Kagame who is also the Chairperson of the African Union, is today expected to deliver remarks at BRICS Africa Outreach Session and attend a Business Networking Lunch hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
This year’s Summit is attended by President Michel Temer of Brazil, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, President Xi Jinping of China and host President Cyril Ramaphosa among others.
Convened annually, the Summit discusses spheres of political and socio-economic matters in which member countries have identified viable business opportunities, economic complementarities, and areas of cooperation.
The ranking was released by a United Kingdom based consultancy, Skytrax. The findings were released mid July during a ceremony that took place in Langham Hotel in London.
Skytrax conducts research for commercial airlines as well as taking surveys from international travelers to rate cabin staff, airports, airlines and airline lounges among others.
The ceremony had convened airline leaders and top airline management from across the globe to receive their 2019 World Airline Awards.
According to Skytrax, the World’s Most Improved Airline award reflects an airline’s quality improvement across the entire Awards programme.
It analyses an airline’s change in the global rating and performance improvements in different award categories.
Over 100 customer nationalities participated in the survey with 20.36 million eligible entries counted in the results.
According to Skytrax, the online survey operated from August 2017 to May 2018, together with invitations sent to previous year respondents in the survey database.
The top ten airlines are China Southern Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Fiji Airways, Ryanair, Japan Airlines, Air Mauritius, Malaysia Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Aeroflot and RwandAir.
The World Airline Awards were introduced in 1999 to provide a customer satisfaction study that was truly global. Travellers across the world vote in the largest airline passenger satisfaction survey to decide the award winners.
Exercise to submit candidatures for September Parliamentary Elections was closed yesterday.
Speaking in a press conference Thursday, NEC Chairperson, Prof. Kalisa Mbanda said that women make 61 per cent of candidatures received.
“We received 537 aspirants with 326 women (61%). We started evaluation process of documents so that we identify those with complete dossiers,” he explained.
He said that political parties submitted lists of 313 candidates of who 136 are women
RPF-Inkotanyi and six political parties which formed coalition submitted a list of 80 candidates comprising 46 women; Liberal Party (PL) submitted a list of 80 candidates with 33 women; the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) submitted a list of 34 candidates with 16 women; Social Democratic Party (PSD) submitted a list of 65 candidates comprising 20 women whereas PS-Imberakuri submitted a list of 54 candidates from which women are 21.
There were no independent women aspirants.
Of the 24 seats reserved for women , NEC received 179 aspirants; on two seats reserved for youth, the commission received 30 candidatures including nine women while one seat reserved for representative of persons with disabilities, NEC received 10 candidatures among which are two women .
Previously, NEC had issued forms to 17 independent candidates to collect signatures required to submit their candidacies.
According to Mbanda, some people may have dropped out of the race due to different challenges.
“Only five submitted their applications and we have no information about the remaining eight,” he added.
According to NEC Executive Secretary, Charles Munyaneza, the number of candidates has been increased compared to that of 2013 elections.
“In previous Parliamentary Elections, we had three political parties which are RPF, PL and PSD, but you have seen that new political parties submitted the lists of their candidates. This implies that as political space continues to room large, many people and political parties want to contest,” he said.
NEC says that the provisional list will be released on July 30th and the final to be released on August 8th 2018.
Campaigning process will start on August 13th and run until September 1st 2018 while elections are scheduled on September 2nd and 3rd to Rwandans living in the diaspora and those from the country casting their votes respectively.
However, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM), there still remain many activities which require funding for them to be relocated.
In 2018/2019 fiscal year, the government allocated Rwf9.8 billion for relocation of former industrial park where the government plans to create artificial lake.
According to MINICOM minister, Vincent Munyeshyaka, the budget for relocation is still low whereas there are many activities which need to be relocated.
Munyeshyaka said that relocating all remaining activities needs Rwf30 billion including Rwf9.8 billion that was availed in this year’s budget.
“Rwf9 billion will be used in 2018/2019 fiscal year by relocating industries and commercial activities. It requires big budget, over Rwf30 billion.” he explained.
He said that they want to start discussions with property owners so that they could be partly compensated with the full amount to be paid at a later date.
“If this process fails, we will use available budget and wait next year,” Munyeshyaka added.
Relocation activities for Gikondo Industrial Zone were expected to have been completed by 2016, but the process was hampered by insufficient budget.
Accompanied by the AU high representative for Financing of the union and the peace fund at the Security council, Mushikiwabo arrived in DRC on Wednesday and welcomed by her Congolese counterpart, Léonard She Okitundu.
According to twitter handle for Mushikiwabo’s campaign activities, she discussed her candidacy with DRC President Joseph Kabila who expressed his full support.
Kabila emphasized the importance of having African countries united by La Francophonie in the upcoming elections in Erevan, Armenia.
“This visit in DRC (the biggest country in La Francophonie) is an essential stage is in her intention to reach a maximum of OIF member countries before the final in Erevan,” a tweet reads.
On July 11th, Mushikiwabo submitted her candidacy to Madagascar President, Hery Rajaonarimampianina who is also the sitting president of La Francophonie.
Early this month, the African Head of States and Governments expressed their support Mushikiwabo’s candidature.
Mushikiwabo’s Candidacy against a Canadian Michaëlle Jean who heads the organization since 2014, continues to get many supporters as it was openly supported by France President Emmanuel Macron in May when President Paul Kagame was visiting France.
Led by Manabu Horii, Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs met the president Wednesday in Kigali and was briefed about investment opportunities available in Rwanda.
“There has been a good relationship between Japan and Rwanda, we are trying to increase the private sector involvement to back the intentions of leaders and our people in achieving development objectives,” he said.
“We are not afraid of leapfrogging in Rwanda. We want to take advantage of technologies Japan has, where we can. We are not saying if we are not starting from the bottom and move slowly then we will not move. We do both. We try to narrow the gap as fast as we can,” Kagame noted.
Speaking to the press after the discussions, the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Clare Akamanzi said that the investors were attracted by Rwanda being a fast-developing country.
In the discussions with President Kagame, Akamanzi said that they focused on ICT as priority area.
“The Japanese delegation is very strong in ICT and that is an area that we see Japan can contribute to Rwanda’s growth plan. ICT as you know is a very big priority for us in Rwanda, Japan has capacity and already they have demonstrated that capacity by one of the investor investing in the country. So, we have really focused on ICT as a key area,” Akamanzi said.
She added that they also discussed other infrastructure opportunities like urbanization, waste management and treatment among others.
Tuesday, RDB met the delegation where, according to Akamanzi, they discussed agriculture as an area of interest as well as presenting with them industrial parks as the places they can invest their money.
Japanese Manabu said that their government seeks to support the private sector in creating opportunities for investments.
“As you may know, Rwanda is one of the most attractive countries for Japanese companies and I think that we have already built good relationship based on trust; the government of Japan seeks to support the private sector to promote more opportunities for investment,” he said.
Through the partnership with RDB, Andela will support the country’s ICT goals by supporting the development of Rwandan and other talents from across the continent.
According to Andela co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Johnson, Kigali was chosen as Andela’s first Pan-African hub due to its strong existing infrastructure, technological excellence and ease of access for developers across the continent.
“Our partnership with the Government of Rwanda is a new model for Andela, and we are thrilled to have found a partner whose mission is so closely aligned with our own; to grow and sustain a Pan-African elite tech workforce. In Kigali, we have found a location that makes travel to-and-from other African countries seamless and also has the modern and connected infrastructure we require to collaborate with a global workforce,” he said.
In turn, RDB Chief Executive Officer, Clare Akamanzi, noted that Andela has an important role to play in ensuring that Rwanda’s ICT goals are met.
“We are delighted to partner with Andela to build the next generation of technology leaders who will lead innovation in Kigali and beyond. Through partnerships, such as the one we are announcing today, we are accelerating Kigali’s growth as a global technology hub while also advancing skills development and employment opportunities for young, talented Africans”, she said.
According to RDB, applications to the hub will be open to candidates from any African country looking to jumpstart a global career in software development.
Andela will open applications for the first developer cohort in August 2018 and open its Kigali tech campus in December 2018.
The activity took place in Bugesera Tuesday before Narendra concluded his two-day State Visit in Rwanda.
Accompanied by President Paul Kagame and other senior government officials, Narendra visited the village and donated the hybrid cows in line with supporting Rwanda Girinka (One cow per family programme).
“Got a glimpse of rural life in Rwanda during the memorable visit to Rweru Model Village. I thank President Paul Kagame for accompanying me. Gifted 200 cows to villagers who do not yet own one, as a part of the Rwandan Government’s Girinka Programme,” Narendra said on twitter.
He added “the Girinka Programme is helping transform the lives of people across rural Rwanda. I also told President Paul Kagame about the initiatives we are taking in India for the development of our villages.”
Before visiting Rweru Model Village, Narendra visited Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre and paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Before winding up his visit, Narendra joined Indian business leaders and their Rwandan counterparts at the India-Rwanda Business Forum.
Organized by the Rwanda Development Board in partnership with the PHD Chamber of Commerce and FICCI- Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Forum’s aim is to further business ties between India and Rwanda.
The Business Forum, under the theme ‘Optimizing innovation for Industrial Development’, sought to examine how the synergies between industrial and innovation policy frameworks could be harnessed to enable both countries to attain economic transformation.
In his remarks, President Paul Kagame noted that there was many untapped business opportunities and lessons to learn from India
“Rwanda is keen to learn from the renowned “Make in India” experience, as we implement our own “Made in Rwanda” policy, particularly in the manufacturing, construction and ICT sectors. There are direct flights to Mumbai by our national carrier, RwandAir, and this is already facilitating travel and business. All Indian citizens are eligible to receive a visa on arrival in Rwanda. Should there be any obstacle in the way just let us know. We are eager to get going and to maximize these opportunities for the benefit of the people of our two countries and the rapid socio-economic transformation that we both seek”, President Kagame concluded.
Speaking directly to the Indian business community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that Rwanda was the gateway for the rest of Africa. This was, according to the Prime Minister, due President Kagame’s focus; namely development, prosperity of the people and peace in society.
In her welcome note, the RDB Chief Executive Officer, Clare Akamanzi, noted that the visit of the Indian Prime Minister built on an already strong foundation of trade and investment in both Rwanda and India.
“There are close to 99 projects registered from India, which are worth an estimated $389 million USD. These projects have contributed to estimated 10,175 jobs ranging from telecommunications/ ICT, to agriculture, manufacturing and healthcare.
Examples include Airtel, Virunga Biotech Ltd, Marasa Holding; Accacia Property Development, Kabuye Sugar Works Sarl, Imana Steel Rwanda Ltd, Cardiac Specialty Rwanda, Rugabano Tea Company Ltd and Gisovu Tea Company Ltd”, she concluded.
Three MOU’s (Memorandum of Understanding) were signed during the Forum, including one between RDB and Avaada Power Private Limited (APPL) which aims at fostering cooperation between the two institutions towards APPL’s investment and support in the development of solar power projects in Rwanda. The other MOU was between RDB and FICCI, which aims to further strengthen their relation and promote economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries. The last MOU was between the Private Sector Federation and the PHD Chamber of Commerce to establish and develop commercial links between the business communities of both countries in general and their respective members in particular.
Narendra visited the memorial on Tuesday before travelling to Bugesera District, Eastern Province where he donated 200 cows to families living in Rweru Model Village.
The Indian leader toured different parts of the memorial to thoroughly understand the history of the genocide in Rwanda. He also laid a wreath on the mass graves in honouring over 250,000 victims laid to rest in the memorial.
On his twitter handle, Narendra commended the path of peace that Rwandans embarked on after the genocide.
“Visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The path of peace and brotherhood embraced by Rwanda after the unfortunate genocide of 1994 is commendable,” Narendra said.
Starting his visit yesterday, Narendra held discussions with President Paul Kagame in Village Urugwiro and witnessed the signing of seven agreements between Rwanda and India.
He also met Indian community in Rwanda where he hailed their contribution to Rwanda-India relations.
“Wonderful interaction with the Indian diaspora in Rwanda. In every part of the world, the Indian diaspora is distinguishing itself and making us proud of their accomplishments. Rwanda’s Indian community is a very positive influence on the India-Rwanda friendship,” Narendra said on twitter.
Narendra visit is considered as historical visit as is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Rwanda.
