The donation ceremony took place at the school premises in the presence of Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wang Xuekun, Mayor of Nyabihu district Antoinette Mukandayisenga, teachers, students and community members.
Due to the impact of the heavy rainfall and subsequent disasters, the affected communities in Rwanda were in great need of support, Yin Qingri, chairman of the Chinese community in Rwanda, told Xinhua after the ceremony.
“The aim was to demonstrate unity and support among all members of the community, emphasizing the shared bond of sisterhood and brotherhood,” said Yin.
Onesphore Ntawigomwa, director of Groupe Scolaire St Paul Rurembo, expressed deep gratitude for the donation.
“Within our school, there are children who have been directly affected by the recent disasters. Some have lost their school supplies and clothing, while others have parents whose farms were destroyed. The supplies you have graciously given us will greatly contribute to resolving the issue of limited resources that the children were facing here at school,” he said, adding that the relief supplies arrived just when they were most needed.
At least 135 people were killed and 110 others injured in the disasters triggered by heavy rains last month in the East African country. More than 20,000 people were displaced after nearly 6,000 houses were destroyed.
Suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels attacked Lhubirira Secondary School Friday night in Mpondwe, about 2 km from the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), killing at least 37 students, a security guard and three people of the local community, according to police and military sources.
The rebels, according to the military, burnt a school dormitory and also looted a food store. Among the victims, at least 17 students were burnt to death.
The militants abducted six students and forced them to carry the food, Felix Kulayigye, Uganda’s military spokesperson, told Xinhua by phone.
“We shall get them wherever they will be” and rescued the students, he added.
At least eight students who were sent to the hospital remain in critical condition, according to the police.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has sent a team of top military officers to investigate the incident.
Dick Olum, Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces commander for the mountain division based in western Uganda, said in a televised address that the rebels were aided to cross into Uganda from neighboring DRC.
“Kindly help us to identify the boys who helped the ADF come here. We have got information that ADF [militants] came and spent two nights here before they attacked the school,” Olum said.
The military said in a statement that it was using both aerial and ground forces to pursue the attackers who could be retreating to Virunga National Park in the DRC.
“The planes have already arrived and deployed. They are going to search everywhere for these rebels,” Olum said.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) issued a statement after the attack, condemning the heinous attack and abduction of students and demanding their immediate release and safe return.
“Schools are a safe place for all learners and must never be attacked. We appeal to all those involved in the Friday attack to respect schools and the rights of every child to learn in a safe and protected environment,” said Munir Safieldin, UNICEF representative to Uganda, in the statement.
The ADF, which is a branch of the Islamic State in Central Africa, is a Ugandan rebel group that is holed up in the jungles of eastern DRC. The rebel group is blamed for causing havoc in villages in eastern DRC.
The Ugandan military and their Congolese counterparts launched joint operations against the rebel group in November 2021 shortly after the ADF launched bomb attacks in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
Both the Sudanese army and the RSF announced on Sunday their agreement to the new 72-hour truce mediated by Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Eyewitnesses in southern Khartoum said armed clashes had stopped and warplanes activity significantly declined since the truce went into effect at 6 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) on Sunday.
“There is great stability. We do not hear sounds of gunfire, artillery or airstrikes,” an eyewitness in Omdurman, a major city west of Khartoum, told Xinhua.
The situation in Bahri (Khartoum North) city was also calm on Sunday after intensive clashes that took place in the city the day before.
In their statement, the warring parties agreed that during the cease-fire they would refrain from prohibited movements, attacks, use of military aircraft or drones, artillery strikes, reinforcement of positions and resupply of forces or seeking military advantage.
They also agreed to allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout the country.
According to the statement, should the parties fail to observe the 72-hour truce, the facilitators would be compelled to consider adjourning the Jeddah talks.
Since May 6, Saudi Arabia and the United States have been patronizing negotiations between the Sudanese warring parties in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. Several truces have been reached since then with the two sides accusing each other of violating them.
Sudan has been witnessing deadly armed clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, which has left over 3,000 people killed and more than 6,000 injured, Al-Hadath TV Channel reported on Saturday citing the Sudanese Minister of Health.
More than 1.9 million people have been displaced since the conflict began, fleeing to safer areas both inside and outside Sudan, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest update on Tuesday.
As of June 6, 1.4 million people had been internally displaced in Sudan and some 460,000 people, including refugees, asylum seekers and returnees, had crossed into neighboring countries, the OCHA said, citing the UN Refugee Agency.
The Minister of Interior, Alfred Gasana, while closing the symposium, said that persistent conflicts in Africa are customarily associated with different forms of social injustices, failure to address the basic human security needs and root causes of conflicts like marginalization; equal access to opportunities and resources, inclusiveness and equal protection by the laws, among others.
Africa, he said, has been experiencing a number of transnational organized crimes such as terrorism, cybercrimes, drug trafficking, smuggling of migrants, human trafficking, money laundering, trafficking in firearms, and counterfeit of goods, among others.
“In re-thinking of a peaceful and secure Africa, there is always a compelling need to address all the social injustices-related root causes of conflicts in order to effectively foster justice for sustainable peace and security on the continent.
It requires restructuring various continental and regional judicial mechanisms dealing with crimes affecting peace and security; building strong and fair judicial systems that are responsive to the citizens’ needs; and promoting good collaboration of justice practitioners with security and law enforcement organs,” Minister Gasana said.
{{Panelists }}
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Felix Namuhoranye, in his insight on community-based violence as an approach to crime prevention–the RNP experience; said that the goal of modern policing is preventing crimes, not just catching criminals.
In his view, effective police forces have low arrest rates because their communities have low crime rates.
To achieve the required effectiveness in crime prevention, he added, the police needs to engage the public in matters of policing.
“The post-genocide policing landscape warranted a drastic paradigm shift from traditional policing to a more pro-active, preventive and pro-people approach to law enforcement. In the tragic past, the Genocidal regime had used law enforcement agencies, among other state capabilities, to perpetrate the genocide,” IGP Namuhoranye said
Embracing community policing, he said, started with doing away with three major traditional policing shortfalls; aggressive and dehumanizing policing, unnecessary social distance (lack of engagement) between the police and communities they serve; and reactive policing with minimum responsiveness.
Dr. Jurgen Stock, Interpol Secretary General, said that transnational crime thrives when law enforcement stops at the border.
“International police cooperation is the single most effective tool to deprive them (criminals) of that opportunity. In Africa, and across the world, the threat landscape is constantly evolving, which requires adapting and seizing all opportunities available,” Dr. Stock said.
Prosecutor General, Aimable Havugiyaremye, in exploring justice system reform for peaceful society–the case of Rwanda; said that the 1959-1994 injustice and impunity in Rwanda was the definition of leadership at the time.
“Stopping the Genocide against the Tutsi was not the end of the struggle but rather a new chapter towards transformation, including reforming the justice sector in a completely destroyed country of people with no hope, traumatized and with broken hearts,” Havugiyaremye said.
He added: “The principle was not to react with bitterness but to seek transformation of the suffering into a creative workforce; eradicate the culture of impunity and build the rule of law; national ownership of its development programmes-homegrown solutions- such as Gacaca courts; having a national identity as Rwandans not defined on ethnic lines.”
Alice Wairimu Nderitu, the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, underscored that without justice there can’t be reconciliation, rebuilding and peace.
“Our collective pledge is not to forget to hold accountable perpetuators of Genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Accountability to prevent crimes is important not only to obtain justice for the victims and rebuild trust in justice and security institutions, but also prevent recurrence and build the foundation of safer societies and peaceful co-existence,” Nderitu said.
She added: “Rwanda is an example of strong foundation of justice system that seeks to end impunity and to ensure that all perpetuators are held accountable. 29 years after the Genocide against the Tutsi, significant steps towards justice and accountability have been achieved both in Rwandan courts and before the international criminal tribunal, even if more remains to be done.”
She urged all states to ensure that all possible efforts are undertaken to bring the roaming genocidiares to justice and to give justice to victims.
The recent arrest of Fulgence Kayishema, she observed, means so much for the victims, survivors and respect for their dignity, safety and long lasting peace.
Dr. Alphonse Muleefu, the acting Principal for the University of Rwanda-College of Arts and Social Science (CASS), explored justice as an evolution and nexus to peace and security.
He observed that most internal conflicts result from social injustice such as exclusion… adding that distributive justice is key to peace and justice.
He also pointed out that external interference will not address the issues at hand because they are “normatively driven.”
The Permanent Secretary in Rwanda’s Ministry of ICT and Innovation, Yves Iradukunda, said that although technology has helped in economic growth and financial inclusion, among others, it has amplified criminality.
In his view on globalization and criminality in Africa–the double face of technological advancements; lack of awareness and preparedness put institutions are high risk.
“We have to deploy the right policies and regulatory framework to govern artificial intelligence, and ethical guidelines that guide our IT experts,” Iradukunda said.
Jean Philbert Nsengimana, the Chief Digital Advisor at Africa CDC, said that Africa ,which lost at least 10 percent of its GDP to cybercrime, last year, continues to face big heists today affecting mainly the banking, retail and manufacturing sectors.
“How do we make state actors to address this serious threat? The conventional tools are being consumed by criminals and we have to always think about being ahead of criminals, and that goes with radical capacity building and ethical considerations, but also to think of serious penalties, rehabilitation and employing unconventional methods including utilizing the skills of those apprehended in addressing the problem instead of penalizing,” Nsengimana said.
In response to fake news and misinformation, particularly in regards to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, he argued that volume matters more than just quality, and that helps in the generation of Artificial Intelligence.
Brig. Gen. Ronald Rwivanga, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) spokesperson, in his touch on ‘terrorism and violent extremism in Africa-trends and responses; said that this remains the main security threat in Africa affecting the Sahel region, north and west Africa, Somalia and Mozambique.
“All groups are motivated by the need to form Islamic states, institute sharia law, quest for control of territory and resources, and are grouped around tribal and religious sense of ownership.
This is a result of governance failure, none governance inclusion and failure to maintain state balance,” Brig. Gen Rwivanga said.
Inclusion, integration and involvement, he pointed out, are at the centre of Rwanda’s governance. “Strategic, operational layer–prevent and pursue–and participating in actions–human security and community development activities–that win hearts and minds of the people. These are ideals of Rwanda security agencies both in and out of the country where they operate.”
e-SIM, short for embedded SIM, is a revolutionary technology that replaces the physical SIM card with an integrated chip within the smartphone. This new technology allows smartphone users to activate their SIM profile digitally, eliminating the need for a physical SIM card, and simplifying the process of switching between different local and international network operators.
Emmanuel Hamez, Airtel Rwanda’s Managing Director, expressed excitement about bringing this cutting-edge SIM technology to the Rwandan market. He stated, “We are thrilled to introduce e-SIMs to Rwanda as this will empower our customers with a new level of convenience and flexibility that was previously not available to them. This innovative technology will eliminate the frustration that users often face when physical SIM cards get damaged or lost. e-SIM makes mobile connectivity more accessible and hassle-free for everyone.”
Some of the key advantages of e-SIM technology are (1) the ability to use multiple SIM profiles on a single device means customers can easily switch between personal and business phone numbers without the hassle of physically changing SIM cards, (2) e-SIM is in line with environmental best practices as it is planet-friendly with zero waste and zero carbon emission, and (3) frequent travelers to Rwanda can seamlessly connect to the Airtel network upon arrival.
Mr. Hamez highlighted that the e-SIM activation process remains in line with the Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures and guidelines set by the regulatory authorities. He invited all customers to get their e-SIM profiles activated by visiting one of our service centers countrywide.
To determine if a smartphone is e-SIM compatible, a customer can simply check in advance by dialing *#06# and look for their device to display an Electronic ID number (EID) on the pop-up menu.
Customers with compatible devices can get their physical SIM card swapped for an e-SIM for free at any Airtel Service Center. Once activated, Airtel Rwanda customers will be able to enjoy the benefits of e-SIM both within the country and while roaming internationally.
{{About Airtel Africa}}
Airtel Africa is a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries in Africa, primarily in East Africa and Central and West Africa.
Airtel Africa offers an integrated suite of telecommunications solutions to its subscribers, including mobile voice and data services as well as mobile money services both nationally and internationally.
Speaking at the event held on 15th June 2023, the ambassador emphasized the country’s legacy of acceptance, coexistence, and harmony among people of diverse faiths.
Through his visit, Amb. Alqahtani aimed to inspire and empower the students, igniting their commitment to building a more tolerant and peaceful world.
{{Understanding tolerance}}
At the core of Ambassador Alqahtani’s message was the concept of tolerance.
As he said, tolerance goes beyond being a moral duty noting that it is a political and legal obligation, fostering harmony in diversity.
It paves the way for peace by recognizing the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. The world observes the International Day of Tolerance each year on 16th November, emphasizing the importance of this virtue in creating a culture of peace.
{{Seven pillars of National Tolerance Program}}
In 2016, the UAE government introduced the seven pillars of the national tolerance program, shaping the country’s commitment to tolerance and acceptance.
These pillars include Sheikh Zayed’s legacy and ethics, Islam, the UAE’s Constitution, international conventions, common values, humanity, and archeology and history. By embracing these pillars, the UAE strives to build a society that cherishes diversity and cultivates a spirit of inclusivity.
{{Cultural Cornerstone: Sheikh Zayed’s Vision}}
Amb. Alqahtani went on to explain that the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, played a pivotal role in promoting tolerance and harmony.
As he said, Sheikh Zayed called upon people to embrace tolerance, acceptance, and coexistence, irrespective of color, religion, or beliefs. T
This cultural cornerstone forms the bedrock of the UAE’s national identity since 1971, with adherence to moderate Islam and the promotion of diversity, openness, and religious tolerance.
“The UAE is a nation of tolerance, peace, cultural diversity & coexistence, with over 200 nationalities living peacefully and prosperously side by side,” he noted.
{{Pope Francis’ Historic Visit and the Document of Human Fraternity}}
A significant milestone in the UAE’s journey of tolerance was the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis in 2019.
As the first pontiff ever to visit the Arabian Peninsula, Pope Francis met with the Grand Imam Sheikh of al-Azhar Dr. Ahmed al-Tayyib.
Together, they signed the Document of Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. This document denounces the use of religion to justify violence and opposes all forms of extremism.
It signifies the UAE’s commitment to fostering peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths.
{{The Abrahamic House of Fraternity}}
To further promote interfaith dialogue, the UAE proposed the Abrahamic House of Fraternity.
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share a history connected to the patriarch Abraham, making them Abrahamic religions. The Abrahamic House of Fraternity, located in Abu Dhabi, stands as a physical representation of the Document of Human Fraternity.
Amb. Alqahtani disclosed that this interfaith complex which houses a church, a mosque, a synagogue, and a secular welcome center was completed and officially opened to UAE Residents and visitors of different faiths in March this year.
It serves as a space for dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect among people of different faiths.
By sharing the UAE’s journey and its commitment to tolerance and coexistence, Amb. Alqahtani left a lasting impact on the young minds, inspiring them to embrace diversity and build a harmonious future.
After the interactive discussions, Amb. Hazza Alqahtani awarded six academically best performing students from ESSI with smart tablets.
At least 135 people were killed and 110 others injured in the disasters triggered by heavy rains last month in the East African country. More than 20,000 people were displaced after 5,963 houses were destroyed.
Clementine Mukanoheri, a mother of two, said it was the second time in five years that the disasters had wrecked her life.
“In March 2018, my two children were rescued from floods in the same village near River Sebeya. I think all the survivors are scared to go back to that same village, and what we want is government support,” she said.
Justine Uwababyeyi, a resident of the Nyundo sector in the Rubavu district, lost her husband and three children when their house collapsed in the heavy rains.
When their house collapsed, Uwababyeyi and her husband heard the children crying for help, but they could not even help themselves under the rubble.
One of her sons escaped unhurt and managed to run out of the house into the pounding rains to call for help. “When the rescue teams arrived, my husband had already passed away,” she said.
The rescue team found the bodies of her husband and three other children under the rubble.
After Uwababyeyi got out of the hospital, local leaders assisted her with shelter and basic items. Her life was miserable as her husband was the family’s sole breadwinner.
John Hakizimana, another resident whose house was also destroyed, recalled the horrifying night. The flooding was too intense after the Sebeya River burst its banks, making it very difficult for people to cross over.
“Escaping from the floods on that fateful night was far from easy. Nobody is considering returning to reside in that unfavorable location,” he said.
Oreste Tuganeyezu, director of Gisenyi Hospital, said many people who survived floods had health issues, but medics have been doing their best to treat them. “We have about 25 mothers who have so far given birth here in the site and are given all the necessary support,” he said.
The hospital offers free medical care for all the displaced people including those without health insurance. Health personnel visit patients at their respective shelters to offer them treatment free of charge.
Meanwhile, at the Gihira settlement site in the Rubavu district, children of flood victims are provided with daycare facilities.
Deogratias Nzabonimpa, acting mayor of Rubavu district, said local authorities are taking action to prevent such catastrophe from affecting residents in the future.
“Several measures have been undertaken such as constructing radical terraces, planting trees and relocating people living in high-risk zones,” said Nzabonimpa. “By putting together all our efforts, we shall overcome issues of flooding and landslides, I believe that positive results will be attained as it has been done in recent years.”
He made the disclosure on Thursday, June 15, 2023, during his interaction with students and teachers at the Islamic Secondary School for Sciences (ESSI) located at the Islamic Cultural Center in Nyamirambo, Nyarugenge District of Kigali City, where he shared the UAE’s efforts in combating violent extremism and terrorism.
“The UAE is dedicated to supporting moderate Islam and countering extremist interpretations of the faith. The country is leading efforts to promote inclusion and compassion through Islam, countering the root cause of extremism and disrupting the messages that lead to radicalization,” he noted.
Amb. Alqahtani highlighted the UAE Government’s consistent demonstration of its commitment to inclusion since unification, implementing laws that protect religious freedom and programs that foster interfaith understanding.
He emphasized that the values of inclusion, mutual respect, and religious freedom have been ingrained in the UAE’s DNA since the country’s founding in 1971 when people of countless faiths and more than 200 nationalities began living together, side by side, in harmony.
Amb. Alqahtani explained that the UAE government advocates fighting extremism through strict enforcement of counter-terrorist financing laws and regulations. Additionally, they are focused on disrupting the recruitment of foreign fighters, preventing extremist exploitation of the internet and social media, and challenging the use of religious centers to promote hatred and violence.
These efforts are complemented by the UAE General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, which works closely with religious leaders in the UAE to monitor and prevent extremist preaching in religious centers. The authority provides guidelines for all Friday sermons and monitors compliance in mosques to prevent extremist teaching.
Furthermore, Amb. Alqahtani disclosed that the UAE criminalizes any acts that stoke religious hatred or insult religion through any form of expression, including speech, the written word, books, pamphlets, or online media platforms.
“Internationally, the UAE has strongly supported regional and international efforts in coastal West Africa and the Sahel, including through contributions to the G5 Sahel Joint Force and its membership in the Global Coalition against Da’esh. It has also supported the establishment of the Coalition’s Africa Focus Group, which will work to counter the threat posed by Da’esh and Al-Qaeda across Africa,” he stated.
Another significant initiative is the joint financial counter-terrorism task force between the UAE and the United States, which enhances cooperation, coordination, and information sharing to shut down illicit financing networks and cut off the flow of funds to extremists.
“The task force helps block funding to extremists from individuals or black market sales of oil and prevents access to the international banking system,” said Amb. Alqahtani.
After the interactive discussions, Amb. Hazza Alqahtani awarded six academically best performing students from ESSI with smart tablets.
The rocket blasted off at 1:30 p.m. (Beijing Time) at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China and soon took the satellites, including the Jilin-1 Gaofen 06A, into preset orbit.
This was the 476th flight mission of the Long March rocket series.
Onboard satellites included 36 from the Jilin-1 family, developed by the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., a commercial satellite maker in northeast China’s Jilin Province. They will increase the number of in-orbit Jilin-1 satellites to 108, assembling China’s first commercial constellation of more than 100 remote sensing satellites.
The first Jilin-1 group was launched in October 2015. Over the past eight years, the weight of each satellite with the same function has been greatly reduced from 420 kilograms to 22 kilograms.
He Xiaojun, chief designer of the Jilin-1 Gaofen 06A, said the weight reduction has benefited from the use of upgraded image sensors, improved design techniques and advanced integrated chips.
The changes do not affect the resolution of satellite images but expand their visible range by 50 percent. They also lower the cost to one-twentieth of previous satellites, He said.
“Just like the evolution of computers,” the scientist explained, “from bulky desktops to today’s laptops and smartphones, the devices have been reduced in size due to technology upgrades, but the computing performance is improving.”
According to the company, the newly launched satellites will be used to provide commercial remote sensing data services for sectors such as land resources, mineral exploration and smart city construction.
The rise in spending will fuel ongoing economic recovery, support climate change mitigation as well as finance key investments in education, healthcare, ICT, agriculture and infrastructure through the National Strategy for Transformation.
“The budget reflects Government’s economic resilience efforts in the face of global shocks. Government will continue to prioritize fiscal consolidation, ease inflation and invest in agriculture, scale up social protection coverage; improve the quality of education, create employment opportunities and support micro, small, medium and large enterprises affected by COVID-19 through the enhanced Economic Recovery Fund and Manufacture and Build to Recover Program”, Minister Ndagijimana told Parliamentarians.
{{Key changes in the 2023/2024 Budget}}
Estimated total resources for the fiscal year 2023/24 will amount to Rwf5,030.1 billion. The proposed budget is comprised of Rwf2,956.1 billion of domestic revenue which represents 63% of the total budget, external grants of Rwf652.1 billion representing 13% of the entire budget and external loans will amounting to Rwf1,225.1 billion or 24% of the total budget
Total expenditure in the fiscal year 2023/24 is projected at Rwf5,030.1 billion. This figure is made up of recurrent expenditure of Rwf2,902.3 billion representing 57.7% and development expenditure of Rwf2,127.7 billion representing 42.3%.
{{Key allocations in line with the National Strategy for Transformation}}
Prioritization in resource allocation to various sectors has been guided by critical considerations that enhance NST1 delivery, economic recovery plan interventions, prioritization of ongoing projects, emphasis on transformation and sustainability as well as resilience to social economic shocks. In this regard, Government will allocate Rwf2.8 trillion (about 55.9% of the entire budget) to the Economic Transformation Pillar.
These resources will scale-up agriculture productivity, create jobs, support private sector development and strengthen climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. It will also increase access to electricity and clean water, support urbanization and settlement, improve the national road network, scale up adoption of ICT, and implement agriculture de-risking and financing facility.
{{Social Transformation}}
Under the social transformation pillar, Government will allocate about Rwf1.5 trillion (approximately 30.4% of the entire budget). The budget share will be spent on improving quality and access to health and education, eradicate extreme poverty through scaling up of social protection programs, improve nutrition through early detection, provision of fortified foods and scaling of early childhood development facilities. The funds will also promote family and gender, sports and culture as well as disaster management through enhancing disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
{{Transformational Governance}}
Under the transformational governance pillar, Government plans to spend Rwf690.1 billion (about 13.7 % of the total budget). This allocation will focus on promotion of quality service delivery across public and private sectors, good governance and transformational leadership, strengthening public finance management, strengthening justice, law and order, maintaining peace and security and strengthening crime prevention as well as supporting international cooperation through strengthening economic diplomacy.
With regard to internal or external factors that may affect Rwanda’s operating economic environment, such as drought or decrease in global commodity prices that may affect the country’s export prices, Government plans to closely monitor such developments and take necessary measures to ensure full implementation of Rwanda’s economic program.
