Kagame was speaking at the opening of the 33rd Plenary session of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) taking place in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
“First, investment in Infrastructure is very critical. Rwanda’s aviation industry continues to see considerable growth particularly with the increase in capacity, of RwandAir and construction of the new International Airport,” he revealed.
The Head of State explained that these investments support connectivity within Africa, and complements Rwanda’s decision to remove visa requirements for fellow Africans.
Secondly, Kagame highlighted that affordability needs to be at the forefront of the continent’s strategy where ‘the aviation sector should not be over taxed and overburdened with charges compared to other sectors’.
The President also stressed the need to encourage citizens to travel within the continent and integrate digital processes to enhance safety.
“Lastly, innovation is key for sustainability. Digital processes should be adopted to manage travel health credentials. In the long run, this will minimize airport disruptions and increase confidence in safety. As we work towards fully opening our skies, the adoption of a dispute settlement mechanism should be a priority,” he stated.
Kagame emphasized that the aforementioned efforts will help create the impetus for more countries to liberalize their bilateral air service agreement.
Among others, the Head of State said that investing in people and creating the necessary skills to help them take advantage of the wide social and economic benefits that the market offers will be of great significance to sustain the gains already made.
AFCAC is a Specialized Agency of the African Union mandated to oversee matters related to aviation across Africa.
The meeting brought together different participants including the President of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Gabriel Lesa, President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Salvatore Sciacchitano and other delegates from the aviation sector.
AFCAC’s Ordinary Plenary sessions, held every three years, are attended by delegates from the 55 African Member States, the African Union Commission, State Ministers responsible for civil aviation, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), sister organizations such as the Arab Civil Aviation Organization (ACAO), the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission (LACAC) and other high ranking decision-makers in the global aviation industry. The last Plenary session was held in Lusaka in 2018.
Participants of the three-day meeting taking place in Kigali, are expected to deliberate and take decisions on crucial matters affecting the Commission and the African civil aviation industry, in the areas of safety, security, sustainable development of air transport in Africa, the Yamoussoukro Decision, and the Single African Air Transport Market.
Irere made the request on Friday 26th November 2021 as she visited the school.
Davis College (formerly known as Akilah) began operations in 2010 educating female students from vulnerable families.
So far, the school has graduated 1082 female students.
Davis College graduates students with diplomas in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Information Systems, and Business Management & Entrepreneurship.
In September 2020, Davis College launched another cohort for both male and female students which operates alongside the women only cohort.
Minister Irere thanked the school for promoting quality education and urged the management to scale up efforts to maintain excellence.
After touring the school and being taken through its unique academic systems, most especially in the areas of faculty support mechanisms and effective engagement with the industry players among others, Irere called on other higher learning institutions to borrow a leaf from what Davis College does.
“The program initiated to train lecturers is very much needed. Many schools only consider students and dedicate no special attention to lecturers. This is a secret to success that other schools should emulate,” she said.
Irere also requested the school’s management to increase the number of male students.
“The fact that you have started welcoming boys and girls is welcome because they raise each other. Building girls’ capacity is a good idea,but it is much better when they are together with their brothers,” she advised.
The President of Davis College, Paul Swaga has told igihe.com that the minister’s visit reflects how the government of Rwanda recognizes their efforts and contribution to the education sector noting that it gives his team motivation to continue advancing quality education.
He explained that the team is excited about enrolling male students to study with their sisters.
“We started enrolling male students last year, and we are engaging the parents of our potential students on the benefits of having their sons attend classes with their sisters from an environment which promotes gender equity.
It is important to note that the female students educated here will be favourably competing with their male counterparts at the labour market after graduation. That is why teaching both female and male students using our unique gender-responsive pedagogy is of great significance,” Swaga said.
The school’s management has revealed that students have been receiving support to continue their studies undisrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The support includes provision of laptops and data stipends which facilitate online learning.
The institution offers the Competence Based Education model which puts emphasis on skills development. It also equips learners with English, leadership, digital literacy and career readiness skills which enable them to become competitive at the job market.
Kagame made the revelation at the opening of the 33rd Plenary session of the African Civil Aviation Commission taking place in Kigali, Rwanda.
The three-day meeting brought together different participants including the President of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Gabriel Lesa, President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Salvatore Sciacchitano and other delegates from the aviation sector.
AFCAC is a Specialized Agency of the African Union mandated to oversee matters related to aviation across Africa.
The aviation is among sectors seriously affected by COVID-19 pandemic where passenger revenue losses were estimated at US$10.2 billion in 2020.
The loss is projected to reach US$8.2 billion this year while the number of passengers declined by 67.7% from 95 million to 34.7 million in 2020.
Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure. Amb. Claver Gatete has said that Africa has booming tourism industry that needs support of the aviation sector.
He emphasized the situation requires significant support to the airline industry by Governments. The Minister pointed out Rwanda’s case where the country supported air transport recovery through the economic recovery fund and introduced COVID-19 screening robots at the airport to minimize physical contacts among others.
Amb. Gatete stressed the need to build infrastructures to enhance resilience to other COVID-19 variants and future pandemics.
President Kagame said that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the aviation sector globally and continues to affect everyone.
He reminisced on the new COVID-19 variant dubbed Omicron noting that it has created confusion everywhere.
“One simple example is a recent variant of COVID-19, Omicron variant and the confusion it has really brought everywhere, including in the air transport. I am saying this because you have seen that South Africa was generous in sharing information of what they had just discovered of this variant. […] Of course, there is a reaction towards that. Airlines started suspending flights to the southern Africa. Out of our continent, passengers originating from there going towards different parts of the world were blocked,” Kagame said.
As the President highlighted, it was latter established that the variant had been detected out of the continent before.
On Tuesday, the Netherlands announced that it had detected the new Omicron variant eleven days ago evidencing that it emerged in Europe before South Africa.
Kagame stressed the need for better organization, better communication, and concerted effort to minimize effects of the pandemic and shed light on Rwanda’s decision to suspend flights to and from southern Africa.
Rwanda suspended flights to Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, Harare in Zimbabwe and Lusaka in Zambia.
“When we learnt of this variant like any other country, we had to take immediate action. At least, we had to figure out what to do in response to that. That was already happening because of what actions, other people were taking,” he noted.
The Head of State revealed that RwandAir had to suspend flights to the southern African region of the continent.
“Even though, the information that everybody was operating on was that this variant was in southern Africa, we found it was somewhere else. In fact, I agree [with him]. I saw the President of South Africa, saying that the country was punished for being transparent and putting information out there of what they had discovered, but others who identified it had been quiet, and had discovered that before,” he said.
“In our case, Rwanda had to take measures internally, here in the country but naturally also to do with beyond our borders. And the simple reason was that for example the flights that come from, southern Africa, most of the passengers who come to Kigali don’t terminate their journey in Rwanda. The majority are going through to other destinations,” Kagame added.
The Head of State said that there could be huge losses, if RwandAir just went to southern Africa because it would be not bringing passengers given that they normally come through Rwanda to other destinations.
“We might be able to carry passengers to southern Africa, originating from here but on the way back, the flight would always be empty every time. So, it wouldn’t make economic sense. Probably, we would make a huge loss around that. One of the measures was to say; well, let us wait and see what happens across the world. Let us stop on flying to southern Africa,” he revealed.
The Commonwealth has played an important role in providing linkages and boosting trade within Member States. In its Charter, the Commonwealth acknowledges the uncertainty and changing dynamics of global trade and commerce. It is also alive to the essence of connectivity across regions and amongst factors of production as a driver of economic prosperity.
In line with this, the Commonwealth has identified five key areas of connectivity to drive this agenda namely; digital, physical, regulatory, supply side and business to business connectivity. It is estimated that by the year 2030, intra-Commonwealth trade will amount to USD 2 trillion. In this regard, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) launched the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment in 2018.
The ever-evolving threats to peace and security, the urgency to address climate change and to press for realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are also at the top of the Commonwealth agenda. About 32 Member States of the Commonwealth are Small Island Nations to which climate change is an existential threat.
The challenges facing the Commonwealth call for solutions both immediate and anticipatory, to ensure today’s challenges are met while future threats are identified in time and strategies put in place to mitigate them. In this regard, the Commonwealth needs at its helm a dynamic and agile Secretary General to address the technical issues and leadership needs of the Commonwealth, all anchored on consensus.
Election of the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, who also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the organization takes place during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, CHOGM 2021 which was to take place in Kigali, Rwanda was postponed.
The COVID-19 pandemic which continues to unsettle the world, is also compounding other pressures the world is facing from the adverse effects of climate change, violent conflict, terrorism, economic disruptions, the quest to realize the SDGs and high-stake geostrategic competitions. Majority of these pressures already impact the Commonwealth family, directly and indirectly.
Kenya has been a steadfast member of the Commonwealth since independence in 1963. Kenya believes in the strength of the Commonwealth to address current challenges facing Member States as well as on its ability to forge ahead and shape the solutions based on emerging trends and the forecast on salient issues. Implementation of decisions based on the common aspirations of Member States and optimally delivering on the needs of its Member States (both present and future) remain central yardsticks of measuring the success and relevance of the Commonwealth.
Kenya remains committed to multilateralism and ensuring that the Commonwealth realizes its immense potential for all its people. To this end, Kenya believes that the leadership of the Commonwealth Secretariat is crucial in delivering on the goals, priorities and aspirations of its Member States and has proffered the candidature of Amb. Dr Monica Juma for this role.
The choice of the candidate by Kenya is informed by the conviction that Dr. Juma’s visionary, transformative, agile and consensus-building approach speaks to the needs of the Commonwealth. Kenya also seeks to bring on board Dr. Juma’s vast diplomatic experience and expertise in key technical issues that also resonate with the core mandate and business of the Commonwealth.
Dr. Juma has served with distinction within the international and national civil service where she served as a distinguished Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Principal Secretary and Cabinet Secretary (Minister) in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence and currently the Ministry of Energy. Through her visionary leadership, Dr. Juma has steered a transformative agenda in the Ministries she has led. Dr. Juma is also a researcher and an academic. She has a track-record of excellence in strategic management, policy-making and analysis in international affairs, development, peace, security, governance and humanitarian affairs.
In the face of socio-economic and political effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the quest for recovery, climate change challenges and the opportunities within the blue economy, emerging peace and security threats and the question of leveraging on the youth dividend around the world and specifically within the Commonwealth, it is imperative that the Commonwealth has a leadership that technically and institutionally addresses these pressing demands. And this fundamental duality is what Dr. Juma brings on board.
While the principality of these competencies cannot be overemphasized, Dr. Juma has underscored her clarion call to build consensus among Member States, which she notes as critical in addressing existing gaps, emerging challenges and harnessing available opportunities within the Commonwealth family.
Her rich diplomatic background, coupled with strong negotiation and advocacy skills on multilateralism will ensure a global perspective in addressing issues and in nurturing inclusivity in decision-making. Dr. Juma served as Ambassador Extra-Ordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kenya to Ethiopia and Djibouti, Permanent Representative of Kenya to the African Union (AU), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) between 2010 and 2013.
In the pursuit of a more equal world, a world that addresses pressing issues urgently, a world that seeks to thrive on consensus-building and a world that embraces innovation to find solutions, there is no doubt that Dr. Monica Juma is fit-for-purpose to be the next Secretary General of the Commonwealth.
The executive secretary of Rwimiyaga sector, Sam Gatunge has told IGIHE that lightning struck dead these cows during heavy rain.
“Eleven of the cows struck dead belong to a resident identified as Sam Ruzindana. Two sheep were also struck dead. The incident happened as they sought shelter under a tree during heavy rain,” he said.
Apart from killed livestock, Gatunge explained that the rain did not cause more ravages.
He advised residents to avoid seeking shelters under trees and using electronics during rains.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed via Twitter handle that Minister Biruta and the new envoy also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Rwanda date back 28 years ago.
Rwanda is one of the promising trade and economic partners of Ukraine in the region of East Africa.
According to the data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, bilateral trade between Ukraine and Rwanda in 2019 amounted to 2.97 million US$.
Exports from Ukraine to Rwanda amounted 2.66 million US$ (increased up to 334.5% compared to 2018), imports – 314.8 thousand US$ (increased up to 232.5% compared to 2018).
In 2018, the positive balance of foreign trade between Ukraine and Rwanda was 2.34 million US$.
Those arrested are Albert Niyonsaba, 35, Aaron Bigirimana, 31, Eugene Mutabaruka, 28, Valentine Mukamuruta, 43, and Jean Claude Ntawinanirwa, 29.
They were found in possession of combined 487 pieces of assorted lotions including Caro light, Mediven, Epiderm Crème, Beauti, Coco Pulp, Éclair 600, Extra clair, Infini Clear, Extra&White and Rapid Clair.
The cosmetics are among the 1,342 listed cream and oil brands with hydroquinone and mercury, which are prohibited in Rwanda.
Eugene Mutabaruka, one of the suspects, said that he started selling the cosmetics last year and that he buys them from the street vendors.
“I was arrested in Masaka, on Monday at about 10am after Police officers found banned lotions in my shop,” Mutabaruka said.
Aaron Bigirimana who also runs a shop in Kabuga, admitted that he was aware that the cosmetics he was selling are illegal, but asked for leniency.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that the suspects were arrested due to the good collaboration with the public, who share information.
“We urge those dealing in cosmetics to sell only products that are allowed in Rwanda. A list of outlawed lotions, oils and creams was published and anyone selling them is breaking the law and will be arrested,” CP Kabera warned.
{{Side effects}}
The outlawed creams and oil brands contain chemicals such as mercury and hydroquinone, which can cause liver damage, reduce resistance to bacterial and fungal infections, and increase anxiety, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
If it enters the bloodstream, it also results into fatal liver and kidney damage, although medics say the most immediate visible side effect is skin scarring.
Health experts confirm that prolonged use of corticosteroid creams and lotions can also decrease levels of collagen in the skin.
Collagen strengthens and supports the skin, and a reduced amount can increase the risk of striae commonly known as stretch marks.
{{Legal framework}}
Article 266 of the law determining offenses and penalties in general, states that any person, who produces, sells, or prescribes harmful products; cosmetics or body hygiene substance or any other products derived from plants, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she 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 Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million or one of these penalties.
The meeting brought together health experts, medicines manufacturing plants, health services providers and different officials including ministers, health experts, hospital managers and procurement officers among others with a view to seek together the solution for the shortage of drugs on the African continent.
Africa lags behind other continents with gaps in health services, equipment and shortage of health care professionals.
Figures from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that six million people from Sub-Saharan African countries die over the shortage of Malaria, Tuberculosis and antiretroviral drugs.
Apart from the scarcity of pharmaceuticals, there are more factors affecting Africa’s health sector including inadequate health facilities, health care professionals, water shortage at health centers and low penetration of technology among others.
Considering devastating impact of these gaps, participants called for policies designed to advance the progress of Africa’s health sector and tackle shortages of pharmaceuticals, healthcare professionals to become self-reliant instead of sticking to foreign aids and imports.
{{Investment in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals}}
Although pharmaceutical products are currently manufactured in countries like South Africa, Kenya, Morocco and Egypt, Africa currently imports more than 80 per cent of its pharmaceutical and medical consumables.
The Resident Representative of Belgian Development Agency, Enabel in Rwanda, Dirk Deprez said that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) presents huge opportunities for African entrepreneurs to invest in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.
“We should consider other economic benefits when we talk about investment. I was surprised to hear that 99% of vaccines and 94% of pharmaceuticals used in Africa are imported. The research conducted by Goldstein [a leading provider of market research services and a series of other research and analysis services] indicated that the continent’s pharmaceuticals’ market share is valued at US$28.5 billion expected to double in 2030,” he said.
Deprez explained that investing in pharmaceutical plants will save lives, generate returns and create more jobs in Africa.
Dr. Dhiren Thakker, the founder of Med Aditus International, a nonprofit corporation that aspires to be a positive force in creating access to medicine for underserved patients in Sub-Saharan Africa said that the continent faces shortages of drugs for non-communicable diseases like Cancer, Diabetis, heart complications, children and neglected diseases.
He revealed that the organization plans to set up plants manufacturing such medicinal products starting with Rwanda and Kenya.
“We are holding discussions on the establishment of such plants. The study is underway and we have already identified types of pharmaceuticals to be manufactured. The remaining task is to mobilize enough funds be it from the United States, Europe and African countries so that we can begin operations by 2022,” said Dr. Thakker.
{{Embracing technology to foster innovations}}
The Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana emphasized that creating innovations in the health sectors is of great significance considering the fact that new pandemics are emerging as time evolves.
“As far as I am concerned, creating innovations is about providing solutions to address contemporary challenges. Besides, we should not use same solutions all the times. The end-goal might be the same but using unique techniques because we don’t share the same lifestyles with other continents,” Dr. Sabin noted.
The Executive Director of Partners in Health, Dr. Joel Mubiligi has said that available human beings have never run short of ideas and innovations witnessed through scientific discoveries and creation of new technologies.
He said that the huge gap lies in failure to share knowledge with others to a desired extent.
Zipline ,a drone firm delivering blood supplies to hospitals is an example of what technology and innovations are poised to offer.
Sineka Samuel Siabnaa, the Head of Health Systems Integration at Zipline Rwanda explained that the company strives to facilitate access to health services.
To make health services accessible, he said that Zipline worked with Partners in Health during COVID-19 lockdowns to deliver cancer drugs to patients.
{{Promoting research and education}}
The world has a deficit of health workers particularly the Sub-Sahara African countries where the level of health workforce density stands at 2.3 per 1000 people against the minimum 4.5 per 1000 people recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Prof Ramneek Ahluwalia, the CEO of Higher Health, an organization that works in seven key areas to promote the health and wellbeing of students across South Africa’s public universities and technical and vocational training colleges, said that Africa has the highest prevalence of people suffering from Malaria, Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and child mortality among others but lags behind other continents in terms of education programs, research, sciences and manufacturing of new pharmaceuticals.
He explained that Africa can hardly achieve healthcare that par with international quality measures if no action is taken.
Prof. Ahluwalia said that the continent is currently designing policies to overcome effects of COVID-19 yet other parts of the world continue moving forward.
According to Deprez from Enabel, Africans’ health conditions continue to deteriorate due to inadequate research.
He stressed need for increased research on neglected diseases, and training to up-skill health workers.
{{Improved hygiene at health facilities}}
Lack of hygiene can cause a multitude of adverse effects, such as hospital-acquired infections among others.
Maurice Kwizera, the Country Representative of WaterAid Rwanda has said that some health centers face water shortage and have no places designated for waste disposal.
“Water, hygiene and sanitation are central to improved health. Globally, one out of four health facilities had no access to water by the time COVID-19 emerged. One out of three health facilities had no hand washing facility in laboratories and maternity wards among others while 10% did not have decent latrines,” he said.
Kwizera called for concerted efforts between governments, donors and other stakeholders to address this issue at different health centers and hospitals worldwide.
{{Deepening partnerships}}
Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, the Director General of RBC told participants of the summit that collaboration with relevant stakeholders was a central element for Rwanda’s response to COVID-19. He called for partnerships so that health sectors across the world can make a step further to defeat COVID-19 and other diseases.
Dr. Nsanzimana revealed that the establishment of first National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for COVID-19 tests is among fruits of collaboration with other countries because Rwanda did not have enough resources by the time the pandemic emerged.
Organized by Be still Investment, a Zimbabwean Non-Government Organization operating in Rwanda, the first edition of Rwanda Global HealthCare summit was held in 2019.
The five-day course is run by Rwanda Peace Academy in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC).
During his opening remarks, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta said that this course is an essential component of the process to achieve sustainable peace and reconciliation in nations that have been affected by traumatic violence.
“Rwanda and South Sudan share a lot of similarities in their history including a tragic past of violent conflicts but also the capacity to overcome these tragedies and build resilient societies whose communities can live together in peace and prosper for the generations to come. In Rwanda, reconciliation and peacebuilding processes have played a crucial role in resolving political and perceived ethnic differences,” he said.
In his statement, the South Sudan Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Elia Lomuro said that the course means a lot to them as they are implementing an agreement which requires that they stabilize their country in terms of achieving sustainable peace, reconstruction and institutional development.
“We think that the work done by Rwandans to achieve what you have in terms of peace, community integration and institutional building, is what we need; and we think that Rwanda being a close country to us is better example for us to learn from than anywhere else,” said Minister Lomuro.
Nyirampabwanimana was arrested with the bales on Sunday, November 28, at about 3am, at her home in Kavumu Village, Ryabizige Cell in Cyanzarwe Sector.
According to the Western region Police spokesperson, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, in the process of the operation, the suspect also attempted to bribe security officers with Rwf40, 000.
“Nyirampabwanimana had hired four men to transport the bales to her house, but they dropped them on arrival and her home and fled in the process but the alleged rightful owner of the clothes was taken into custody,” CIP Karekezi said.
“Nyirampabwanimana attempted to bribe the security officers with Rwf40,000 to prevent her arrest and seizure of the five bales,” he added.
The suspect was handed over to RIB at Busasamana Police station while the search for the accomplices, who escaped is ongoing.
CIP Karekezi warned the youth, who facilitate smugglers to transport the smuggled goods. He advised them to find alternative productive activities instead of wasting the available opportunities to engage in criminal acts, leading to arrest and imprisonment.
Under article 199 of the East African Community Management Act, which is also applicable in Rwanda, seized smuggled goods are auctioned.
{{Tax fraud}}
A taxpayer, who commits fraud, is subject to an administrative fine of one hundred percent (100%) of the evaded tax. With exception to that penalty, the Tax Administration refers the case to the Prosecution service if the taxpayer voluntarily evaded such tax, like through the use of false accounts, falsified documents or any other act punishable by law. In case of conviction, the taxpayer can be imprisoned for a period between six (6) months and two (2) years.”
In article 4 of law n° 54/2018 of 13/08/2018 on fighting against corruption, any person who solicits, accepts or receives, by any means, an illegal benefit for himself/ herself or another person or accepts a promise in order to render or omit a service under his or her mandate or uses his or her position to render or omit a service, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of more than five years but not more than seven years with a fine of three to five times the value of the illegal benefit offered, solicited or received.
Penalties provided under this article also apply to a person, who offers or promises to offer a benefit, by any means, an illegal benefit for him/ herself or another person to have a service rendered or omitted.
