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In the first quarter services sector grew by 8% and contributed 48% of GDP, agriculture sector grew by 4% and contributed 28% of the GDP, and industry sector grew by 18% contributing 17% of GDP. 7% was attributed to adjustment for taxes and subsidies on products.

Ivan Murenzi, Deputy Director General of NISR said that while the first quarter growth was impressive, it was still early to make a conclusive remark on the whole economy because there are three other quarters to be covered.

“So far 8.4% is a good start and is a good growth by all standards,” Murenzi said.

The Minister of State in charge of Economic Planning Dr. Claudine Uwera, said that the economy was expected to sustain the positive growth rate.

“In general, the performance is good and we project a sustained trend,” she said.

According to the quarterly report, the 4% growth of the agriculture sector was a result of medium harvest from season A of 2019.

Export crops decreased by 9% mainly due to the decrease of 7% in the production of tea and a decrease of 19% in production of other cash crops, including flowers, pyrethrum & sugar cane, however production of coffee increased by 2%.

Industry growth was 18% and the main contributor was construction activities which grew by 30%. Mining & quarrying activities increased by 12%, while manufacturing grew by 8%. The growth in the mining sector is due to a 20% increase in quarrying activities. Made in Rwanda program has significantly contributed to the manufacturing sector.

For example, there has been a 15% increase in textiles clothes and leather goods, 38% increase in wood, paper and printing. Furthermore, the production of construction materials such as metallic products grew by 11%, while non-metallic mineral products such as cement increased by 21%.

The service sector grew by 8% and was mainly boosted by: wholesale and retail trade which increased by 7%, Transport which grew by 11% boosted by Air transport which increased by 21%.

Kagame was invited to deliver a keynote speech on ‘Addressing inequalities:

Building a world which leaves no one behind’ at the two-day summit held on 18-19th June 2019.

European Development Days was launched in since 2006.

Organised by the European Commission, the European Development Days (EDD) bring the development community together each year to share ideas and experiences in ways that inspire new partnerships and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

Other heads of state attending the forum include Senegal President, Macky Sall and Jorge Carlos Fonseca of Cap Vert; the President of European Union Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker and the Queen of the United Kingdom among others.

Yesterday’s Kigali International Peace Marathon which aims at promoting peace through sports was attended by 3899 participants from 55 countries who contested in its three categories namely: Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.097) km and Run For Peace (10 km).

First Lady Jeannette Kagame participated in Run For Peace category where she run 10 km along with the Minister of Sports and Culture, Espérance Nyirasafari; the mayor of Kigali City, Chantal Rwakazina among other dignitaries.

Philip Kiplimo from Uganda won 42 km run in men category while Jepchirchir Korir from Kenya won in women category.

Chepchirchir Celestine from Kenya won the Half Marathon in women category while Kiminine Shadrack from Kenya won in men category.

Kigali International Peace Marathon started in 2005 supported by President Paul Kagame.
Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) president, Fidele Mubiligi Fidèle said that this year’s marathon was successfully completed though Rwandans didn’t emerge among first runners.
“ The marathon ended on a high note in general. Half Marathon was won by Rwandans last year but no Rwandan won for this edition except one who emerged the second in women category. It is normal in competitions. This year’s marathon attracted competent runners because awards were increased,” he said.

Three Rwandans who performed well in each category of Kigali International Peace Marathon were also awarded.

Kagame delivered the message yesterday as he officially inaugurated three-day Eisenhower Fellowships (EF) Conference held in Kigali.

The conference is organized by Eisenhower Fellowships (EF), an organization that was started in 1953 in honor of the 34th US President Dwight Eisenhower.

The summit is themed around Africa’s integration in multiple aspects such as trade, work, technology, governance and partnerships.

It brought together over 200 delegates including top government officials, business leaders, academics, scientists and journalists.

The conference took place at a place where African Continental Free Trade Agreements (AfCFTA) were signed by 44 countries during the AU General Assembly held in Kigali in March 2018.

AfCFTA went into implementation since 30th May 2019.

As he addressed participants, President Kagame said Africa understands benefits of working together.

“I think it went into implementation for two reasons mainly Africans willingness and external factors that contributed to dividing the continent which have been slowing down. The outside is preoccupied with their own problems, rather than thinking everything is fine and all they have to do is to manipulate things, starting with Africa,” he said.

“It is the right time for Africa to correct mistakes we made. We sometimes knew that what we do affects our people and economy. Africa is at high pace to address its problems,” added Kagame.

He highlighted the youth should take the lead to correct what went wrong.

“ If you look at Africa and the enormous wealth, people should be asking why is it that parts of the world that were at the same level of economic standing 40-50 years ago, today are 100s of time better off,” he said.

“The question must be what went wrong. This is a question everyone should be answering including the young ones because otherwise how will they correct it, they must understand they owe it to themselves to understand the challenge and address them,” added Kagame.

The president explained that the youth represents great wealth along the journey to implement real Africa’s collaboration with the rest of the world.

“We know there is a lot of work to do to be where we want to be. We know we can count on not only ourselves but others for cooperation and collaboration; those are keys for us to be able to continue making progress,” he stressed.

Serving with Rwanda’s example, Kagame reflected how Rwandans unity was the enabler during 25 years resilience process after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Rwanda is the first African country to host the Eisenhower Fellowships (EF) conference.

The organization’s mission is to identify, empower, and connect innovative leaders through a transformative fellowship experience and lifelong engagement in a global network of dynamic change agents committed to creating a world more peaceful, prosperous and just.

President Kagame made the observation yesterday as he addressed participants in the Sustainable Development Goals Summit held in Kigali yesterday.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 for the year 2030.

These goals’ targets by 2030 are Poverty eradication, achieving Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Reducing Inequality, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Life Below Water, Life On Land, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions and Partnerships for the Goals.

On the third day of the Summit reflecting on three years of SDGs, President Kagame talked on the report of Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa (SDGC/A) highlighting that on almost every Goal, the continent is not on track to achieve the 2030 targets that even the best are lagging behind the rest of the world.

“This would not necessarily be discouraging, if the rate of change was high. We all know where Africa is coming from, and how much catching up we have to do. However, on too many indicators, the pace of progress is stagnant or even declining,” he said.

President Kagame stressed, the most important thing is the right mindset understanding that ‘The SDGs are universal and ambitious, meaning they set targets that apply to countries at every level of economic development’.

He explained that achieving the SDGs represents the attainment of a significant level of prosperity and well-being, not merely the elimination of extreme poverty that Africa should consider it as the problem and responsibility.

“The development assistance is not growing, and it is reasonable to expect that trend to continue. Foreign investment is also flat. On the other hand, speeding up progress toward the SDGs is first and foremost our problem and responsibility as Africans,” said Kagame.

SDGC/A report show SDGs financing gap in Africa estimating between 500 billion and 1.2 trillion dollars per year.

President Kagame stressed the need to work closely with partners noting that the political leadership on this topic has to be heard most strongly from African voices. He said remittances from the African diaspora are now the largest source of external income for our continent.

SDGC/A has recently announced plan to concert much effort on education, health and agriculture as central areas to other goals.

President Kagame hailed the initiative emphasizing that the idea to establish dedicated African funds for education, water, and health has a lot of merit.

“This is an opportunity to work with Africa’s partners in new and better ways, and deliver human-scale projects that directly touch the lives of farmers, families, and schoolchildren,” he said.

Director General to the Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa (SDGC/A), Dr. Belay Begashaw also highlighted that achieving SDGs remains a major concern of Africans.

The Chairperson of African Union Commission (AU), Moussa Faki Mahamat said that intervention of private sector is of great importance to preparing, implementing and assessing the impact of SDGs and AU Vision 2063.

The Conference is scheduled this Friday at Kigali Convention Centre.

President Edgar Lungu who arrived at Kigali International Airport yesterday is among other Heads of State expected to grace the conference.

The SDGs conference attracts over 2000 participants from non-governmental organizations, Governments, private sector and researchers among others from across the World.

Kagame arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday for a two-day working visit where he attended International Anti-Corruption Summit on the first day.

President Kagame was invited to give a talk on Rwanda’s anti-corruption efforts that made it the third least corrupt African country over the past two years.

Referring to an example of a policeman from one of African countries who solicited a bribe from him, Kagame highlighted that a country needs to enhance wellbeing of its personnel and share the little resources equitably so that everyone feels like they are being taken care of.

He reflected on hard times Rwanda endured after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi which took lives of over one million victims, shaking national economy and administrative entities.

Kagame explained that the liberation struggle in Rwanda and in Africa more generally, has always been based on the ideals of eliminating discrimination, entrenching good governance and ensuring all citizens benefit equally from nation-building.

As a new government, Kagame said, the turning point in Rwanda’s peace-building process came after months of intense national consultations. Out of this dialogue, key institutions were created to foster transparency and lay the foundation for a sound national fiscal base. These included the Rwanda Revenue Authority, the Auditor General, the Ombudsman, as well as home-grown solutions such as performance contracts signed by officials at every level known as “imihigo”.

“We must make sure that these institutions and mechanisms actually work. They are created to give us results. We quickly found out that fighting corruption has a huge political cost. Officials who did not live up to the agreed standards were dismissed or brought to justice. Others fled into exile and pretended to be so-called “opposition” or “pro-democracy” groups,” stressed Kagame.

He pointed out an example of the first Foreign Affairs Minister after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, (Jean Marie Vianney Ndagijimana though he did not mention his names).

“After the Genocide Against the Tutsi, the first Foreign Minister appointed connived with leaders particularly the then Prime Minister. He was given money to go open new embassies but never came back. That was the first interim Government,” said Kagame.

“Today he is one of the opposition leaders living in France and people accept he is fighting for democracy,” he added.

President Kagame said, a couple of years later, the same PM agreed with the then President (Bizimungu Pasiteri though he did not mention his names) to go and buy vehicles; Mercedes Benz for cabinet ministers with cash in hand.

“He had to carry cash. I told the President this was wrong. We cannot afford to prioritize this type of thing. First of all, our first priority shouldn’t be buying Mercedes for our ministers. This is 1998, four years after Genocide. We are trying to build institutions and the first thing that came to mind is to buy Mercedes for Ministers who have no offices or furniture,” revealed Kagame.

“I told the then President that we cannot afford to prioritize this type of thing and we cannot give money to someone else. We can’t keep doing that unless we are to be doomed to never leave the transition,” he added.

Kagame explained that this so called opposition ‘has turned us into what they call authoritarian because we did not allow them to take this money. Between not fighting corruption and being called authoritarian, I prefer being called authoritarian’.

President Kagame highlighted that zero tolerance to malpractices and corruption is the foundation of the modest progress for which Rwandans continue to work.

“The strategy for us is to build on Africa’s cultural heritage to cultivate the mindsets of responsibility, accountability and efficiency in our leaders and especially in our young people as we continue to build and strengthen institutions that will serve this cause,” he affirmed.

The statement released by HEC indicates that those offering such courses promise students to get standard degrees at the level of Higher Institutions or University yet they operate without licensing.

“The management of Higher Education Council requests all parties concerned with this announcement to stop their activities and consult HEC to get advice on how to resume operations complying with regulations,” reads in part the statement released by HEC.

On 22nd March 2018, HEC suspended courses at Kigali Faculty of Evangelical Theology (FATEK) established by the Association of Pentecostal Church of Rwanda (ADEPR) in 2008.

HEC announced to have informed FATEK management that the decision was based on failure to comply with regulations guiding higher learning institutions in Rwanda.

FATEK was advised to comply with regulations to have an operations license.

The suspended school had introduced Theology & Leadership Master’s Degree on 6th October 2018.

Gatuna border reopens

Heavy trucks have been provisionally allowed to cross Gatuna One Stop Border Post (OSBP) with Uganda between 10th – 22nd June 2019 to carry out trials for heavy trucks movement.

In a letter dated June 7, 2019, the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) Commissioner General Pascal Bizimana Ruganintwali informed the public that heavy trucks are provisionally allowed to cross the border in order to facilitate the trial activities as requested by Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA).

“Reference is made to Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) letter dated 7th June 2019, which expresses the need to carry out trials for the heavy trucks movement at Gatuna OSBP for a period of two (2) weeks from 10th up to 22nd June 2019, and assess the operationalization of the constructed works and equipment before the reception of works,” reads in part RRA statement signed by Commissioner General Ruganintwali.

“The Management of Rwanda Revenue Authority is pleased to inform the general public that heavy trucks are allowed to provisionally cross Gatuna OSBP between 10th-22nd June 2019 in order to facilitate these trial activities requested by RTDA,” adds the statement.

In February 2019, RRA closed for cargo trucks crossing through Gatuna border to give room for the completion of infrastructure upgrade at the one-stop border post.

Since 28th February 2019, cargo trucks were redirected to cross through Kagitumba border.

As IGIHE visited the construction site recently towards the end of May, workers on the Rwandan side were working tirelessly to have it completed the soonest possible.

Tarmac roads on Rwanda side have already been completed as efforts to make them green, planting grasses along the road sides are underway.

Buildings are also in final phases as workers are currently painting and doing other light works.

At the time, construction works stood at 96% on Rwanda side.

Gatuna border post project is expected to be completed at a cost of Rwf 15 billion.

Despite these efforts on Rwandan side, Uganda is not putting in much effort in the project.

By the time IGIHE visited the border recently, no works were being executed on the side of Uganda expect cattle seen grazing around the project’s premises with the presence of old structures.

The construction of some buildings has also stalled while no tarmac road has been built.

The two-day visit aims at promoting bilateral relations.

According to communiqué from the Gabonese Presidency, the visit is an opportunity for the two Heads of State to examine the state of the bilateral cooperation and relations between the two countries and to develop prospects for the future.

They are also expected to discuss development of their sub-regions and the continent.

President Ali Bongo is the Chair of Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) while President Kagame is the chairing East African Community (EAC) since February 2019.

Gabon is among 44 countries that signed the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECA) at the Extraordinary Summit of the African Union held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2018, which will enter into force next July in Niger, at the next summit of this organization.

The President of the Republic of Rwanda is the sixth guest of honor in 48 hours to be received by the Head of State of Gabon the day after the commemorative ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the demise of Omar Bongo Ondimba.

President Ali Bongo Ondimba was in Rwanda last on 13th February 2018 on one day working visit.

At the time, both Heads of State held discussions focusing on cooperation between both countries and regional security. They also discussed on reforms of ECCAS to which both countries are members.

Rwanda and Gabon signed cooperation agreements in 1976 that were revised in 2010.