The International Telecommunication Union, through its Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), organizes a World Telecommunication Development Conference every four years in the period between two Plenipotentiary Conferences to consider topics, projects and programmes relevant to telecommunication development.
WTDCs set the strategies and objectives for the development of telecommunication/ICT, providing future direction and guidance to the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D).
Under the theme “Connecting the unconnected to achieve sustainable development” WTDC is a unique opportunity to develop innovative approaches and new models of collaboration for connectivity and digital solutions in this final Decade of Action to achieve the SDGs.
The ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference WTDC will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 6th to 16th June 2022.
The development follow the recent incident where motorcyclists in Kigali staged protests on 13th January 2022 requesting authorities to hear their concerns and solve issues affecting their business.
These include poor cooperatives’ management and irrelevant contributions that do not generate returns, hiked insurance premium, difficulties in motorcycle ownership transfer and losses incurred by fare meter tariffs among others.
The Minister of Infrastructure, Dr. Erneste Nsabimana has said that the resolutions made public on Friday 25th February 2022 were reached after assessing raised concerns.
Among others, motorcyclists’ cooperatives in Kigali have been reduced from 41 to 5 and will operate differently from the previous ones. Else, some services that motorcyclists would receive from cooperatives have been transferred to Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA).
Motorcyclists’ contributions to cooperatives have been annulled, operators paying tax in four months have been exempted from late payment charges and penalties while fees paid to RURA have been reduced.
Minister Nsabimana revealed that the issue of hiked insurance premium is being reviewed.
“Another concern you have been raising is about insurance. The Government oversees interests of all citizens. It has understood the concern which is being reviewed with resolutions to be announced without delays,” he said.
It has been agreed that motorcyclists without driving license will be helped to do driving tests to operate in transparency. Among others, Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) has been tasked to facilitate the transfer of motorcycles ownership.
Minister Nsabimana has also revealed that using fare meters is mandatory with the revised tariffs where the first two kilometers attract Rwf400 as per motorcyclists request instead of the previous Rwf300.
“The world is going digital. Technology goes hand in hand with security. As the Government has been facilitating you, it counts on your collaboration to roll out the technology helping us to guarantee our security. No commercial motorcyclist will be allowed to operate in Kigali without fare meter,” he affirmed.
Theogene Minani, a commercial motorcyclist operating in Nyarugenge district has welcomed the resolutions noting that they will help them run their business smoothly.
Anatoliy made a breakaway in the last kilometer and arrived at the finishing line first clocking 3 hours 35 minutes and 21 seconds followed by Natnael Tesfazion.
The first two riders arrived 5 seconds ahead of Rwandan Eric Manizabayo riding for Benediction Ignite who took the 3rd place.
Eritrean Tesfazion riding for Drone Hopper took the yellow jersey leading the race with 17 hours 33 minutes and 19 seconds. He is six seconds ahead of Budiak Anatoli who took the second place on general classification.
Eric Manizabayo is the top performing Rwanda emerging 10th on the general classification with 2 minutes and 15 seconds behind the yellow jersey holder.
Samuel Mugisha of ProTouch and Axel Laurance of B&B Hotels KTM did not complete the race due to sickness.
Tour du Rwanda 2022 will continue to Saturday 26th February 2022 with the seventh stage where cyclists will follow the track from Nyamirambo in Kigali through Gicumbi to cross the finishing line in Kigali covering 152.6 kilometers.
[{{Click this link to view more pictures}}->https://www.igihe.com/imikino/tour-du-rwanda-2022/Anatoliy-Budyak-yegukanye-Agace-ka-Gatandatu-ka-Tour-du-Rwanda-2022-Amafoto]
Both leaders have exchanged on bilateral relations and cooperation in justice matters between the two sister countries.
Rwanda and Burundi enjoy existing cooperation agreements in the areas of justice and exchange of criminals.
Minister Banyankimbona has told her Rwandan counterpart that both countries’ ties are being normalized after a period of spoiled relations.
Minister Ugirashebuja revealed that Rwanda has so far handed over 19 criminals to Burundi while Burundi sent 11 individuals since both countries signed related agreements.
Rwanda also helped Burundi to repatriate its nationals that had fled to the country in 2015.
Figures show that 72,000 Burundian refugees have already returned home.
Burundian Minister of Justice has commended Rwanda for the support highlighting that repatriated Burundians arrived home safely.
“They are carrying out their activities continue working with others to build our nation,” she said.
Some participants of the event which took place on 22nd February 2022 revealed that nutraceuticals from the company have helped them in no small part to improve health conditions.
Marie Rose Uwimana is among customers who used weight management nutraceuticals. She weighed 101 kilograms which have reduced by 16 in six months.
“I weighed 101 kilograms and hardly turned over in bed as I had to sit first. They gave me nutraceuticals that helped me reduce weight to a desired extent,” she said.
Hortance Ujeneza is another customer whose family got relief after using the company’s products.
As she revealed, Ujeneza had a sibling with constipation and another suffering from Diabetes whose health conditions improved after using nutraceuticals.
During the ceremony held recently, Bold Regain International unveiled 12 types of nutraceuticals including family wellness, anti-aging and weight management among others designed to strengthen body’s immunity.
The CEO of Bold Regain International, Dr. Francis Habumugisha has said that the company decided to introduce nutraceuticals to help people solve health issues.
“People suffer from different diseases. They have despondency and other health conditions that these nutraceuticals can tackle,” he said.
He reassured the general public that these nutraceuticals meet standard and are approved by Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda- FDA) before entering Rwanda’s market.
Dr. Olivier Kamana, the Head of Applied Research, Development and Foresight incubation at the National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA) expressed optimism that they will be efficient to solve health conditions.
“Nutraceuticals play the role of preventing or boosting immunity against some diseases. They complement existing dietary intake. These nutraceuticals meet standards and are promising to help Rwandans with various health issues,” he noted.
Dr. Kamana reminded Rwandans that these nutraceuticals are not a replacement of medical treatment urging them to always remember to rush for medical attention at health facilities when they are sick.
Nutraceuticals are believed have many health benefits through strengthening immunity against non-communicable diseases.
Bold Regain International in partnership with Life Care Phyto Labs-India are set to launch a herbal medicines plant in Rwanda for local production of nutraceuticals.
In line with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion’s priority of gender equality and women economic empowerment, Connect Women in Business aims to enable women in their respective projects, growing them to cooperative level so that they can contributing to sustaining their livelihoods.
This year, the program, which is funded by MTN Foundation, was launched in Karenge Sector, Rwamagana District. Twenty women-led saving groups have been pre- selected from all over the country with five saving groups per category: Agriculture, Art, Women in Digital and Women with disabilities.
These twenty saving groups were chosen based on the performance of their ongoing projects. This phase of identifying the twenty savings groups was supported by our partners Africa Evangelistic Enterprise Rwanda (AEE Rwanda), a local Christian NGO dedicated to working with families to eradicate poverty and the National Union of Disability Organizations in Rwanda (NUDOR), the umbrella organization that exists to strengthen the voice of the disability movement in Rwanda.
Commenting on the development, Jackline Kamanzi, National Women’s Council Executive Secretary said: “We are pleased to support this great annual initiative by MTN Rwanda. Connect Women in Business has, for the past two years, contributed to our mission to build women’s capacity and ensure their participation in the national development through their diverse projects. Furthermore, this initiative also offers the much-needed encouragement to women-led saving groups to keep the momentum of hard work, discipline and perseverance because they yield results.”
The next round of this program will consist of interviews with judges from MTN Rwanda, National Women’s Council and NUDOR that will result in the selection of the top three winners who will travel to Kigali for the final round and stand a chance to win the grand prize of Two Million Rwandan Francs.
Zulfat Mukarubega, MTN Rwanda Foundation Board of Directors Chairperson expressed delight for the launch of 3rd edition ‘of this empowering initiative’ and thanked partners for their support to make the program a success.
“This wouldn’t be possible without the continued support of the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion through the National Women’s Council. We would also like to extend our gratitude to our other partners, AEE Rwanda and NUDOR, who have been instrumental in selecting the women savings groups and following up with their respective projects. We understand the value that women add to the community and are confident the saving groups selected will contribute to the overall growth of the economy,” she said.
The Top three winners from the second round will undergo a Master Class in the areas of Taxes, Legal, Digital Marketing, Saving schemes, Conflict Resolution and Gender equality & Human Rights, which will aid in growing their businesses with the aim of creating wealth.
Mitwa Ng’ambi, MTN Rwanda Chief Executive Officer, underscored during the ceremony in Rwamagana District that anyone who supports a woman is supporting an entire community.
“We have seen this countless times in our societies and it’s no different for these women saving groups. Each saving group was selected from a critical category that represents much of our economy today: agriculture, arts, women in digital and women with disability. We encourage more women to join saving groups to eradicate poverty, sustain their families and grow their nation,” she said.
MTN Connect Women in Business continues to create shared value in the community, resulting in sustainable living for all by supporting cooperatives of vulnerable groups such as teen mothers and women and girls in single-parent households.
{{About National Women’s Council}}
The National Women’s Council mission is to build women’s capacity and ensure their participation in national development through advocacy and social mobilization. The National Women’s Council is an organ responsible for advocacy, capacity building, and social mobilization under the guidance and supervision of the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion.
{{About MTN Rwandacell }}
MTN Rwandacell Plc (MTN Rwanda) is the market leader in mobile telecommunications in Rwanda. Since 1998, we have continuously invested in expanding and modernising our network and are the country’s No 1 network. MTN Rwanda offers various services to subscribers, including innovative propositions such as personalised voice and data offers with MTN Irekure. The company is also the front runner in mobile financial services in Rwanda with Mobile Money, MoMoPay and MoKash Loans and Savings.
{{About MTN Foundation}}
MTN Foundation is the vehicle through which MTN implements its Corporate Social Responsibility Programs. MTN Foundation was established in February 2010 and MTN has committed 1% of Profit After Tax (PAT) annually to support the Foundation activities. The Foundation’s focus areas include Education, Youth and Women Empowerment and Environment initiatives. It was created with a focus of giving back to society and “Impacting the quality of lives in our communities in a meaningful way.
The ceremony took place in the evening of Thursday on 24th February 2022.
“President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame joined Dr. Didi Bertrand Farmer and family as well as friends and colleagues of Dr. Paul Farmer for a farewell ceremony in honor of Dr. Paul Farmer and the immeasurable global impact of his life,” Rwanda’s Presidency has revealed via Twitter handle.
Dr. Didi Bertrand Farmer, the wife of late Farmer arrived in Rwanda on Thursday afternoon to take his husband’s body to USA for burial.
The death of Dr. Paul Farmer whose work touched millions of lives globally has shocked many people including Rwandans. The global health champion who is the co-founder of Partners In Health (PIH) and the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) located in Butaro, Burera district breathed the last on Monday 21st February 2022 succumbing to sudden death condition.
He has been a friend of Rwanda for more than 20 years who significantly contributed to the advancement of the country’s health sector.
Known locally as Inshuti Mu Buzima, PIH has worked in Rwanda since 2005, helping the government fight HIV, improve maternal and child health, and bring integrated, high-quality health care to more than 860,000 people across Burera, Kayonza, and Kirehe districts.
In 2019, President Paul Kagame decorated Dr. Farmer with the Igihango National Order of Outstanding Friendship medal.
Following his demise, President Paul Kagame was among high profile personalities expressed condolences to the bereaved family noting that he will be cherished for his contribution to national development.
He said that is hard to find the words to express the sad news of the passing of Paul Farmer, a philanthropist who ‘combined many things hard to find in one person’.
The Head of State went on to explain that ‘the weight of his loss is in many ways personal, to the country of Rwanda [which he loved and to which he contributed so much during its reconstruction], to my family and to myself’.
Before his death, Dr. Farmer spent one month in Rwanda where he lectured at UGHE and attended to patients at Butaro Hospital.
Kagame visited the College on Thursday 24th February 2022 on the second day of his visit in Mauritania.
As he visited the College, Kagame was received by the Minister of Defence of Mauritania, Hanenna Ould Sidi and other officials.
The G5 Sahel Defense College in Nouakchott was first a Mauritanian project created in 2013 well before the birth of the G5 Sahel. Originally, the institution was intended to raise the level and capabilities of the Mauritanian army in the face of the new security threat.
The G5 Sahel countries include Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Tchad.
The college has a simulation center capable of putting the trainee in a field situation, and is interconnected with the G5 East and West centers with which it can have simultaneous exercises.
During the visit to Mauritania, both Heads of State witnessed the signing of Air Transport Agreement that will enable the national carrier, RwandAir to conduct flights to the country.
Kagame began his two-day visit to Mauritania on Wednesday where he was received by his counterpart, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani upon arrival. The visit was concluded on Thursday.
They are Abraham Akurishaka, 45, Innocent Nsabimana, 30, and Eric Nsabumuremyi, 26.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, said that the trio was arrested separately in operations targeting people, who vandalize electricity infrastructure, selling them as scraps.
“The three men were among those connected to this vandalism,” said CP Kabera.
Akurishaka was arrested in Kigarama Sector of Kicukiro District with tools, which he was using to cut off electricity before vandalising and stealing electricity crossarms and transformer cabinets.
Among the items recovered from Akurishaka include safety helmet, four screwdrivers, an electric plier, voltmeter, silicone rubber strips, and a cutter which he was using to cut tubes.
Meanwhile, Innocent Nsabimana and Eric Nsabumuremyi were apprehended in Nyabugogo, Kimisagara Sector, Nyarugenge District in possession of six pieces of transformer cabinet, which was vandalised in Gicumbi District, recently.
They were at the time looking for buyers.
Nsabimana hails from Gicumbi, where he also owns a hardware shop.
“On Wednesday, February 23, Police officers went to the shop of Nsabimana located in Naya Village, Nyaruka Cell, Cyumba Sector in Gicumbi District where they recovered other several pieces of steel sheets weighing about 300kgs, which were stolen after vandalizing transformer cabinets,” CP Kabera said.
Nsabimana disclosed that he bought the steel sheets from oneJean Damascene Harushyiminsi, who is still at large.
“This is a criminal act caused power outage in homes, leads the government into losses to repair the destroyed infrastructure and affects public safety,” CP Kabera explained.
He urged the public to report protect such infrastructures jealously and report people, who vandalize them.
The suspects were handed over to RIB for further investigation while the search for Harushyiminsi is still ongoing.
Article 182 of the law determining offences and penalties states that any person, who maliciously demolishes or damages in any way, in whole or in part of construction, building, bridge, dams, water pipes and their routes, railway rails or any other means of communication or electric power infrastructure, wells or any other constructions which do not belong to him/her, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years and not more than five years with a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million.
The senators from the Thematic Committee on Peace and Security in the Zimbabwean Parliament visited RNP to learn about Rwanda’s internal security management through community policing and contribution to peacekeeping missions.
The meeting was also attended by the Zimbabwean ambassador to Rwanda, Charity Manyeruke and the Deputy IGP in charge of Administration and Personnel, Jeanne Chantal Ujeneza.
IGP Munyuza briefed them on RNP history since it was formed 21 years ago and reiterated the force’s commitment to sharing knowledge on Rwanda’s journey to sustainable peace and security.
RNP was established in June 2000 after merging three agencies; Gendarmerie which was under Ministry of Defence, Police Communale under Ministry of Internal Affairs and Judicial Police under Ministry of Justice, to have an organized, well-coordinated and professional Police force to effectively deal with security challenges.
“RNP started with a force of 3,000 personnel and gradually built its capacity and capability and the strength has since grown to more than five-folds. Over the years, RNP in partnership with other government agencies has been at the forefront in ensuring that people in Rwanda are safe, secure and involved. RNP has put in place an ‘all-inclusive’ approach to people’s safety through community-centered policing,” IGP Munyuza said.
He added: “The strategic guidance from President of the Republic, H.E Paul Kagame, to RNP has been that, for a country to develop and progress, her citizens must be involved in policy formulation and implementation at all levels. This is why we have always partnered with the population in the fight against crime and keeping Rwanda safe and secure.”
IGP Munyuza noted that RNP has been at the forefront of not only ensuring security at home, but also abroad in peacekeeping missions.
RNP is now participating in four peacekeeping missions, namely; Central African Republic (CAR), South Sudan, Abyei and Haiti as well as a force fighting terrorism in Mozambique.
“In an effort to combat emerging, organized and transnational crimes, RNP continues to establish cooperation with other Police institutions in the region and beyond. So far, we have signed over 15 Memorandum of Understandings with various Police institutions. RNP looks forward to further cooperation agreements with other Police forces including Zimbabwe Police to join efforts in fighting contemporary security challenges,” IGP Munyuza said.
Senator, Dr. Parirenyatwa David, the head of the delegation, said Rwanda is an example to what dynamic state can become.
“We recognized that Rwanda has gone through a very tough period which was a very painful experience, and we have come to learn how the country overcame that situation, and its peacekeeping experience,” said Dr. Parirenyatwa.
“No country can advance without peace and security and to me, I have the feeling that Rwanda is a huge example to what a dynamic state can become,” he added.
