On March 4, 2024, a report was released showing credible reasons to suspect Hamas fighters of raping Israeli citizens. The Israeli government requested Guterres to schedule a United Nations Security Council meeting to address the issue.
The report was issued by a UN delegation led by Pramila Patten, which was sent to Israel and the West Bank to investigate the events of the attack. The mission started on January 28 and concluded on February 14, 2024.
Pramila explained that her team could not meet with victims or directly communicate with them, but instead gathered information from Israeli state institutions, eyewitnesses, and individuals who had been held captive by Hamas fighters.
The team also discovered bodies, primarily of women who were naked, tied up, and had gunshot wounds.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, announced that the refusal to convene a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the report implies the Secretary-General’s silence, leading to Ambassador Erdan being recalled.
As reported by the Jerusalem Post, Minister Katz stated, “I have asked Ambassador Erdan to return to Israel for urgent consultations on the silence over the UN report, which shows numerous instances of rape by Hamas terrorists on October 7.”
He further criticized the Secretary-General for not calling for a Security Council meeting to review the report’s findings, which would acknowledge Hamas as a terrorist organization, impose sanctions on its supporters, and assert authority over the matter.
UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric responded that the Secretary-General was not silent but supported the work done by Patten’s team.
The Israeli government claims that in the attack on October 7, Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and took 253 prisoners.
This leading global event for the tourism industry annually attracts over 10,000 exhibitors and sees attendance exceeding 160,000 visitors.
The exhibition serves as a platform for various tourism stakeholders, including hotels, tour operators, and representatives from institutions dedicated to the sector’s growth in their respective countries.
This year, Rwanda’s delegation is led by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), alongside a diverse group of exhibitors.
Notable Rwandan companies at the fair include Wilderness Rwanda, Wanderlux Safaris, Wolf DMC, Kingfisher Journeys, Primate Safaris LTD, Akagera Aviation, RwandAir, African Parks, Mythos Boutique Hotel, among others.
The RDB is poised to engage in several meetings during the event, aimed at bolstering Rwanda’s tourism on the international stage.
In a conversation with IGIHE, RDB’s Chief Tourism Officer, Michaella Rugwizangoga, highlighted Rwanda’s consistent participation since 2000, underlining the substantial benefits derived from the exhibition.
“This year, RDB, along with 21 partner companies, is showcasing Rwanda’s tourism offerings. Our ongoing presence since 2000 has been instrumental in discussions with leading tourism entities, reinforcing Rwanda’s status as a premier destination for luxury tourism,” she explained.
Rugwizangoga also noted that one of the key opportunities for Rwanda at this year’s fair is the chance for RDB representatives to connect with high-level tourists from Germany, further promoting Rwanda’s tourism potential.
This projection was disclosed by Chinese Premier Li Qiang during the presentation of a government work report at the inaugural session of the second phase of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), which convened at the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday morning.
Nearly 3,000 delegates from across the nation gathered in Beijing for the week-long assembly.
China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) surged by 5.2% year-on-year in 2023, surpassing the annual target of about 5 percent, reaching a record of 126.06 trillion yuan (approximately 17.71 trillion US dollars) last year.
With a population of 1.4 billion, the country maintained an average surveyed unemployment rate of 5.2 percent in 2023, down 0.4 percentage points from 2022.
During the presentation of this report, Premier Li highlighted the nation’s advancements across various developmental spheres, emphasizing a seamless transition in epidemic management post a decisive victory in the battle against Covid-19.
He underscored the accomplishment of main developmental goals and tasks in 2023, citing steady progress in the pursuit of high-quality development, sustained social stability, and significant strides towards building a comprehensively modern socialist state.
Industries witnessed accelerated transformation, with strategic emerging sectors experiencing robust growth, laying the groundwork for future industry development. Advanced manufacturing integrated further with modern services, resulting in notable innovations across major sectors.
Premier Li also noted substantial progress in establishing a network of national laboratories and achieving breakthroughs in core technologies across key domains.
Reflecting on the challenges faced in 2023, Li acknowledged the economy’s undulating growth trajectory amidst various difficulties. Nevertheless, he affirmed the nation’s successful attainment of developmental targets, underlining a deeper comprehension of economic principles in the new era and the acquisition of valuable experience in overcoming obstacles.
He attributed these achievements to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the steadfast leadership of the Party Central Committee, led by Comrade Xi Jinping.
Looking ahead to 2024, Premier Li outlined key targets, including approximately 5 percent GDP growth, the creation of over 12 million new urban jobs, a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 percent, a CPI increase of about 3 percent, and equitable growth in personal income.
Other objectives encompassed maintaining balance in the balance of payments, achieving a grain output of over 650 million metric tons, reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP by around 2.5 percent, and continued environmental enhancements.
Li emphasized that these targets were formulated considering domestic and international dynamics, feasibility, and the imperative of bolstering employment and incomes while mitigating risks.
However, he cautioned that attaining this year’s targets would pose challenges, stressing the necessity for sustained policy focus, enhanced efforts, and unified action.
Speaking at a press conference following the opening session, Mr. Huang Shouhong, head of the government work report drafting team and Director of the State Council Research Office, affirmed that the report comprehensively reflects public concerns.
He disclosed extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders to assess the applicability of recommendations.
Regarding the 5 percent GDP growth target, Huang emphasized considerations of local context and feasibility.
Meanwhile, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee convened its annual session on Monday, with over 2,000 national political advisors gathering at the Great Hall of the People. Party and state leaders reviewed and endorsed the session’s agenda during the opening meeting.
On March 4th, 2024, the AU Peace and Security Council held a meeting to discuss support for SAMIDRC and how to assist the mission with resources from the African community and other partners.
Dr. Vincent Biruta, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, wrote a letter to the AU on March 3rd, 2024, conveying Rwanda’s concerns despite not being invited to the meeting.
Minister Biruta informed the AU Commission that the integration of SAMIDRC forces with the military coalition fighting for the DRC government poses a security threat to Rwanda.
He highlighted that this coalition includes groups tainted by genocide ideology such as FDLR, Wazalendo, Burundian forces, European mercenaries, and private military contractors, including one associated with the former ‘Blackwater’, as reported by a United Nations expert panel in December 2023.
Biruta argued that SAMIDRC, by conducting operations within this coalition, cannot replace political dialogue obstructed by the DRC government. Thus, he urged the African Union to neither recognize nor support SAMIDRC.
He reminded the AU Commission of the conflict’s history since July 1994, when former government officials involved in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and Interahamwe fled to then Zaire (now DRC), where they were armed and regrouped, forming FDLR with intentions to destabilize Rwanda, continuing to spread genocide ideology in the DRC.
Biruta pointed out that this ideology led to atrocities against Congolese Tutsis, resulting in killings and hundreds of thousands fleeing to Rwanda and other regional countries.
He expressed that the DRC government has consistently rejected dialogue as a solution, opting for military action instead, including expelling East African Community (EAC) forces that were sent to cease hostilities.
Furthermore, Biruta revealed a hostile intent by FDLR, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, and Burundi’s Evariste Ndayishimiye to overthrow the Rwandan government, citing their public declarations and cooperation in the ongoing conflict in the DRC, which also involved collaboration with the armed group CNRD-FLN.
He lamented the international community’s neglect of the root causes of the conflict, including support for groups spreading genocide ideology, failure to address the grievances of Congolese Tutsis by the DRC government, and reluctance to repatriate its citizens who sought refuge in the region, including over 100,000 in Rwanda.
Biruta warned that assistance to SAMIDRC from the AU and partners could escalate the conflict and support the DRC government’s refusal to resolve the conflict through peaceful dialogue.
He urged the AU Commission’s Chairperson to exercise his authority to press the DRC government towards peace talks, following the Nairobi and Luanda dialogues.
Finally, Biruta called on the AU Peace and Security Council members to visit the Great Lakes region to witness the reality on the ground and ensure they are informed of the true nature of the conflict, assuring the AU Commission’s President of Rwanda’s readiness to contribute towards finding a solution.
The Guardian reported that these amendments were passed by over 100 members, predominantly from the Labour Party, which opposes the government.
In December 2023, the UK and Rwanda governments signed this revised agreement after the Supreme Court ruled that reallocating migrants to Rwanda violates their rights, indicating that upon arrival, they could face the risk of refoulement.
The updated project proposed that no court could prevent the implementation of these agreements, but rather the members of the Parliament would have the final say.
Parliamentarians highlighted the need for the program to comply with the law, arguing that it should not be the Parliament’s role to declare Rwanda as safe but rather a matter for the courts, which the Government opposed.
They also pointed out that although the revised agreement mentions measures to ensure migrants’ rights are respected, these measures are incomplete and should be implemented beforehand.
Debate on this program within the Parliament will continue until 6th March 2024.
They believe this project will combat activities that destroy the park, such as cutting down trees for firewood and other purposes.
This was discussed on February 29, 2024, during the official launch of the project, which aims to engage in various activities focused on helping the local community by planting trees mixed with crops. This initiative is intended to protect the Nyungwe National Park and address climate change issues.
The coordinator of the IPFG organization, which advocates for family welfare and will implement the ‘The Nyungwe Agroforestry’ project, Faustin Kanani, stated their goal is to provide the local communities living around the park with alternatives to what they previously sought within the park, such as firewood. They plan to plant these crop friendly trees over a span of 20 years.
He mentioned, “We will plant trees mixed with crops, including fruit trees and traditional trees. About two and a half million trees will be planted, including avocados, oranges, lemons, grevilleas, and others, to provide the residents with firewood, timber, branches for bean and pea stakes, and other needs they used to seek in Nyungwe, which led to its degradation.”
He also stated that the local residents would be taught modern farming techniques to increase productivity. The leaders of the Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru districts, where the project will be implemented, said it would assist the local communities, including land improvement and terracing, to help them increase their yields.
The Mayor of Nyamagabe, Hildebrand Niyomwungeri, said, “Residents will be equipped with methods for better farming, where their fields will be terraced to increase crop yield.”
Adelphine Niyirema, from Buruhukiro sector in Nyamagabe, who runs a nursery for various trees, told IGIHE that she is hopeful for employment as she will be paid for the seedlings she provides.
She said, “I will find work in nurturing the tree seedlings needed, which in itself will provide me with significant income. I believe this project will aid in our development.”
The project is expected to cost over Rwf5 billion and will include agreements with the local residents to not harvest the trees before 20 years.
The protesters carried signs calling for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government and the international community to put an end to the genocide being perpetrated against their relatives.
Some signs bore messages such as “We condemn the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, We condemn Burundi, we condemn SADC, we condemn FDLR.”
Albert Methode Nsengamungu, the manager of the Kiziba camp, expressed that the protest was against the killings of Tutsis in Congo. He stated, “This genocide being committed by the Congolese government of Kinshasa involves killing Tutsis in North Kivu, in Ituri. Today, we strongly condemn the Kinshasa government that continues to kill our relatives, as we ourselves have been in exile for a long time and are also suffering.”
Nsengamungu mentioned that countries including Burundi and those in the SADC, rather than aiding the DRC in bringing peace to their country, are instead supporting actions that harm Tutsis.
He highlighted, “The latest news we have [about the worsening situation], and even today and yesterday, the killings continue. What we ask from the international community is to speak on our behalf, to restore security in that area and ensure Tutsis are given their rights and not continue to be killed.”
Another interviewee, who has spent 28 years in exile in the Kiziba camp in Rwanda, described life in the camp as dire and lamentable, a life they do not wish upon anyone. They are protesting against President Tshisekedi and his allies, including the Interahamwe who have caused devastation.
They accused them of committing atrocities in the DRC along with President Ndayishimiye of Burundi, SADC forces, South Africa, and other malefactors.
“All of them have evil within them. They are killers whom we urge the international community to apprehend, as they were supposed to bring peace but instead they have caused the loss of lives and property, burning down entire villages. It’s genocide.”
A parent who has lived in Rwanda for 28 years discussed the challenges and the long journey they have faced, emphasizing, “Now we are denouncing the genocide being committed against Tutsis back in the DRC, our homeland. We want advocacy so that we can leave this life. We see it. People are being killed while the international community watches.”
“Here, we also have new refugees from Congo, sharing the harrowing experiences they’ve endured and the atrocities committed against them. Some are traumatized. We ask the international community to stop the killings of Tutsis in Congo.”
These refugees include individuals who have spent 28 years in Rwanda fleeing violence, as well as those born in Rwanda, all of whom express sorrow over not knowing their homeland.
As of January 2024, Rwanda hosts 135,343 refugees, including those from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The ‘Two Sessions’ are the concurrent yearly meetings of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the National People’s Congress (NPC) usually held at the Great Hall of the People, a building in Beijing used for legislature and other ceremonial activities of national interest.
Jieyi, who was responding to journalists on the work of the CPPCC committee to promote employment, underscored that employment of the young people, especially the fresh graduates, is of great interest to the people and shed light on various measures put in place.
He explained that the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have put employment front where various localities and departments have taken multiple measures to stabilize and expand the job market.
Jieyi disclosed that in 2023, the funding provided by the government at all levels to directly support jobs and start-ups exceeded 300 billion yuan.
He cited targeted measures that were taken to support jobs for college graduates, urban and rural residents living in difficulties that saw 12.44 million new urban jobs created last year.
“This is a hard-won result. It also laid a solid foundation for providing sound policies in support of employment and sustaining the good momentum in the job market,” he stated.
Among others, Jieyi elucidated that the National Committee has worked to help stabilize and promote employment where the CPC members and relevant departments conducted in-depth research on promoting high-quality employment, analyzed trends in the job market.
Additionally, Liu Jieyi revealed that they also put forth targeted proposals for promoting jobs and entrepreneurship for college graduates, strengthening institution safeguard for flexible employment, spurring job creation through the digital economy, and fostering a more equal job market.
Besides, a lot of targeted and vision proposals have been made on all these fronts. To this end, Ninety-one proposals have been made, a lot of which were adopted as policies by party and government bodies to resolve problems on the ground.
Regarding the difficulties facing both the fresh graduates and employers, Jieyi highlighted that targeted proposals for an interconnected mechanism between universities and industries to help university graduates find jobs were put forth and adopted by competent authorities.
The CPCC has also worked to promote the implementation of relevant policies.
Through the program of serving the people, some CPCC members have engaged in the initiative to bring their businesses to the campus and help the students with counseling and career planning and provided internship and job opportunities for the students based on the needs of the companies, contributing to the implementation of employment policies.
In response to structural difficulties in both job seeking and hiring, such as the shortage of skilled workers, the CPCC members have worked with representatives of relevant sectors and departments on subjects including setting up an incentive mechanism for workers with innovative skills.
On top of this, Jieyi indicated that they also held consultative seminars and offered recommendations for improving the wage distribution mechanism for skilled talents.
As a result, he said, this enhanced the training of such talents, enforced the tiered system of vocational skills and fostered a high standard vocational education system.
Jieyi also outlined projections for 2024, where the National Committee is expected to take further steps on stabilizing and expanding employment.
“The committee will conduct research on improving the system in support of stable employment of college graduates and have consultations on improving the lifelong vocational skills training system. This will be done with a view to resolve structural job issues, thus contributing its share to implementing the employment first strategy and improving people’s well-being,” he noted.
With a population of 1.4 billion, China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023 posted a growth of 5.2% percent year on year, higher than the annual target of around 5 percent. It reached a record of 126.06 trillion yuan (about 17.71 trillion US dollars) last year.
The surveyed unemployment rate on average in China stood at 5.2 percent in 2023, down 0.4 percentage points from 2022.
Meanwhile, the surveyed unemployment rate of the workforce of the 16-25-29 age groups of the workforce excluding students was 14.9 percent, 6.1 percent and 3.9 percent respectively.
The report on the assessment of progress on regional integration in Africa, among other things, showed that Africa’s regional integration agenda is progressing, albeit slowly, the UNECA said late Friday. It said African countries have not met the macroeconomic convergence criteria despite progress in monetary and financial integration.
According to the report, infrastructure development through the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) achieved mixed results, in which while roads and information and communications technology advanced, rail transport and energy infrastructure progressed little. It said infrastructure financing remains a challenge for Africa.
The PIDA is the strategic framework of the African Union (AU) for regional and continental infrastructure development.
The report indicated that there has been some progress in the fulfillment of the first ten-year implementation plan (2014-2023) of the AU’s 50-year continental development blueprint, Agenda 2063. The achievements include the adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and the creation of the Single African Air Transport Market.
According to the report, despite trade under the AfCFTA having officially started in January 2021, the envisaged changes in intra-African trade are yet to appear. Intra-African trade as a share of global trade of the continent declined from 14.5 percent in 2021 to 13.7 percent in 2022.
Over the same period, intra-African exports declined as a percentage of total exports from 18.22 percent to 17.89 percent, and intra-African imports declined from 12.81 percent to 12.09 percent, it said.
It also noted that the African continent has not performed well in bridging the gender digital divide, in which in 2023, about 32 percent of the female population used the internet compared with 42 percent of the male population, against a global average of 65 percent of females and 70 percent of males.
According to the report, Africa still faces a “massive annual infrastructure financing gap,” which is estimated between 130 billion and 170 billion U.S. dollars. It recommended innovative infrastructure financing instruments, which include blended finance, green, social and sustainability-linked bonds, and debt-for-nature swaps.
The report was released on the margins of this year’s edition of the UNECA’s Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, which runs from Feb. 28 to March 5 under the theme “Financing the transition to inclusive green economies in Africa: Imperatives, opportunities, and policy options,” in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Al-Burhan made the remarks when he received the delegation of the AU High-Level Panel on the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan, led by Mohamed Ibn Chambas, in Port Sudan, the capital city of the Red Sea state, the sovereign council said in a statement.
“Al-Burhan expressed Sudan’s confidence in the African Union and the solutions it could offer, provided that Sudan deals with the organization as a full member,” the statement said.
Al-Burhan further stressed that the basis of the solution lies in the withdrawal of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from the cities and villages they occupied.
For his part, Ibn Chambas stressed the need to stop the conflict and achieve stability for Sudan and its people, according to the statement.
He pointed to the AU high-level panel’s keenness and endeavor to find solutions to the crisis, noting that the panel listened to all Sudanese political forces.
On Jan. 17, the AU announced the formation of a High-Level Panel on the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan. The panel consists of three African figures, including Ibn Chambas as chairman, besides Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, former vice president of the Republic of Uganda, and Francisco Madeira, former special representative of the chairperson of the Commission to Somalia, as members.
The AU had frozen Sudan’s membership after Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on Oct. 25, 2021, and dissolved the Sovereign Council and the transitional government which was headed by the then Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF since April 15, 2023. More than 13,000 people have been killed since the fighting broke out, according to recent estimates released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
