Gihembe camp accommodates 9,922 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Some refugees who spoke to IGIHE lamented about the decision by the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management to relocate them to a new camp which previously accommodated refugees from Burundi.
Alice Mushimiyimana is among young people born in Gihembe camp who revealed that it won’t be easy to mix with the new environemnt.
“We are not happy with the decision. We have been familiar with this area which had become our home. Relocating us to another camp seems like we are seeking refuge afresh. Moving to different camps destabilizes our mindsets because there is no assurance that we won’t be moved to another place in the near future. It affects us in no smaller part. We have been living comfortably as proud residents. The relocation revives memories and living conditions in refuge,” she said.
Mushimiyimana said that it would be better resettling them in places where they will stay until they return to their native land.
Théo Mpatswe, another young refugee said that some of refugees are to leave occupations that helped them to feed their families.
“It difficult to get familiar with a new setting especially when you had strong connections with residents. Besides, the relocation will affect us in many ways because parents who have been running businesses to feed families will be hit hard as they get integrated into new life,” he revealed.
Goretti Murebwayire, Gihembe camp manager allayed fears for refugees noting that the relocation is meant to protect their wellbeing by resettling them in a more decent place.
“They should not be worried about the relocation to Mahama because the camp has been operational. Refugees with businesses will continue to enjoy such opportunity in Mahama camp and receive existing support. I would like to assure them that Mahama is more decent than this camp,” she explained.
Relocation of refugees from Gihembe camp will resume on 20th September 2021 where a total of 500 refugees will be relocated joining more 520 families comprised of 2393 refugees resettled to the place in May 2021.
Gihembe camp accommodates 9,922 refugees from 2227 families expected to have been relocated to Mahama camp by December 2021.
Tembea Nyumbani, Swahili for Visit Home, is a call to the citizens of the countries in the East African Community to visit each other’s countries in an effort to promote domestic and regional tourism business in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
In the spirit of East African unity, the tourism body is drawing wisdom from the popular adage that as an East African, any East African country you travel to is a home away from home.
Undertaken in partnership with stakeholders, the campaign will promote different tourist packages within the region. The campaign aims to spur tourism business within the region by showcasing the many hidden gems as well as affordable and exciting holiday packages that can be explored in what the world has come to know as Africa’s magical destinations. It is expected that an increase in interest to travel within the region will revive the tourism industry, which is a lifeline for millions of people.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the tourism sector had become one of the most lucrative, but the pandemic brought it to its knees. As uptake of vaccines increases and recovery efforts start, many nations are cooperating to revive tourism. Before Covid-19, tourism contributed to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of EAC Partner States by an average of 9.5% in 2019. It contributed an average of 17.2% to EAC total exports and 7.1% to employment. Research shows that EAC Partner States lost international tourism receipts to the tune of USD 4.8 billion in the year 2020. In terms of impact on employment, it is estimated that 2 million tourism jobs in the region were lost.
Efforts to deal with challenges associated with Covid-19 on domestic and regional tourism should focus on the long term, beyond the pandemic, in order to enable the industry to revive and thrive sustainably to withstand future shocks.
The EAC has a lot to offer in terms of products and attractions, with its enormous untapped tourism and hospitality potential.
Different discounted packages for East Africans are available on the Tembea Nyumbani platform https://tembeanyumbani.visiteastafrica.net/
The site features various tourist attractions, culinary experiences, tour offers and diverse travel experiences in the EAC. It will facilitate people to navigate and find a range of offers within the region and enable business owners to connect with customers easily. We are inviting all East Africans to visit the portal to start exploring beautiful East Africa.
Speaking during the campaign’s launch recently in September 2021, EATP Board Member and CEO of the Tourism Confederation of Tanzania, Richard Rugimbana said: “The tourism economy is at a crossroads. The coronavirus has heavily hit it, but this pandemic also brought us opportunities to explore new markets, open up new destinations, encourage innovation as well as think new and sustainable tourism development models.”
“The crisis is an opportunity to think about the present and the future. With the hard-hitting decline in international arrivals and recovery to pre-crisis levels not expected before 2023, Tembea Nyumbani will provide the much-needed boost to help sustain our region’s many tourism destinations and businesses. Besides promoting domestic and regional tourism, this campaign will be a key driver of business recovery in the short to medium term.”
“Recently, we re-introduced the www.visiteastafrica.net portal where tourists can plan and book tour packages and offers from service providers in the region. This is an addition to a great achievement of the East Africa Tourism Platform and its commitment to continue offering value to its members.”
More than 830 regional tour operators and travel agents will now be able to market and sell their packages through Tembea Nyumbani. More travel operators are welcome to join the platform, at no cost, by registering through their respective country tour associations.
Commenting on the development; Anataria Karimba, Director of Business Competitiveness at TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) said: “A return to pre-Covid-19 international tourist arrival levels may seem far off as travel restrictions still hold. However, this should encourage us as the Partner States to work together in addressing the impact of the pandemic on the tourism sector and in joint tourism recovery efforts.”
“Tourism is one of the world’s major economic sectors, and the current crisis is an opportunity for us to rethink how we do things. One of the vital lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic is that domestic and regional tourism markets are very important. In such situations, they can help make the tourism sector resilient. We need to focus more effort on developing many creative and innovative packages for domestic and regional tourism. Tembea Nyumbani is long overdue.”
{{About the East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP)}}
The East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP) is the private sector body for tourism in East Africa, working towards promoting the interest and participation of the private sector in the East African Community (EAC) integration process.
The East Africa Tourism Platform was established in July 2011 after extensive consultations with tourism stakeholders. It became operational on April 2, 2012, with the support of TradeMark East Africa. The vision of creating and promoting a vibrant and diverse single tourism destination is the driving force.
The platform promotes intra and inter-regional tourism through advocacy, marketing, skills development, research and information sharing. It works closely with national ministries responsible for tourism, hospitality, wildlife, transport portfolios, the EAC Secretariat, TradeMark East Africa (TMEA), the East African Business Council (EABC) and private sector organizations in all EAC Partner States to promote intra and inter-regional tourism.
According to News.In-24, these two partnerships which fall within the framework of government agreements in the field of health between Morocco and Rwanda, affect various aspects of cooperation, in particular the sharing of scientific knowledge, training and the exchange of experiences.
The first memorandum of understanding, signed by the secretary general of the CHU Ibn Sina, Abdelhamid Ouaqouaq and the Director General of the CHUK, Theobald Hategekimana, concerns the development of the opportunities offered by scientific research and the exchange of information and documentation in all sectors of activity.
By virtue of this partnership, which is spread over a period of three years renewable by tacit agreement, the Ibn Sina University Hospital will welcome interns from the Kigali University Hospital for short-term internships intended to improve skills. The Rabat University Hospital is also committed to sharing its experience in the field of strategic planning and hospital management.
“This is a very important partnership which will allow the University Hospital of Kigali to benefit from the Moroccan experience in the fields of thoracic surgery, interventional gastroenterology and pediatric onco-hematology,” said Hategekimana.
“It is a key partnership for the development of our hospital but also for improving the training of our students”, he continued, adding that Morocco has accumulated a wealth of experience in health and training of medical personnel.
The second agreement, signed by Ouaqouaq and the director general of the King Faisal Hospital in Kigali Miliard Derbew, covers various aspects of cooperation, including the upgrading of professional medical skills and the development of certain hospital disciplines.
Within the framework of this partnership, the Ibn Sina University Hospital will contribute to the realization of the strategic objectives of the King Faisal Hospital relating to the promotion of the activities of cardiovascular surgery, kidney transplantation and hospital financial management.
“This partnership reflects the spirit of South-South cooperation advocated by Morocco which allows the countries of the African continent to help each other and share their knowledge and know-how”, Derbew pointed out.
In a statement to MAP, he said that “This agreement will help improve the services offered by the hospital and boost human resource capacities through training”.
For his part, the secretary general of the CHU Ibn Sina declared that these two agreements illustrate the privileged links between Morocco and Rwanda and reflect the will of the two countries to develop cooperation based on sharing, solidarity, enrichment and strengthening of skills in the hospital sector.
He noted that the Ibn Sina University Hospital has set up two steering committees with its Rwandan partners in order to monitor the implementation of the two signed agreements.
These steering committees, he added, will produce consensual programs reconciling ambitions, human resources available in the short term and the budget to be committed by hospital partners.
Kagame made the revelation today as he delivered a virtual Keynote Address at the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference organized by The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).
Themed “Economic Recovery, Inclusion and Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance,” the two-day gathering focuses on the need to reposition the Banking and Finance Industry as catalyst for economic recovery, inclusive growth and transformation.
The event is an annual knowledge, thought sharing, and solution-based forum for all stakeholders: policymakers, regulators, operators, service providers, members of the academia, and clients in the Financial Services Industry.
It provides a medium for practitioners within the Industry and beyond to share experiences, exchange ideas and proffer pragmatic insights on contemporary issues affecting the sector and the economy.
As he delivered remarks, Kagame said that COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity for banks to take the lead in helping societies during trying times.
“The Covid pandemic has affected every aspect of our economies. But the pandemic also presents an opportunity for Africa’s banks to play a leading role in making our societies more resilient and more responsive to the needs of our people,” noted Kagame.
“Whatever affects business, affects banking. Financial services are the engine of private sector development. Banks are crucial for allocating capital wisely and productively,” he added.
The President said that Africa has what it takes to attain desired progress. He further stated that banking services are not meant for elites but rather should be inclusive to achieve economic development.
“Indeed, Africa has the resources to fund its own economic growth and reduce dependence on external resources. To stay competitive, there is the need to keep integrating new technology into banking to increase financial inclusion and access. Banking can’t just be a service for elites,” he stated.
Kagame reminisced on the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area under implementation noting that it ‘is creating new opportunities for pan-African trade and investment’.
“Banks with continental reach, like several of the institutions represented here, can lead the way in cementing economic integration. Finally, the banking sector, more than any other, understands the importance of integrity and good customer service. Banking is ultimately about trust. We look to you to set the pace in this regard,” he said.
Kagame said that governments have the role to maintain good enabling environments, protecting both shareholders and consumers, while allowing for innovation.
Launched in 2012, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is committed to developing Africa’s next generation of transformative leaders by providing economically disadvantaged students with skills training, leadership development, counselling, mentoring, internships, and career services. The Scholars Program has committed nearly 40,000 scholarships to date.
UR is the largest and most comprehensive higher education institution in Rwanda created in 2013 with a mission to produce transformative and highly enterprising leaders who contribute to building a more just and sustainable world.
Commenting on the partnership, Reeta Roy, the President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation expressed optimism that it will create impact for youbng people from multiple disciplines.
“The mission and programs of the University are inextricably linked to the country’s national goals. That’s why this partnership is especially compelling as it will be preparing young people for careers across multiple disciplines and for real-life problem-solving,” she said.
The new partnership will build the University of Rwanda’s capacity to deliver inclusive, blended learning and contribute to a robust knowledge ecosystem that supports new and meaningful pathways to work for young people. It is aligned with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy to enable 30 million young Africans, particularly young African women, to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.
“The University of Rwanda believes strongly in the vision of the Mastercard Foundation,” said University of Rwanda Vice Chancellor, Professor Alexandre Lyambabaje.
“That is why we made the decision to partner with the Foundation to scale up our efforts in training transformative leaders and highly enterprising graduates and prepare them to make meaningful change on the African continent. This program aligns with the Rwanda National Transformation Strategy and its impact will resonate at the University of Rwanda, among our stakeholders and through the larger East African Community.”
The University of Rwanda joins a global network of 29 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Partners committed to ensuring that all young people, no matter their starting point in life, have an equal chance to obtain quality education and pursue their aspirations.
{{About the University of Rwanda}}
The University of Rwanda (UR) is a public, multi-campus institution offering a wide range of academic studies. Established in 2013 through the merger of previously independent public institutions of higher education, UR has since graduated a total number of 49,477 students with 36% being females and 64% males.
The university runs undergraduate, postgraduate, and certificate courses in the STEM and non- STEM fields at its six colleges (Science and Technology, Medicine and Health Sciences, Business and Economics, Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Education, and Arts and Social Sciences).
The University hosts the African Centres of Excellence in Internet of Things, in Data Sciences, in Renewable Energy and in Teaching Sciences, and Mathematics. Other Centres of Excellence are : Regional Centre of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunization and Health Supply Chain Management (EAC RCE-VIHSCM), the Regional Centre of Excellence in Biomedical Engineering and eHealth (CEBE), and the East African Institute for Fundamental Research (ICTP-EAIFR).
{{About the Mastercard Foundation}}
The Mastercard Foundation works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work.
It is one of the largest, private foundations in the world with a mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world.
The Foundation was created by Mastercard in 2006 as an independent organization with its own Board of Directors and management.
BBC has reported that Karemangingo was shot about 50m (164ft) from his residence in the Liberdade neighbourhood on Monday afternoon.
He was reportedly confronted by gunmen on three vehicles who intercepted his car before they fired a hail of bullets at him.
The killers are so far not known, much less the reasons for the crime that shocked the neighbourhood and the Rwandan community in Mozambique.
The police were at the scene for forensic work and the body was taken to a provincial hospital.
The Association of Rwandan Refugees in Mozambique said Karemangingo was a refugee doing pharmaceutical business.
In 2019, another Rwandan, Louis Baziga who served as the chairman of Rwanda’s diaspora in Mozambique was shot dead in a similar style in a Maputo suburb after gunmen intercepted his car.
At the time, Karemangingo who is an ex-soldier of the former government (Ex-FAR) was identified among three suspects behind the murder of Baziga.
The remaining suspects include Diomède Tuganeyezu, a pastor, businessman and ex-soldier as well as businessman Benjamin Ndagijimana.
In July 2016, they were taken to court on the accusation of attempts to kill Baziga.
The prosecutor Octávio Zilo accused the three men of attempting to kill Baziga to become proprietors of Pentecostal Church in Revival Mozambique which they founded along with the deceased.
In March 2018, another Rwandan called Vital Hitimana running a business in Villa Olempique town was shot dead with rapid-fire and admitted to hospital over sustained injuries.
Mozambique accommodates approximately 3000 Rwandans, majority of whom living in Maputo City.
It is said that some of them work with rebel groups hostile to the Government of Rwanda including RNC and hunt their colleagues accusing them of spying for Rwanda.
It is also reported that Karemangingo had alerted security officials of suspected plans to assassinate him.
The mine belonging to AFRICOM is located in Rubimba village, Sholi cell.
The deceased are identified as Vianney Turatimana, 19, Medard Rwendeye, 19, Ignance Dusabamahoro, 21 and Eugène Nsabimana, 24.
It is said that they were five on mining activities but one of them identified as Eric Habinshuti survived with injuries.
The executive secretary of Muhanga sector, John Rwakana has said that they rushed to rescue the locals soon as the mine collapsed yesterday morning. The last one was retrieved around 12:00 noon.
The bodies were taken to Kabgayi Hospital for postmortem. Habinshuti was also taken to the hospital for medical attention.
The project was initiated in 2006 with main objectives of the to substitute the use of firewood for cooking energy by biogas, hence protecting the environment and people’s life, improving sanitation in the kitchen, and reducing burden on women and children who are used to collect firewood for cooking in families.
It is also in line with the Government’s objective of reducing dependence on biomass as fuel through use of alternative energies.
The program saw the Government building biogas plants at more than 10,000 households countrywide.
In 2014/2015, the Government injected over Rwf1 billion to build more than 3000 biogas plants amidst persistent issues that impeded successful implementation of the project to reach its objectives.
The Auditor General’s report released in 2017/2018 pointed out a number of concerns over the biogas programme that may threaten its sustainability.
They included a high rate of non-operating plants whereby in the eleven districts it was implemented, 32 per cent were not operating, leaving beneficiaries with no option but to use firewood or charcoal as fuel.
At the time, PAC summoned the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) and Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) for enquiry on issues impeding progress of the project where it was resolved that the biogas programme had to be revised because the study was poorly conducted and monitored.
MININFRA and MINALOC would work together to revise the programme in all districts where it was being implemented even though few plants were operational due to recklessness of the team assigned to follow up the project as stated by the former Permanent Secretary in MINALOC, Assumpta Ingabire.
She explained that MININFRA handed over the management of the project to districts where MINFRA continued to assist in technical matters but poor monitoring persisted and impeded its objective.
Ingabire said that beneficiaries were not trained on proper use and maintenance of bio-gas plants to ensure sustainability.
The concern was raised again recently on Thursday 9th September 2021 as PAC analyzed recommendations from the 2019/2020 AG’s report on the issues of biogas project.
It was observed that biogas issues are persistent in all beneficiary districts incurring loss of injected funds yet MININFRA and MINALOC had pledged to fix the problems durably.
“The project took huge amounts. Last year, you agreed to make revised study to repair non-operating biogas plants and delegate technicians to provide assistance. We have been assuming that all reported issues were fixed,” said MP Jeanne d’Arc Uwimanimpaye.
“The Government expected huge benefits from Biogas project but you did nothing to fulfill the promises you made last time. We are extremely disappointed,” she added.
MP Mutesi also questioned the project wondering whether it is still relevant for the country.
“The project has been characterized by irregularities right from the beginning. These issues have been persistent for so long without improvement. Can we get assured that the project will end up yielding positive results?”
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Patricie Uwase told parliamentarians that the study was conducted and established that 8600 are not operational.
She explained that MININFRA is engaging with MINNINFRA to fix technical defects among other issues to turn biogas plants operational.
“We are optimistic that our biogas plants can function again because the completed study shows that most of them need to be repaired,” said Uwase.
The Statistical Year Book 2020 shows that only 4,2% of Rwandan households use biogas. The figures rose from 0,1% of the year 2010/2011.
Among others, 77,7% of Rwandan households use firewood, 17,5% use charcoal while 0,5% use crop residues as cooking fuel.
Biogas is also used by schools and almost all prisons in Rwanda.
In a statement released today, RwandAir has revealed that it is set to launch bi-weekly services to Lubumbashi, the DRC’s mining capital on 29th September and Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, on the shore of Lake Kivu on 15th October 2021.
Customers will be able to book directly through rwandair.com and fly on the airline’s regional Bombardier CRJ Series aircraft, which offers seating in both Economy and Business Class, with a De Havilland Dash 8 also operating to Goma.
Commenting on the development, Yvonne Manzi Makolo, RwandAir CEO said that RwandAir’s new twice-weekly services to Lubumbashi and Goma will add more choice and flexibility for customers flying to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“We believe these new routes will be extremely popular with RwandAir customers and increase both diplomatic and commercial links between the DRC and Rwanda. RwandAir is always looking for new markets to propel the airline’s network and enhance the choice of destinations and routes, not only across sub-Saharan Africa, but also to longer-haul destinations,” she said.
“We hope to announce further new routes in due course to ensure we meet the demands of our customers and continue to provide top-flight destinations,” she added.
RwandAir’s first destination in DRC was Kinshasa in April 2019, with these two new services tripling available capacity to the country.
Services to Lubumbashi will depart Kigali every Monday and Wednesday, as WB264 at 10:10am arrives at 12:10pm. The returning WB265, departs Lubumbashi at 5:00pm, arriving back into Kigali at 7:00pm.
Flights to Goma will also depart Kigali every Monday and Wednesday, as WB266 at 12:40pm arrives at 1:20pm. The returning WB267, departs Goma at 1:50pm, arriving back into Kigali at 2:30pm.
Lubumbashi is the second largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and represents the main industrial centre for the mining district of southeastern Congo.
It acts as a hub for high volumes of the country’s largest mining companies, making it a hot spot for business travellers and is also home of the famous Simba Brewery, where the world renowned Tembo beer is produced.
Goma lies a few miles south of the active Nyiragongo Volcano, close to the border with Rwanda, on the shore of Lake Kivu, the largest lava in the world. The city is a great gateway to nearby wildlife, including Virunga National Park.
{{About RwandAir}}
Operating from Kigali, RwandAir is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines and operates one of the youngest state-of-the-art fleets on the African continent. With a reputation for delivering a premium service to all its customers, RwandAir operates 12 aircraft with an average age of just under six years. The airline currently offers services to 25 destinations across 21 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
The report released by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) in 2020 indicates that tourism contributed 10.9 percent to Rwanda’s GDP growth in 2019 making it the second Sub-Sahara African country with fastest growing tourism sector.
The growth reflects Rwanda’s efforts to market the country as a destination for tourists through Visit Rwanda campaign, gorilla conservation efforts, building infrastructures to host international conferences, reintroducing new animal species and protecting national parks among others.
Since 2000, Rwanda designed ambitious tourism development blueprint targeting to earn US$800 million by 2024 which might be affected by effects of COVID-19.
{{Doubled tourism revenues }}
The research carried out by the African Leadership University (ALU) on the impact of wildlife to Africa’s economy, indicates that Rwanda’s tourism revenues increased from US$200 in 2010 to over US$400 million in 2019.
The research shows that some of visitors come to Rwanda for different reasons including excursion, visiting families, study trips, working visits and exploring business opportunities.
{{Rwanda, Arsenal partnership}}
In 2018, Rwanda entered partnership with Arsenal Football Club that saw the ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo featuring on the Premier League club’s left sleeve.
Through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda initially signed three-year deal worth Euro 30 million.
By the end of the first year of the partnership, Rwanda’s tourism revenue increased by 17% to US$498 million in 2019 from US$425 million in 2018.
Leisure tourists from Europe increased by 22% and by 17% from the UK.
Following the positive feedback, Rwanda announced recently in August 2021 that the partnership with Arsenal Football Club has been extended.
“After a successful start to the 3-year partnership with Arsenal Football Club, the Rwanda Development Board decided in 2019 to renew the partnership, which was then announced on 14 May 2021, during the launch of the club’s 2021/22 away kit,” reads part of the message released via Twitter handle.
According to RDB, the renewed partnership will build on the gains made over the last 3 years and ‘contribute towards Rwanda’s economic recovery strategy following the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the tourism sector’.
“The partnership will also continue to leverage Arsenal’s expertise to develop football locally in Rwanda, with a focus on improving the quality of coaching at the grassroots level for girls and boys,” adds the tweet.
Apart from the partnership, the research carried out by ALU also shows that gorilla conservation efforts have also yielded big attracting a large number of tourists from across the world.
Figures show that Virunga National Park contributed 91.7% of tourism revenues from four national parks in 2019 where 50 percent of tourists visiting the park were attracted by gorillas.
The gorilla naming ceremony held every year since 2005 has also contributed immensely to attracting tourists particularly celebrities joining Rwanda for the flagship conservation event marketing Rwanda’s tourism.
In 2018, the ceremony which is among most high profile events brought together 65,000 participants from different corners.
{{Conservation efforts}}
Following the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, Rwanda embarked on a resilience journey and improved its visibility on the global scene through different activities to lure tourists and investors, tightening security, building infrastructures including hotels, preserving national parks and maintaining high standards of cleanliness among others.
In 2008, Rwanda banned the use of plastic bags and intensified measures to maintain hygiene where Kigali City is among cleanest cities worldwide.
Through ongoing conservation efforts, Rwanda has so far separated human population from parks fencing off demarcations for some parks, introduced a scheme to share tourism revenues with residents in the surroundings of parks, and reintroduced extinct species like lions, rhinos to Akagera National Park which is currently home to big five animals.
The report of the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) released in 2020 indicates that the park registered 321,745 visitors; Virunga National Park which is home to gorillas was visited by approximately 308,333 tourists while Nyungwe National Park recorded 93.528 visitors between 2005 and 2017.
Statistics show that Akagera and Nyungwe contributed 5.9% and 2.4% of tourism revenues from National Parks in 2019.
In June 2020, RDB announced reduced prices for gorilla permits which are available for as little as US$200 for Rwandans and nationals of East African Community (EAC) residing in Rwanda, and $500 for foreigners who are resident in Rwanda. International tourists are required to pay US$1,500.
