the United States in quiet reflection. I can assure you through this letter that I hold no personal or political ambitions otherwise. I will leave questions regarding Rwandan politics behind me,” he wrote.
Despite this letter, Rusesabagina surprised many by claiming during the recent Oslo Freedom Forum that he was released due to pressure.
He addressed the participants, stating, “Today, I am a free man because of your voice and the voices of many others… All of you came together to advocate for my release and the release of all political prisoners. For me, you have succeeded.” He added, “My freedom demonstrates that when you stand up for what you believe in, when you come together in solidarity and are guided by the principles of human rights and democracy, you win.”
Tito Rutaremara, the Chairperson of the Rwanda Elders’ Advisory Forum, has questioned why Rusesabagina is praising human rights activists while disregarding his earlier letter requesting clemency.
Rutaremara pointed out that the letter, in which Rusesabagina himself requested a pardon from the President of the Republic and signed it, is available for anyone to see.
He emphasized that Rusesabagina had admitted to being a criminal and had confessed to his crimes, which gave no reason for him to be retained in prison.
“Why did he write the letter requesting clemency if he was released by those activists?” he wondered.
During a cabinet meeting in March 2023, the release of Rusesabagina and other individuals convicted of terrorism charges was approved on the grounds of presidential clemency.
This decision followed letters in which the individuals confessed their crimes and requested a pardon.
Rusesabagina had been arrested in 2020, along with Nsabimana Callixte, also known as “Sankara,” the spokesperson for the FLN, and 18 others connected to the same case.
They were all released on presidential clemency on March 24th, 2023. besides, additional 358 individuals convicted of various offenses were granted collective commutation on the same day.
Under Rwandan law, commutation of sentence does not extinguish the underlying conviction. If any individual benefitting from early release repeats offences of a similar nature, the commutation can be revoked and the remainder of the prison sentence will be served, in accordance with the conditions specified in the Presidential Order.
CHOGM – customarily held every two years – is the Commonwealth’s primary political meeting.
Building on progress since CHOGM 2022, leaders are expected to deliberate on global economic, environmental and security challenges, and discuss how the contemporary Commonwealth can work together to build resilience, boost trade, innovation, growth, and empower the Commonwealth’s 1.5 billion young people to build a more peaceful, sustainable future.
Commonwealth leaders selected Samoa as the incoming Chair-In-Office and host of the next CHOGM at last year’s Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda. It will be the first CHOGM to be held in a Pacific Small Island Developing State and the first since Gabon and Togo officially joined the Commonwealth, increasing the number of member nations to 56.
Commenting on the development, Prime Minster Fiame said: “We look forward to welcoming the Commonwealth family to our home. We are weathering unprecedented times as the Commonwealth and the world in general; the adaptive response is anchored in solidarity and building resilience as a matter of survival.
Already, we are hard at work, hand-in-hand with the team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, and counting on the support of our partners and the Commonwealth Family, to ensure a successful, productive and unique event. We look forward to the transformative change, renewed purpose and the strengthening of the spirit of cooperation that will come out of this CHOGM.”
Scotland said that underscored that Commonwealth of 56 nations and 2.5 billion people stretches across five continents and six oceans, but united in their commitment to shared values and goals.
She stressed that the Commonwealth’s unity and purpose flows from the bloc’s Charter, and from the mandates of Heads of Government, where every CHOGM is pivotal in bringing those leaders together to build further cooperation on the challenges and opportunities of the world.
“As we continue to deliver the mandates from our fantastic CHOGM in Kigali last year, we are already looking forward to CHOGM 2024. And it comes at a vital time – especially as the impacts of climate change intensify – so it is fitting that our global family will meet for the first time on a Pacific Island. Samoa may be classed as a small island state, but it is a wonderful country with a huge heart, and I warmly welcome the generous hospitality offered by its government and people,” noted Scotland.
“In Samoa, Commonwealth Leaders will meet in common cause to continue our shared effort to innovate and transform our societies, to that we all can live in a more equal, more peaceful more resilient, more prosperous and more sustainable world,” she added.
Alongside meetings of Heads of Government, which will include a Commonwealth Leaders-only retreat, CHOGM week will include meetings of Foreign Ministers and a range of high-level forums and events to engage young people, civil society, women, business leaders and international institutions.
Prime Minister Mataʻafa and Secretary-General Scotland intend to announce further details, including the official theme for CHOGM 2024, in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York in September.
The Head of State made the disclosure during a joint press conference alongside Hakainde Hichilema, the President of Zambia. Hichilema recently traveled to Ukraine and Russia as part of a delegation of African leaders to raise a call for an immediate end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which started in February 2022.
Kagame said that the war had devastating effects and disrupted the supply of commodities that countries used to import from the warring parties.
He stated that effects of the conflict went beyond both countries to affect African countries including Rwanda among others.
“We should be thinking even more about what we should be doing together , and each of our countries doing their best to make the kinds of investments that will enable us to survive no matter what conflict in other places,” he noted.
“Of course we wish to have no such conflicts or even to end them where they are, but primarily, survive the consequences of that,” added Kagame.
He pointed out an example of inflation, shortage of grains, fertilizers, all kinds of things needed for food or input into agricultural systems occasioned by the war and stressed the need to build resilient economies.
“We can grow grains, we can have grains to feed Zambia, Rwanda and the rest of Africa, especially given the agreements we have signed and the vision we share, of self-sufficiency so that we are able to withstand the storm that comes from different parts of the world,” he stated.
“This is really for me what would be more important but this is not to belittle or minimize the importance of the effort. You, the leaders of the continent, attempted to contribute to the peace that is required in that part of the world also benefiting the rest of the world. […] But for me, the other one is more important because even if we are solving this problem; […] there is likely to be another conflict somewhere else as we have seen. I am talking as a student of history, an observer, who sees what happens in real life,” added Kagame.
As of today, tensions continue to escalate in various regions around the world, raising concerns about the potential devastating effects that these situations may bring.
Kagame underscored that running after one problem and trying to address it, ‘is necessary to do whenever that is required’, but observed that running after efforts to prevent by ‘creating resilience in our governance, in economies, productivity’ is more important.
“It doesn’t stop people to do something whenever and wherever they can, to try and bring to and end any conflict like that. Even before it affects our economies, it takes people’s lives and really causes tragedies and devastation,” he added.
On his part, President Hichilema said that conflict in one place affects other parts referring to the First or Second World War that started with two countries and proliferated across the globe.
He said that African countries need to be involved in decision making be it for positive reasons and in circumstances of negativity. Hichilema highlighted the need to work as a team but with a focus on direct responsibilities of African nations.
“The supply chains were distorted by COVID-19. We have learnt a lesson from that. Rwanda is going to produce some vaccines as a reaction to consequences of a global crisis such as diseases. To mitigate future outbreaks , we can source drugs within ourselves because those who had the drugs area had to first support their own population when Africa was last in the queue. Out of a crisis, there are things we can do,” he noted.
Hichilema also commended Rwanda and South Africa for taking bold steps along the journey to produce drugs and vaccines on the continent.
Speaking at the Inclusive FinTech Forum in Kigali, President Kagame said, ‘Fintechs are accelerating Africa’s digital transformation’ adding that the impact is evident across the continent, where more jobs, wealth, and opportunities are being created.
However, President Kagame emphasized that Africa has produced a small number of unicorns, and the majority of transactions remain cash-based compared to the rest of the world.
“To sustain the gains already made, we must forge stronger partnerships and build a more equitable, accessible and sustainable fintech ecosystem,” he stated.
The President also highlighted the importance of women’s active participation in the fintech space, saying, “That is why we must do more to ensure women are active participants in the fintech space. The numbers do not lie. This can have a positive impact on women-owned businesses and on the industry and economies, in general.”
Addressing the challenges faced by Africa, President Kagame emphasized the need to address inadequate levels of broadband coverage, documentation, and financial literacy to improve the delivery of financial services.
He also mentioned the unharmonized regulatory environment across Africa as a persistent challenge, affecting the ability and speed at which fintechs can scale across different jurisdictions.
Rwanda has taken steps to promote financial technology by establishing the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) to support African and international investors. Additionally, the country has implemented policies to facilitate the testing and expansion of tech companies in a smoothly regulated manner.
The Inclusive FinTech Forum brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, large corporations, and various organizations to forge solutions paving the way for equitable access to fintech inclusion.
President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, who also attended the forum, emphasized the significance of accelerating socio-economic transformation, particularly focusing on youth empowerment.
Hichilema stressed that fintech and access to financial services are essential to achieve desired progress. He highlighted the need to make technology accessible to the population and leverage it for job creation.
