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Macron is one of the 40 heads of State and Government and 84 delegations who are gathered at the ongoing Summit of La Francophonie in Yerevan, Armenia.

In a short interview with IGIHE, President Macron has emphasized his support for Mushikiwabo’s Candidacy, where he described himself as ”a determined and careful boy” and that he stood on his earlier position on Mushikiwabo’s candidacy.

While meeting President Kagame at the Élysée Palace in May 2018, Macron said that today’s centre of the La Francophonie is in Africa. He said that there was a need to change La Francophonie into a successful organization and assure that Africa will own the organization.

“I have a conviction that I cannot hide that if there is an African candidate to the Secretary General of La Francophonie, it will make sense. If that candidate is a woman it will surely make more sense. On that post I believe that the Foreign Affairs Minister of Rwanda, Louise Mushikiwabo has enough competence to effectively exercise that function,” Macron said adding that having an African candidate from African Union will be good news.

Mushikiwabo is standing against incumbent secretary Michaëlle Jean in the run for OIF’s Secretary General Position.

Other heads of state and government are also expected in Yerevan.

The two-day summit starts on Thursday. Two candidates, Louise Mushikiwabo and Michaëlle Jean are the only ones facing off.

Michaëlle Jean has been chairing this organisation for four years after she was elected in Dakar, Senegal in 2014. She is the first woman to lead this organisation ever since it was founded.

She is facing off with Louise Mushikiwabo whose candidacy is supported by many countries as well as the African Union (AU).

Mushikiwabo gained hand upper after Canada and Quebec endorsed her candidacy.

The International Organisation of La Francophonie was created in 1970. Its mission is to embody the active solidarity between its 84 member states and governments (58 members and 26 observers), which together represent over one-third of the United Nations’ member states and account for a population of over 900 million people, including 274 million French speakers.

IOF organises political activities and actions of multilateral cooperation that benefit French-speaking populations. Its actions respect cultural and linguistic diversity and serve to promote the French language, peace and sustainable development.

Rwanda has been OIF country member since 1970. OIF figures in 2014 indicate that 274 million people speak French.

“Canada is ready to join the consensus, as the way to do in the Francophonie,” said Tuesday evening Jeremy Ghio, the press secretary of the Canadian Minister of La Francophonie, Mélanie Joly, in an e-mail addressed to the media.

Canadian officials reviewed delegations present in Yerevan, ahead of the Summit of Heads of State scheduled to begin Thursday, October 11, and concluded that the chances of re-election of Michaëlle Jean were too low.

“After analysis and taking into account the emerging African consensus at the Francophonie Summit in Yerevan, the Prime Minister-designate of Quebec, Mr. François Legault, announces that he will not support the renewal of the mandate of Mrs. Michaëlle Jean to the position of Secretary General of the Francophonie, “says the cabinet of the Quebec premier in a statement.

Newly-elected Quebec premier François Legault, announced government’s withdrawal’s via his twitter wall.

“I announce to you that the elected government of the CAQ will not support Mrs. Jean for her re-election at the head of the OIF. We will join the African consensus which is full of potential. Now is the time to give way to a new style of management,” reads the Premier’s tweet

Until recently, Jean had the support of Canada and Quebec, now with the change in events, the appointment of Louise Mushikiwabo by the French-speaking heads of state, on Friday, October 12 in Yerevan, now appears as a mere formality.

Habineza was unopposed and garnered 100% vote of the parliament (78 out of 78).

He said after his victory that, “Together with others we shall work hard to advocate for the well-being of Rwandans.”

He told parliament that he has worked in different domains to uphold well-being of citizens, like in Rotaract Club where he was involved in collecting clothes and other stuff to give to people in hospitals and villages.

He has also has run a project to help genocide survivor widows of Avega in Kigali and partly worked with the Red Cross Rwanda.

“With my education in military and security studies, I did a part in human security, which makes aware of human security problems like flooding, poor housing and many more,” he told said Tuesday evening after his election.

Having been a presidential candidate and “committed to up-lifting the well-being of all Rwandans, they were glad and voted me,” he said.

The conversation which took place in a cordial atmosphere reviewed the characterizations of Ingabire’s conviction as “political”, and references to others as “political prisoners”, according to a statement released by RIB.

“Ingabire applied for and received a conditional commutation of the remainder of her sentence, but her conviction by the Supreme Court still stands,” reads the statement.

Ms Ingabire replied that she was acting based on poor advice and ignorance of the law, and committed to abide by the law going forward, and to clarify her position on these matters.

“Failure to do so would trigger appropriate legal action,” reads the statement.

Ingabire also disclosed that she does not have control of all of the social media accounts operating in her name. She re-iterated her readiness to contribute to the peaceful development of the country. She stated that arrangements are being made for her children to come visit her through the “Come and See, Go and Tell” program.

On release, individual entities and different people on social media welcomed the high court’s decision including the European Union.

Their release was somewhat given a different interpretation especially by those who relate their imprisonment to political reasons.

In a statement by the European Union President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels said that Rwanda’s decision can only be commended.

“I warmly welcome the release on bail of human rights defender Diane Rwigara and her mother Adeline Rwigara by the High Court. It is a positive development that is part of a larger process that can only be commended,” the statement reads.

It also says that the European Union will continue to support Rwanda in its efforts to promote fundamental freedoms.

On Twitter, the State Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Evode Uwizeyimana said that nothing so unusual happened in Rwanda’s justice that it deserved praise.

“The decision is part of the usual work of any criminal justice system Mr.! Rwanda does not need to be congratulated for having released people accused of crimes on bail. This is a sovereignty function. Nothing special!.” he tweeted.

Diane Rwigara is accused of faking the registration papers for the election and inciting public insurrection.

Her mother, Adeline Rwigara is also facing charges of inciting insurrection and promoting sectarianism.

The Fund was launched with Rwf14 million by University of Rwanda Alumni Association to help the 55 year old alma mater in its progress and especially help it’s vulnerable students.

It coincided with the celebration of 5 years of existence of the University of Rwanda from the former National University of Rwanda, which later merged with six other public.

In an interview with IGIHE, Dr Charles Murigande the UR Deputy Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, said that this Fund was established to attract support from the university alumni and friends towards the livelihoods of vulnerable students.

“We have the saddest cases. A student scores high grades, wants to do courses in line with what the government needs to strengthen, and approved sponsorship by High Education Commission because they belong to a certain Ubudehe category. However, the student fails to study because of failing to raise Rwf60,000 for admission.”

Other than paying for their registration fees, the University will also help them to pay for accommodation. Some students sponsored by government are not able to pay for accommodation when the monthly stipend delays.

Dr Muligande says that the government pays for health insurance for the parents of the students belonging to the first ubudehe category but still, they are also unable to pay for their children’s registration fees.

The Fund will also support self-sponsored students to pay for school tuition fees especially those that cannot immediately meet raised fees.

In future, with enough funds, UR will use part of the fund to infrastructures such as laboratory rooms.

The president of the University of Rwanda Alumni Association Dr Faustin Nteziryayo called on those who graduated from UR to contribute to its development.

“What I may tell this university’s alumni is especially that they may feel compelled to contribute something to the school that raised and gave them the knowledge they tap to develop themselves.”

The presiding judge said that in previous proceedings, the accused requested bail because they found no reason why they would attend trial in jail. Before, it was said that they might interfere with investigations which have now been completed.

Prosecution had contended that the application for bail was submitted in late as trial had begun contrary to the law and that if released, the accused may evade justice.

The judge however ruled that anyone has the right to apply for bail and that the Rwigaras did so on time.

He said that the investigations are complete and they will therefore not interfere with the same. He also said that nothing proves that when they are released, the accused may continue committing crimes and they’re still considered innocent.

The Rwigaras have been ordered to hand their travel documents to the prosecutor.