IGIHE

Tag: GreatLakesNews

  • France issues Euros1 Million to Displaced Congolese

    {{France has provided funding of one million euros to the World Food Programme (WFP) / DRC to support emergency operations in Eastern countries, plagued by fighting between the Congolese military and armed groups.}}

    The financing agreement was signed Monday, October 15 between the French Minister for La Francophonie, Yamina Benguigui, and a representative of Pam Kanyaricunya, 10 kilometers from Goma in North Kivu.

    This town is home to about fifteen thousand displaced families including some eleven thousand are assisted by humanitarian.

    These IDPs fled the territory of Rutshuru, theater of war between the military and rebels of the Movement of 23 March (M23) since last May.

    Pam officials said that the contribution of France will allow them to purchase more than one thousand tons of food to carry in the region.

    This assistance will be distributed to nearly one hundred thousand people arrived at Kanyaricunya since last September.

    In total, more than 500,000 IDPs were registered in the provinces of North and South Kivu between January and August 2012.

    They are fed by Pam. The UN agency said it needs about 66.3 million Euros to support all these people.

    After the signing of this agreement, Yamina Benguigui Minister also visited the displaced Kanyaruchinya to which he stated that “France was on their side.”

    “All forces, including the European Union but also the DRC must mobilize to restore peace in Eastern DRC,” said Yamina Benguigui.

  • Tanzanian Moslems Attack Churches

    {{Violence has erupted in Tanzania after a 14 year boy urinated on the Quran-the holy book of Islam.}}

    The incidence took place in Dar es Salaam’s Mbagala suburb Friday forcing moslems to attack a police station demanding that a 14-year-old boy be handed over to them.

    In the aftermath of the confrontation, at least five churches were attacked, several car windows smashed and passersby injured as the angry mob moved from street to street at Mbagala Kizuiani protesting the desecration of the holy book.

    Dar es Salaam Chief Sheikh Alhad Mussa Salum urged Muslims not to pursue the issue out of proportion, adding that there wasn’t ample grounds to mess up national security.

    “The incident doesn’t need emotions in dealing with. Islam means peace; we can deal with such issues peacefully. This matter involved children. Islam considers age; it shouldn’t lead to a breach of peace in our country,” said Sheikh Salum.

    He added that attacking churches would mean the boy was sent by Christians to desecrate the Quran, which he said he believed wasn’t the case.

    Police used teargas canisters and water cannons to quell the unrest and open up Kilwa road as the protesters hurled stones and burned tyres to block the road.

    Police were still engaging the demonstrators at Mbagala Zakhem late in the evening as the attacks on churches continued to rage.

    The clashes could be traced back five days to an incident in which a Christian and Muslim boy got into an argument over the power of the Quran to turn anyone who defiled it into a snake.

    According to those reports, the Christian boy swore he would not be harmed if he played with the Quran while his Muslim friend maintained that he would turn into a snake or run mad if did so.

    The Christian boy then urinated on the book—and set off a chain of events that would turn the area into a battleground for what the Muslims described as a defence of their faith.

    The protesting group initially arrested the boy at around 9am on Monday and took him to a police station.

    The incident turned deadly after the angry Muslims mobilised more support during Friday prayers, reportedly in an attempt to grab the boy from the police station and behead him.

  • Botswana Whips Amavubi U17

    {{The Rwanda Amavubi Under 17 football team has been walloped by their Botswana counterparts 1-0.

    This was during their encounter in Botswana ahead of the forthcoming CAF cup.}}

    The Amavubi side featured Bishira Latif(captain) Ndayisenga Kassim, Kubwimana Cedric, Rwatubyaye Abdoul,Rwigema Yves, Iradukunda Bertrand, Neza Anderson, Bizimana Djihad, Sibomana Patrick, Kalisa Djuma America and Nkinzingabo Fiston.

  • Kivu Belt Financing Mobilization Sealed

    {{Rwanda has signed a Financing Agreement with the Saudi Fund For Development to co-finance Lot 6, Rubengera-Gasiza of Kivu Belt Multinational Road.}}

    The MOU was signed October 12, in Tokyo-Japan as a sideline event to the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings.

    The Government of Rwanda, represented by Honorable John Rwangombwa, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and the Saudi Fund For Development, represented by HE Eng. Yousef Ibn Ibrahim Al-Bassam, the Fund’s Vice Chairman and Managing Director.

    The aforesaid signing ceremony is about the US$ 13,000,000 pledge that Saudi Fund For Development did during the fundraising round table to co-finance Lot 6, Rubengera-Gasiza of Kivu Belt Multinational Road as sidelines of the 9th Government of Rwanda Development Partners Meeting (DPM) November 2010 in Kigali.

    During its meeting in the 2nd quarter of 2012, the Fund’s board of Directors approved the Loan to Rwanda of US$ 13 Million under more good (concessional) terms.

    During the signing ceremony Rwangombwa, on behalf of the Government of Rwanda, and HE Eng. Ibrahim Al-Bassam, expressed their satisfaction on the development partnership between Rwanda and and the Saudi Fund.

    The road will be 23.6 Km long and 7 meters wide at a total cost of US$ 52.7 Million. The other contributors to the funding of the road section are: the Government of Rwanda (USD 4.35 Million), Kuwait Fund For Arab Economic Development (US$ 13 Million), The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID, US$ 10 Million), Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA, US$11 Million).

    We have signed with all other 3 Arab co-financiers;

    Design studies were completed in 2008 by Saudi International and Construction Works started in 2010 by Lot 3, Rusizi-Mwityazo, 50 Km, under the funding from the African Development Bank, of US$ 63 Million.

    The African Development Bank and Government of Rwanda have also financed Lot 7, Gasiza-Rubavu (US$ 68 Million) of 47,8 Km.

    The Government of Rwanda contracted a US$ 113 Million China Export Import Bank to construct Lot 4 and Lot 5, 66 Km from Mwityazo (Nyamasheke) to Rubengera (Karongi).

    The total length of the multinational (Burundi-Rwanda) Road is 265.7km, with 185 Km on Rwandan side (Kivu Belt Road) to cost Rwanda on designs, construction and supervision of works US$ 350 Million.

    With the Saudi Fund financing, the mobilization of the funding is concluded.

    When completed, the multinational road will have among other benefits such as promoting regional integration, contribute to trade and provide easy access to these land locked countries to the sea ports.

    It additionally will increase the potential for tourism and fisheries on Lake Tanganyika and Lake Kivu.

    As internal benefits, the road will increase trade, reduce transportation time and costs in the western province, as well as the rest of the country. The Western province produces 70% of the nation’s coffee and 40% of the nation’s tea.

    Ongoing projects of the Fund include “Increased Electricity Access in Some Areas in Rwanda” project: US$ 11 .7 Million, the “Rehabilitation of Kitabi-Congo nil Road” Project : US$ 10 Million and the Rehabilitation and the “Extension of King Faisal Hospital” Project: US$ 12 Million.

  • Mai Mai Militia Clash With FLDR

    {{Reports from Eastern DRC indicate that Rwandan FDLR Rebels engaged in a fierce battle with Mai Mai militia on October 10 resulting into the death of 13 people.}}

    The clash was reported along the Katwiguru kisharo axis, north-east from Rutshuru town.

    Mai mai Shetani militia lost three combatants and several deaths reported on the FDLR side.

    The security situation was still confused about this axis in the day Thursday.

    Residents in several villages in the area of fighting fled frightened by the violence.

    The fighting is said to have began Wednesday at 5:00 pm and continued until late evening.

    Some residents of the area say that the Mayi-Mayi Shetani have received a reinforcement of men in military uniforms from Nyakakoma sector.

    Frightened civilians said they heard heavy explosions and have crossed the border into Uganda.

  • Uganda Wants Share on S.Sudan Oil Pipeline

    {{Uganda has proposed to South Sudan to consider a joint venture in the construction of an oil pipeline through Uganda to Port Lamu in Kenya.}}

    South Sudan and Kenya in August signed an agreement for the construction of a 2,000km oil pipeline to the Kenyan port of Lamu.

    It is expected to deliver South Sudan’s crude oil to the rest of the world via the port. The construction is expected to begin next June and will cost $3b.

    Uganda argues that the pipeline would benefit the region because more countries would contribute towards its construction and also use it.