According to a statement from the Office of the Government Spokesperson, issued 19th July, Modi will have a two-day working visit starting from July 23rd to 24th.
Between today 19th to 24th, Rwanda hosts leaders of Mozambique, China and India on successive state visits.
Meanwhile, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi arrived in Rwanda, Thursday and welcomed by President Paul Kagame.
Nyusi is in the country for a tree-day state visit.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, will be in Rwanda from July 22nd to 23rd, this marks the first visit by a Chinese leader to Rwanda.
A statement says that the visits will facilitate to expand trade and investment opportunities.
“These important events will serve to celebrate and deepen the close ties that exist between Rwanda and these three friendly nations. Each leader will also be accompanied by a significant private sector delegation. Expanding trade and investment will therefore be a particular focus, notably in the areas of infrastructure, mining, agriculture and information technology,” reads a statement.
Discussions will also touch upon continental matters in the context of the African Union, which President Kagame currently chairs. China and India are among Africa’s most important and fast-growing economic partners.
The visit aims at strengthening bilateral ties between both countries.
Arriving at Kigali International Airport, Nyusi was welcomed by the Head of State along other senior government officials.
As part of the visit, Nyusi will tour Kigali Special Economic Zone before being hosted to a state banquet.
Nyusi will also visit Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre in Gisozi to pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi laid to rest there.
He will also visit King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza District of Southern Province and ‘La Corniche One Stop Border Post’ in Rubavu District of Western Province.
President Nyusi will conclude his three-day visit on 21st .
Rwanda will, in the same week, receive President Xi Jinping of China on July 22nd and 23rd.
Ngirente was speaking yesterday in Lusaka, Zambia at the opening of the 20th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit.
The summit was organized under the theme ‘Towards Digital Economic Integration’.
He said that the Government of Rwanda values the role of COMESA in expanding market integration for its members, and remains committed to organisation’s vision.
Ngirente said that the summit’s discussions and recommendations will contribute to achieving the organisation’s mission of providing technical services and to facilitate the region’s sustained development through economic integration.
“To make COMESA’s digital economic integration achievable and meaningful to our people, additional efforts, resources and closer collaboration are needed. Rwanda stands ready to play our part, working together with member states, to make this dream of COMESA digital economy a reality,” he noted.
He said that through Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation 2017/2024, Digital Economic Integration is one of the top priorities.
According to Ngirente, Rwanda is working to apply digital solutions to improving service delivery in both public and private sectors.
The Head of Government insisted that integrating digital technologies will add value to ongoing efforts of COMESA member states to grow and diversify their economies, enhance business climate and attract more trade and investment.
According to Mozambican media, Nyusi’s visit was approved by Mozambican parliament.
The visit starting from July 19th to 21st is aimed at advancing bilateral ties, increasing political mutual trust and expanding substantial cooperation.
Nyusi’s visit follows that of President Paul Kagame in Mozambique in October 2016.
During the visit in 2016, the two Heads of States held bilateral talks and signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the areas of political consultations between the two countries.
In Mozambique, Kagame also visited the National Assembly of Mozambique where he held courtesy talks with Veronica Macamo Blhovo, the assembly President.
He also visited the Mozambique Memorial Heroes square dedicated to the heroic figures of the Mozambican War of Independence.
A Chinese president will visit Rwanda for the first time since the creation of relations between both countries 47 years ago.
Nduhungirehe was in China early this month as part of the visit preparations.
Speaking to IGIHE on Wednesday, Nduhungirehe said that many projects, mostly infrastructure related are being assessed so that they select those for which support will translate into signing agreements.
“They include road construction projects, Masaka Hospital expansion and tourism projects among others. Both parties are still under discussions. We shall identify those to sign,” he explained.
“Among expected agreements to be signed is the removal of visas to people possessing diplomatic and service passports for facilitating people-to-people exchanges between Rwandans and Chinese,” he added.
China finances many projects in Rwanda including the ongoing construction of multi-million ministerial complex that will house the Office of the Prime Minister among other ministries and parastatals.
He said that Rwanda-China relations have been existing for 47 years.
Jinping two-day state visit in Rwanda will start on July 22nd to 23rd. He will also visit Senegal, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Mauritius.
In October 2016, BRD and the Ministry of Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding allowing the bank to pay tuition and living allowances to university students, recovering the same beneficiaries graduate and get employment.
Speaking to the media yesterday in Kigali, BRD Chief Executive Officer, Eric Rutabana much as there is a big amount of money which is yet to be recovered, efforts have been invested in the recovery process.
The bank says that a total of Rwf80 billion has been distributed through scholarship programme and benefited over 70,000 students.
However, BRD took over the responsibilities after Rwf12 billion had been recovered.
“From 2016 to todate, we have recovered Rwf5.1 billion. Of the Rwf80 billion which was disbursed, a total of Rwf17 billion was recovered,” he explained.
He said that BRD faces challenges of graduates who do not get employment and delay recovering process.
Beneficiaries pay 8 percent of monthly salary.
BRD’s Head of Recovery Unit, Claudine Matata said that they have got the list of beneficiaries and are still tracking where they work from.
She encouraged beneficiaries who have got employment to start paying before they face legal fines.
“They should also come forward and facilitate us during the recovering process, if they ought to reimburse certain amount of money, they should start doing so. If they don’t, fines will be applied as determined by the law,” she added.
Currently, BRD pay scholarship fees for 28,500 students studying in the country and 365 studying abroad.
This is particularly true when one considers that in 2013, Kigali Serena Hotel was the only five-star facility in the hospitality industry. Since then, Rwanda has risen among the leading foreign direct investment (FDI) destinations in the region, and even beyond.
Five years ago, the government of Rwanda set out to establish foundations for the Meetings Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) promotion with the aim of becoming Africa’s newest darling in the sector.
Given the upward trajectory on the macro front, good governance, great policies for doing business and the fact that it is a growing MICE and conference destination, Rwanda quickly became the region’s leading choice of investment for a number of international hotel brands.
In 2016 Rwanda started reaping what it had so tediously sown in the MICE sector.
Radisson Blu launched a new Kigali complex in 2016, a 292-room luxury hotel together with Kigali Convention Center, which was unveiled just in time for the 2016 African Union Summit from which it earned $4.2 million, according to Rwanda Development Board.
The International brand joined a slew of other hotel chains that found in Rwanda, a new travel and conferences hotspot.
Rezidor Hotel Group’s Radisson Blu, a five star complex with 292 rooms and conference facilities that can host more than 5,000 guests opened shop, hosting several international meetings, attracting foreign exchange, boosting national pride and tourism.
Kigali Marriott Hotel which is part of Marriot Hotels International chains followed suit. It is a five-star hotel and the first ground-up Marriott hotel in Sub-Saharan Africa with 254 rooms and suites spread across eight floors with the capacity to accommodate over 650 guests.
Park Inn by Radisson, a four-star hotel by Rezidor Hotel Group located in the cool shades of Kiyovu offers 161 rooms in different types including suites, superior and standard rooms.
Hilton Hotels and Resorts, another Global hotel chain took over Ubumwe Grande Hotel, which is located within the heart of Kigali. The facility that is currently undergoing some changes will be rebranded as DoubleTree by Hilton Kigali City Centre.
Africa’s largest hotel group, the Protea Hospitality Group is set to open a grand hotel in Rusizi District by name of ‘Protea Kivu Marina Resort Hotel’. The group has over 116 hotels in its portfolio, in several parts of the continent such as South-Africa, Zambia, Nigeria, Namibia, Malawi, Uganda and Tanzania.
Another International brand known as Starwood Hotels & Resort, more popular as Sheraton, announced its entry in Rwanda’s hospitality industry with a facility to be built in Gasabo District this year. It will be the fiftieth hotel of the group and will consist of 136 rooms.
Other important international brands with a foot in Rwanda are Golden Tulip, Onomo Hotel, Serena Group of Hotels, Marasa and Swiss International Hotels & Resort, popular in Asia, Europe and America.
All these international hotel brands are establishing in Rwanda with the aim of grabbing a portion of the regional conferencing pie as the country progressively defined itself, making MICE the base of tourism industry.
High-end luxurious facilities such as Fatima Hotel, Bisate Eco Lodge, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Nyungwe Forest Lodge, CityBlu Epic Hotel are also hitting their marks in the country’s hospitality industry.
{{MICE tourism segment’s impact on Rwanda’s Development
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Since the launch of MICE in 2014, Rwanda has hosted tens of thousands of regional and international conference guests among who are many that visit several tourism destinations across the country.
According to Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda received 1,298,000 visitors in 2016, up from 666 000 visitors in 2010, indicating that the long-term outlook to the country’s MICE tourism segment is now very vibrant. Furthermore, in 2016 alone, the MICE tourism segment contributed to the $404 million Rwanda earned in revenues.
Last year (2017), Rwanda hosted over 169 international meetings, recording 28,308 delegates, hence an indirect support for the service providers such as hotels, lodges, restaurants and Rwanda Air.
The blooming MICE sector is an unmistakable vote of confidence in the reforms Rwanda has been undertaking over the years in its bid to revitalize an economy that almost everybody believed was in limbo after the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.
The Envoy was speaking yesterday in Kigali ahead of the president’s two-day state visit to Rwanda.
“As the Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, I firmly believe President Xi’s upcoming visit will be of historic significance and will bring China-Rwanda relationship into a new era,” he said.
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“Adhering to the principles of sincerity, practical results, affinity and good faith, and upholding the values of friendship, justice and shared interests, China will work with Rwanda and all other friendly African nations, carry out more exchanges on governance and guidelines of development, so as to pave a broader and more solid road of mutual benefit and common development for China and Africa,” Hongwei said.
He noted that the visit will increase programmatic cooperation where Jinping and President Paul Kagame are expected to witness the signing of a number of Memorandum of Understandings and agreements.
“These will enable China and Rwanda to further match our development strategies and seek to harvest more fruits across multiple areas, including the Belt and Road Initiative, public health, human resource training, mining and law enforcement cooperation among others,” he said.
The envoy said that the visit will broaden regional cooperation. He said that it remains a cornerstone of China’s foreign policy to consolidate China’s relations with Rwanda and other African nations.
“China values the important contribution to the solidarity and development of Africa that President Kagame has made after assuming the rotating chairman of the African Union and coordinator of the AU reform. China and Rwanda will further enhance collaboration in regional and international arena and uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries,” he added.
China is the World’s second largest economy, largest industrial producer, largest trader in goods, and largest holder of foreign exchange reserves. Over the past four decades, thanks to the policies of reform and opening up, China’s economy has been growing an average annual rate of 9.5% and its foreign trade at 14.5%.
In recent years, China’s contribution to global growth has been exceeding 30%.
Jinping will start his visit to Rwanda from July 22nd to July 23rd 2018.
Mushikiwabo met the ambassadors at a luncheon yesterday in Paris, France.
According to official twitter of Mushikiwabo’s campaign at OIF also known as La Francophonie, at the meeting, she got opportunity to present her priorities to the ambassadors.
“Today, in Paris, Mushikiwabo met ambassadors to the OIF. A meeting rich in exchanges and the opportunity for the candidate to present herself, give an overview of her priorities and priority topics,” a tweet reads.
The group of ambassadors emphasized that Mushikiwabo presented her priorities and received many questions from the ambassadors.
Mushikiwabo recently in Antananarivo, Madagascar submitted her candidature to President Hery Rajaonarimampianina who is the sitting president of La Francophonie currently.
OIF Secretary General Elections will take place during the the organisation’s summit scheduled for October 11th -12th in Erevan, Armenia.
