This was revealed yesterday as RMB officials discussed with Parliamentary National Budget and Patrimony Committee on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018/2019 and Budget Framework Paper 2018/2019-2020/2021.
RMB Chief Executive Officer, Francis Gatare said that the board wants to promote mining sector for its increased contribution to the country’s economy.
Mining sector earned Rwanda a total of $373 million from 7,000 tonnes of minerals last year.
Gatare said they target to double the income next year through promoting professionalism in mining operations.
“We shall increase income from exported minerals up to $600 million and increase the quantity of production up to 10,000 tonnes,” he explained.
As a way to increase production, Gatare said that they will conduct research on 13 new concessions where they will extract minerals.
The board also targets to venture into decent mineral business by partnering with experienced business people. Gatare said that in line with the promotion of mining sector, the Government has banned flippant miners by denying them working permits.
The government targets to increase annual income from mineral exports to $800 million in 2020 and $1.5 billion in 2024.
In 2015, Rwanda registered the largest mining production in the Great Lakes Region with 840 tonnes from 815 quarries followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Latifa was one of the five finalists who presented their projects before the panel yesterday in Kigali, as part of the ongoing Transform Africa Summit.
This year’s problem for application was to identify opportunities in any sector and suggest solution that can allow Africans to collaborate, interact and trade.
Presenting her project, Latifa said that Niger counts 37% of road accidents in the region of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
She said that it is also difficult to provide first aid as people in charge do not easily establish where the accident took place or it takes long time to reach the scene of accident.
She said that it happens that locals reach the victims without having skills of how they could help to save their lives.
“Imagine being nearby a person who is in critical conditions due to injuries but you are unable to give them first aid. That is why I developed an app dubbed SARO which can be installed in a telephone or computer. The app is capable of taking a photo or video and sends it to people who can provide first aid. They can easily establish the scene of accident and provide first aid through people on the scene,” she explained.
Latifa explained that the app only allows a person to send a newly taken photo or video which are also original.
{{Top three awarded}}
Three girls who presented outstanding projects were awarded with different prizes.
Latifa was awarded with Rwf3 million and will attend International Conference on the ticket of Smart Africa and will also attend the European Development Days 2018 Conference slated in June in Brussels, Belgium.
Among the awardees also include, Christelle Mazimpaka, the 2018 Ms Geek Rwanda and the third in Ms Geek Africa. She received Rwf1 million and allowed to attend one international conference on the ticket of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA).
The second is Ndèye Fatou Mboup from Senegal who received Rwf2 million.
Among the five finalists were other two Rwandans Alida Umurungi and Sylvie Mahoro.
Speaking to IGIHE, the head of Girls in ICT which organised the competition, Lucy Mbabazi said that they had received 200 applications.
“We received 200 applications and selected 10 projects. Last week, we trained them on better organize their projects. Then, we selected five best projects,” she said.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Youth, Rosemary Mbabazi said that the initiative aims to promote girls capabilities to generate solutions that can change lives of their communities.
She said it is very important to involve young people so that they can own their development agenda.
Mbabazi added that women are innovators and the platform is giving them opportunities to explore their potential beyond.
“Strategically and logically, we could not do anything much without involving women, especially girls because the future is in the hands of technology, and if we are talking that the future is in the hand of technology, you cannot leave out women,” she noted.
This year’s Ms Geek Africa is the second edition, but Girls in ICT in Rwanda are celebrating the 5th anniversary of Ms. Geek.
Satellite is one of Rwanda’s most awaited infrastructures along the ICT promotion journey.
Speaking at the signing ceremony on the sidelines of the ongoing Transform Africa Summit in Kigali yesterday, Prof Shinichi Nakasuka from Tokyo University said that they build satellites since 2000 and they want to partner with Rwanda in making a small satellite which will not only be used in communication, but also a foundation to build more satellites.
He said that based on the trend of technology, it is not necessary to build a big satellite to be sent in the space. He said that they are using technologies which build satellites weighing below three kilograms.
On the budget of the satellite, Prof. Shinichi said that it will take around $200,000.
“Building such a satellite cost $200,000 (about Rwf173 million), while building the existing satellite could take at least $300 million (about Rwf260 billion),” he explained.
Before signing the agreement with RURA, Japanese companies signed the agreement with Smart Africa so that the satellite project can benefit member countries.
RURA Director General, Lt. Col. Patrick Nyirishema explained that Smart Africa has 22 member countries. On the side of Government of Rwanda, Nyirishema said that the project will be surely implemented.
“Rwanda wants to start the project with Japanese partners so that we can train people and build a satellite. By this period next year, we will present what we shall have completed. Great things are going to be done,” he explained.
The Executive Director of Smart Africa, Dr. Hamadoun Touré said that few Africans are skilled in satellite building, adding that many Africans are committed to joining the sector. He said that the training is necessary.
“Rwanda is committed to this project that will not only benefit Rwanda, but also the rest of the world,” he explained.
Sprawled across the Cap-Verde Peninsula, in the far west of Africa on the Atlantic Ocean, Dakar is the grand capital of Senegal also commonly known as “le Paris d’Afrique” due to the modernized changes the former French colonial city went through.
From Kigali on the RwandAir’s feel and experience touch, the travel proved relaxing and refreshing. The homey feeling I received from flight attendants made me feel like I was practically at my neighbor next door, with the sole difference being on a moving aircraft.
It was 13- hour entertaining flight as RwandAir flew from Cotonou-Bénin, Douala-Cameroon, Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire to finally land in Dakar. You’d wonder why I said entertaining –well, Joseph, the waiter was ever so charming while making sure that I missed nothing, and I was no exception for he did so with everyone. From tea to water; everything I was given beheld Rwanda’s imprint, the only thing I may have not yet checked is the provenance of the tasteful fish I ate, although I would bet it was from Rubavu’s waters. A generous applause goes to RwandAir’s team.
Arrived at my destination, I reveled at the beauty of the exotic capital of Senegal. The catching beauty was not really in its architecture nor the dusty streets or the roads collapsed by traffic: but rather in its atmosphere and cheerful people.
It is a friendly city with a very complex native language known as ‘Wolof’. I would even say that anyone would get a bit lost trying to understand this language. During my stay, I tried to learn some of it; like saying I’m good is ‘Maa ngi fi’ [Spelled as Mængiːfiː], saying Yes is ‘waaw’ [Spelled as Wæwu], Saying ‘My name is Philbert’ is ‘Maa ngi tudd Philbert’ [Spelled as Mængiːtudu].
As I toured the country, here are some of the places that make the nation so singular and that will definitely mark you if you ever decide to travel to Senegal.
{{La Maison des esclaves in Goree Island
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Goree Island is a small 45-acre island located off the coast of Senegal that is only three kilometers away from Dakar. This quiet and quaint island was a prominent place for the development of Atlantic slavery trade and served as a center for expanding slavery trade by the Europeans.
The island which is considered as a memorial to the African Diaspora had over 20 million African slaves passing through it between the mid-1500s and the mid-1800s. During the African slavery trade, Goree Island was a slave-holding warehouse where African men, women and children were jailed before being shipped to the Americas.
The slave house that was built to keep the slaves had a small door called the “door of no return” through which every man, woman and child walked to the slave boat to be taken to the ‘New World’. The slave house built in 1776 remains intact to this day with cells and shackles, and is a major tourist attraction of Goree Island.
Chosen to be a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Goree Island still retains and preserves all the traces of its terrible past and displays to the world the miserable life once led by their ancestors.
{{African Renaissance Monument
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The African Renaissance Monument, also referred to as Monument to the African Renaissance, is a bronze statue perched on Mamelles hill in Dakar, Senegal. The representation of a man, woman and child emerging from a volcano stands erect against the skyline in Senegal at 164 feet high, taller than the Statue of Liberty in the U.S.A.
Visiting this place will only cost you 4000 CFA which is Rwf6500 and you are free to roam around and inside this monument.
The monument that was built by the former president Abdoulaye Wade in 2010 is about the culture and future of the African continent. It’s represented by a man and his wife together holding the hand of the young one, which means the next century is better than the past. The whole monument encompasses all generations for the future of the continent.
Upon entering, the “lobby” of the monument has a distinct presentation dealing with African, and African diaspora history, covering various renowned leaders such as Léopold Senghor or Toussaint Louverture and various historically important events such as the slavery trade or colonialism.
{{You cannot just leave without saying Hi to Saly…
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Saly is a beach resort area in the Petite Côte region of Senegal. A former Portuguese trading post, Saly Portugal village features restaurants and bars.
It is the “Rubavu” of Rwanda. It is one of the touristic resorts in Dakar and detains a much more relaxed energy than the center of the capital.
It is relatively clean and quiet. It is usually full of young people playing with street vendors and families.
A piece of advice would be that you stack some pants, since everyone in Senegal covers their legs pretty much. Also, the wind blows practically everything…dresses and skirts not spared.
To finish, le “Paris d’Afrique” may not be the most beautiful place on earth or a holiday destination for those seeking comfort but it has everything for a fascinating experience as a whole. You will be rendered speechless by the epic vistas of a gorgeously tropical and stunning natural beauty that is Africa.
The rankings, which were released by the ICCA on Monday are based on the number of association meetings taking place regularly (annually, biannually) rotating between at least three different countries and with at least 50 participants.
The association meetings organized by Rwanda included several high-level conferences such as Africa Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), Board Meeting of the Global Fund (BMGF), Annual Tourism Conference of the Africa Travel Association (ATA) and Annual General Assembly of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) among others.
Rwanda is currently hosting over 4000 delegates attending the Transform Africa Summit 2018.
Commenting on the rankings, the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Convention Bureau (RCB), Denise B. Omany welcomed the position saying that they are working hard to attain more good position.
“These rankings are proof that our MICE (Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) strategy is creating value. Rwanda recorded 28,308 delegates in 2017, up from 23,804 in 2016. Tourism is the country’s largest foreign exchange earner and MICE is playing an important role in its growth, bringing in 15% of all tourism revenue,” Omany said.
MICE tourism contributed USD42 million in 2017 and they target to increase it to USD74 million this year.
“We are glad to retain the third position and we are working incredibly hard on attaining an even better position through hosting even more association meetings. With the support of the Government, as well as the private sector, Rwanda has been able to establish herself as a safe, secure MICE destination of choice due to the presence of world-class MICE venues, accommodation facilities, connectivity options and ease of service due to RCB support” Omany added.
According to Rwanda Convention Bureau, Rwanda is a preferred MICE destination due to its simplified visa process that allows nationals of every country in the world to get a visa on arrival for all visitors in addition to its easy accessibility due to the multitude of flight options offering connectivity to Kigali and the rest of Africa though the national carrier, Rwandair.
Rwanda Convention Bureau is the Africa’s latest International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Member.
In Rwankuba Sector of Karongi District, on Sunday, heavy rains caused landslides on the upland and killed eighteen people leaving seven injured and hospitalized as 29 houses were destroyed.
Speaking at the burial yesterday, Ngirente said that the government has the responsibility of taking care of Rwandans and most specifically on those affected by disasters.
“Today, I brought you comforting message. As you know, in few months we have experienced heavy rains which was not expected, killing many people and damaged properties in the country and the region; so today, we comfort you and Rwandans in general,” he said.
Also at the event, affected families were facilitated with Rwf50,000 each for buying basic materials.
He requested residents’ contribution in preventing disasters by relocating from high risk zones.
“The government will continue to support you through direct and long-term interventions. Though the government will continue to facilitate you, you should also play the big part by relocating from high risk zones and resettle in a safe places,” he said.
The Minister for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR), De Bonheur Jeanne D’Arc said that people are capable of preventing disasters from happening through creating radical terraces, embracing rain water harvesting systems and avoid constructing in high risk zones among others.
Recently, MIDIMAR announced that since January to April 30th climate-related disasters had killed 183 people. Across the country, Sunday rains killed a total of 26 people.
Kagame was speaking on Tuesday in Kigali while officiating at the Transform Africa Summit 2018 Opening Ceremony.
The Head of State said that technology is the foundation of modern and high-income economies, a reason why Africa is investing so much in physical infrastructure and in the education required to use it. He noted that the invested efforts are bearing fruit.
However, Kagame said the most advanced technology cannot compensate for shortcomings in other areas which are essential for economic competitiveness.
“This agreement will transform Africa, but only if we translate its provisions into reality on the ground. A favourable investment climate is critical in order to build trust in African economies, attract the right partnerships and spur innovation,” he said.
Kagame challenged participants at the summit that though many African countries lead in business-friendly reforms, achieving good rankings is not an end in itself.
He said the goal is to attract more and better investments, an exercise that requires to effectively communicate these facts to global markets and African investors.
“We must work harder to ensure that African private capital is mobilised to participate fully in major projects on the continent. There is this myth that we always have to look outside the continent to fund major initiatives. But this simply can’t be true, when Africa is losing billions every year through lost taxes, sending private assets abroad, and other factors,” he said.
“We are not poor, not at all. The issue is more the mindset that it is normal to use our money for consumption while we leave strategic long-term investing to others. It means that no matter how much we earn, we would remain poor,” Kagame noted.
“Whether this comes from colonialism or not is irrelevant. It is up to us to identify mindsets that hold us back as a continent, and change how we do business,” he challenged Africans.
Kagame said that these elements remind Africans that the application of technology and innovation takes place in a wider context. He reminded to harness these factors together holistically to achieve the results that people expect and deserve.
He said that the African Union and the International Telecommunications Union together with the private sector have combined efforts to bring broadband to under-served communities by harmonising spectrum and standards.
Transform Africa Summit is a leading annual continental forum that convenes global and regional leaders from government, business and international organizations to collaborate on new ways of shaping, accelerating and sustaining Africa’s on-going digital revolution.
The issue was raised yesterday by the chamber of deputies during discussions with staff from the Ministry of Trade and Industry on Budget resources for Fiscal Year 2018/19 and Budget Framework Paper 2018/19-2020/21.
A research done by the National Institute of Statistics in 2014, established that 50% of new businesses in Rwanda collapse in their infant stage.
Members of Parliament wanted to establish what MINICOM is doing to solve the problem of collapse of new businesses in Rwanda, asking whether the ministry could not find a simplified and less costly tax regime that would encourage small businesses to grow into formal bigger entities.
“Individual persons start businesses with anticipation they will be supported to flourish, expand, create more jobs, only to, after investing their hard-earned resources and efforts, have their businesses squeezed back to zero as all their money is taken away from them through taxes,” wondered MP Théobald Mporanyi.
“We are usually asked by members of the public whether MINICOM and Rwanda Revenue Authority cannot find a way of making it easier for startups to flourish,” he considered.
Mporanyi pointed out how locals invest money which in turn ends ups in tax payment. He requested for measures to be taken so to facilitate them.
“They need to be given incentives to encourage them to focus and strive. The actual tax costs should also be reviewed to reduce the actual tax burden to facilitate their growth,” he appealed.
“Another thing is how you tax informal businesses. One would even wonder how you even categorize them in the same class as formal entrepreneurs. There are many taxes that people are failing to understand,” observed Mporanyi.
Responding, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Vincent Munyeshyaka, acknowledged the challenges faced by business startups and announced that law concerning taxes is being revised.
“The tax law is being revised. We expect to have come to new decisions by the beginning of next year,” Munyeshaka promised.
The yearly list by Jeune Afrique, a French-language pan-African weekly news magazine has names of people from different domains like politicians, business people, human rights activists, artistes and players.
The magazine says that it was not an easy exercise to select 50 people among over one billion people from 54 African countries. Among factors they considered include their universal visibility.
The factors also include ways they are followed on social media, particularly on Twitter and ways their statements or activities are received outside their countries and their role in political-related decision making.
The 56-year-old Mushikiwabo who has been Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister since 2009, is known for raising the voice in explaining the vision Rwanda has chosen and that Africa needs self-dependency.
The only Rwandan on the list, Mushikiwabo has 259,000 followers on Twitter and her posts are mostly debated on.
On the list, the magazine did not include Heads of State and their wives. Also, they did not include Africans living outside the continent, though they might be doing activities developing the continent or their countries.
The first on the list is Aliko Dangote, a Nigerian business magnate, investor, and owner of the Dangote Group. The second is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian writer of novels, short stories, and nonfiction. The third is Mostafa Terrab, the CEO of the Moroccan state-owned phosphate-mining company OCP since 2006. And the fourth is Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Head of State was speaking Monday at the opening of Transform Africa Economic Forum in advance of the Transform Africa Summit.
He said that technological integration should be seen as the vanguard of economic integration more generally.
Kagame said that the purpose of integrating technology, it is to serve all people and their businesses among other things.
“I’m sure in this audience there are people who have had close to a dozen stopovers, half of them maybe on our continent. Sometimes to fly home here you have to go to Europe maybe from one city to another in Europe, then to another city in Africa. So, when people are talking about one common digital market or one common air transport market, I think the purpose is to solve some of these problems,” he said.
He said that when people are integrating technologies, they should bear in mind to also integrate regions, countries as well as the whole continent.
“I’m sure people here know it very well, better than I how even when we are communicating the traffic follows the same route as the planes I was talking about. Doesn’t it? Sometimes the traffic has to go through outside Africa and then back to us. What are you integrating, if you don’t include this? Why don’t we have that happening without having to pay for a visa for the traffic to first go out of Africa and then receive it back?” Kagame challenged Africans.
“The visa is in the form of how much you pay. Is this something we can’t address? We are supposedly very proud Africans, businesses and governments, I think we need to work hard on this,” he noted.
Kagame said that Africa still has a long way to go noting that in recent years, regional cooperation on technology has produced good results to some extent.
Kagame said that other urgent integration projects have languished on the African agenda, and added that through technology Africans can find ways of speeding them up.
“It is beginning to change and with such a forum bringing so many people with diverse backgrounds together, I think we can make it happen faster. So, we see technology cooperation as part of that story. But behind it there has to be political will in real terms,” he said.
He said that Smart Africa’s focus on One Africa Network has helped lay the groundwork for ambitious projects such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Kagame pledged that they will continue to advance the digital transformation agenda championed by the African Union, Smart Africa, the Broadband Commission as well as the external partners.
