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  • Minister Mushikiwabo Receives Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs

    {{The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Rwanda, Louise Mushikiwabo, received H.E Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium.}}

    According to Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Discussions between the two Ministers focused on the crisis in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and bilateral cooperation between Rwanda and Belgium, where they agreed to enhance cooperation vis-à-vis investment sector and other various sectors in order to enhance development and keep close the already existing relationship.

    “Rwanda is a very important partner in development” said Reynders.

    After discussions, Minister Louise Mushikiwabo and Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Reynders hosted a joint press conference with local and international media.

    Reynders told press that the important part of his visit, and the discussions along, was dedicated to the situation in the Region, especially in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Crisis in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Aid suspension to Rwanda and violence acts against Rwandans by some Congolese people in Belgium are the most subjects which dominated the press conference.

    Belgian Foreign Minister Reynders said that blaming Rwanda for supporting DRC is not the best solution.

    “It is not the best way to blame one country. But we have to put pressure on all the partners – the Congo, the neighbouring countries, the international community – and now it is urgent to take to the floor [at the UN] for a solution”.

    He said that the task to guarantee a real integrity of DRC is not only from Congo but also from all partners. “We urge all the partners to take any necessary measures to stop the violence” said Reynders.

    He further said he was praised to listen from President Paul Kagame and Minister Mushikiwabo on Rwanda’s commitment and will to participate in stability and peace process in the region.

    Mushikiwabo explained that what happens to M23, or any other rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo, is much more a decision of DRC and the region not a decision of Rwanda.

    “If DRC decides to go a certain way and the region thinks it is the appropriate way of course Rwanda will support it. But Rwanda has no decision to make on behalf of DRC.” Said Minister MUSHIKIWABO.

    The visiting Belgian minister also spoke about recent incidents involving Rwandans in Belgium who have repeatedly been attacked by Congolese nationals, and have faulted Brussels for not doing enough to stop the violence.

    The latest such incident took place on Saturday, with reports indicating that another Rwandan was attacked and reportedly stabbed in the abdomen.

    “We have organised all possible activities for proper prosecution. It is unacceptable – we have the police, the logistics and we will do what it takes,” Reynders noted.

    The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European affairs H.E Didier Reynders, and his delegation visited the Democratic Republic of Congo before coming to Rwanda via Rubavu border town which Rwanda shares with DRC.

    He also visited displaced Congolese Refugees in Nkamira transit Centre in Rubavu district.

  • Trial of Chad’s former Leader Hissene Habre to Start 2012

    {{The Senegalese government says it intends to start proceedings against Chad’s former leader Hissene Habre before the end of 2012.}}

    Under the deal signed August 22 between Senegal and African Union, an African magistrate will preside over the special court in Senegal and will be assisted by two Senegalese judges.

    “We are one step closer to justice today,” said Alioune Tine, president of the Dakar-based African Assembly for the Defense of Human Rights (RADDHO).

    “We’re counting on Senegal and the African Union to move quickly now and to begin Habre’s trial before even more survivors die.”

    “Through the agreement, we are setting the procedure by which the trial should take place,” said Senegal’s Justice Minister Aminata Toure after signing the agreement with African Union representative Robert Dossou in the capital, Dakar.

    “There are no more obstacles. We are going to start recruiting judges”, she added.

    The International Court of Justice ruled on July 21 that Senegal had breached its international obligations by failing to make immediately a preliminary inquiry into the facts relating to the crimes allegedly committed by Hissène Habré.

    According to the ruling, Senegal must “without further delay, submit the case of Mr. Hissène Habré to its competent authorities for the purpose of prosecution, if it does not extradite him”. The court’s ruling was legally binding.

  • Agaciro Development Fund Launched

    {{About Frw1.2 Billion was raised for Agaciro Development during the official launch on 23rd August. }}

    The fund aims at galvanizing Rwandans to take a more active role in National development and this should be thought in the sense of long term solution.

    President Paul Kagame noted that Rwandans should draw strength to consolidate their progress by taking polite way to fortify them.

    “We the leaders are like shock absorbers,we cushion Rwandans from suffering the consequences of harmful actions. It’s our duty,” said Kagame.

    To donate to Agaciro Development fund SMS test ‘Agaciro [space] 500’ to ‘2020’ using any mobile network and donate RWF500 to the AgaciroFund.

    During the occasion the finance Minister Rwangombwa says the AgaciroFund which starts 23rd August, will live on until Rwandans have achieved the dev’t they want and have financial autonomy.

    Rwangombwa added that achievements of the Agaciro Fund will be presented annually in the Umushyikirano adding that specific projects to be financed by the fund will be clearly earmarked in the national budget.

    Minister John Rwangombwa said that AgaciroFund was not meant to replace aid, explaining it’s supposed to supplement other sources of funds to expedite progress.

    “The priority is to contribute to the socio-economic prosperity of Rwandans and accelerate Rwanda’s financial autonomy,”Said Rwangombwa.

    He explained that the fund will allow flexible voluntary contribution by all Rwandans as well as international friends.

    The Prime Minister Damien Habumuremyi revealed that significant achievements were made during 2011/2012 contracts of performance.

    The Premier said Ministries achieved their targets by 81% whereas districts achieved set goals by 89, 5% on average.

    As results showed best performing Districts including; Kicukiro, Kamonyi, and Bugesera. Kicukiro scored 95.5% of performance, Kamonyi 95.1%, and Bugesera 94%

    Among top ten districts include; Huye (93pc), Nyamasheke(93.1%) ,Burera(92.9%),Ngoma(92.8%),Gisagara(92.2%),Gatsibo (92%) ,Nyarugenge(91.7%) Nyanza,Musanze ,Gicumbi ,Nyaruguru ,Rusizi,Rwamagana,Gasabo&Rutsiro lag behind but scored relatively well at 82% in executing targets.

    Ministries achieved 81% of their Imihigo in 2011, a 9% improvement from 2010.

    The Premier said that Embassies delivered 72% of targets they set for themselves last year; the first time they signed performance contracts
    Prime Minister Dr. Habumuremyi presented the 2012/2013 contracts of performance where he noted that among this year’s Government priorities there will be to increase of ATMs, enhancing tourism, widening the tax base and infrastructure development.

    He said “This year additional 52 Mega Watts will be generated and 90,000 families will be connected to electricity.”

    He added that Rwanda is targeting 55% mobile phone penetration in 2012/2013, 12% internet penetration and 30% access to TV.

    In The education sector the Premier said this year, the government will provide 30.000 laptops to children and 10 000 computers in 12YBE.

    Public universities will be emerged in one university as a way of improving education in Rwanda.

    “Rwanda is targeting a 15% increase in remittances from Rwandans abroad from last year’s usd 166 million to 190.” Said Habumuremyi.

    In commerce, the target was to ensure growth in tea exports from 23,000 tonnes in 2010/11 to 26,000 tones in 2011/12.

    In the health sector, two new district hospitals will be built in Kirehe, Kinihira plus 5 new health centers in different districts.

    Local government Minister James Musoni highlights key sectors that imihigo will focus on: service delivery,agriculture,access to clean water and electricity while at the same time strengthening of good governance, fight against corruption and improved service delivery r at the heart of next Imihigo.

    Throughout presentations, Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said Rwanda Embassies from Belgium and Netherlands are committed 2 teach kinyarwanda & Rwandan culture in general .

    Minister Mushikiwabo added that 24 Rwandan Embassies continue to promote our country abroad, bring investments & enhance Rwanda’s image

  • Malawi, Tanzania Disagree on Lake Malawi Ownership

    {{Although Tanzania and Malawi have recently said that they wouldn’t resort to war to solve the lake Malawi ownership crisis, the two neighbours have failed to agree on ownership of the lake with Malawi insisting it owns it 100%.}}

    During eight days of Malawi and Tanzania boarder diplomatic discussions that ended on Saturday in Malawi’s capital Lilongwe, no agreement was attained thus stalling, forcing the high-level government representatives to pursue, further, the misunderstanding from September 10, 2012 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

    This was expressed at a news Conference, Saturday, in a communiqué that was produced and signed by Malawi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ephraim Mganda Chiume and Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Bernard Kamilia Membe respectively, at the end of the meeting at Bingu International Conference Centre in Lilongwe, Malawi.

    “After signing a communiqué which was produced from the discussions that representatives of both Malawi and Tanzania discussed, we are happy to announce to the media and all those who are concerned with the boarder misunderstanding issue, that we had a peaceful diplomatic negotiations in our meeting.

    “We have finally agreed to meet again on September 10, 2012 in Dar es Laam in Tanzania to continue our discussions,” reads the Communiqué.

    The meeting also agreed to allow attorney generals of the two countries to evaluate the 1890 treaty which determined the border of the lake.

    Highlighting what transpired at the meeting, Membe initially said he took the meeting as ‘very historic,’ emphasizing, “that was evidenced by having high-level officials of the two neighbouring countries engaged physically in the boarder misunderstanding between Malawi and Tanzania.”

    Minister Membe said:”The only thing I can say here is that we had good and peaceful discussions since Saturday, August 20, 2012 here in Malawi covering concerns of the two parties (Malawi and Tanzania boarder misunderstanding or disagreements.

    “I thank all the officials and representatives of the two countries to this meeting. They made our discussions easy to follow and so focused, as they worked with dedication day and night, to the extent that some of them slept late at dawn.

    “However our differences still remained unresolved, we need to go ahead with this meeting. We have agreed to meet in Tanzania from September 10 to 14, 2012,” said Membe.

    He emphatically said they should handle the Malawi and Tanzania boarder issue with a degree of diplomacy, adding that as such the media fraternity should cover the misunderstanding with a sense of fairness, responsibility and ‘ especially avoiding being provocative’.

    “We want to ensure that the people of the two neighbouring countries continue living in peace,” said Minister Membe

    He hinted that exploration activities on the border areas that were affected in the misunderstanding should discontinue, adding that they should be stalled until the Dar es Salaam meeting reached conclusion.

    Taking his turn, Chiume disclosed that the meeting was a follow up of a similar meeting the representatives of the two countries initially held in Tanzania on July 27, 2012.

    He explained that before they arrived at the signing of the communiqué in Lilongwe Saturday, August 25, 2012 they started meeting at Mzuzu Hotel on Saturday, August 20, 2012, in the Northern Region.

    Chiume said the boarder misunderstanding had existed for over 50 years, adding that it was important for the two neighbouring countries to arrive at an agreement, amicably, for people of both countries to continue undertaking their trading activities peacefully.

    “This issue has been there for 50 years, even during the time of late President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania.

    “If we take long time solving this issue diplomatically, the people of the two countries would be negatively affected. So we need to speed up the process of solving it,” appealed Malawi Minister Chiume
    He said he hoped when they meet in Tanzania in September the misunderstanding would be left to rest.

    “I hope when we meet in Tanzania in September we put the matter to rest for good and forever,” he said.

    The Malawi and Tanzania boarder issue has resurfaced as Malawi government engaged a company from Britain this year to explore on Lake Malawi and see if there were oil deposits.

    The scenario had forced President Mrs Joyce Banda of Malawi to hold tete a tete (one on one ) closed meeting during the 32nd Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit , which was held from 17th to 18th August, 2012 in Maputo, Mozambique.

    MNA

  • Kenya: 10 year old delivers twins in Kisumu after rape from HIV+ father

    Sunday, August 26, 2012 – A 10 year old class four pupil at a public school in Kisumu is alleged to have delivered twins at a local hospital in the area. The girl is said to have been impregnated by her father who has been using her as his wife after her mother died.

    The young girl has been a subject of ridicule by other children in the area as she stopped going to school to deliver her babies first. Neighbors said that the girl declined to confide in them on the man responsible for her pregnancy when they discovered she was expectant.

    According to a neighbor the family of three lives in poverty and the father works as a construction worker. Since the death of her mother who died out of HIV related illnesses; the girl only identified as Akinyi has been supporting her siblings by doing all the chores at home and being a mother figure.

    The neighbors suspected the father to be responsible but had no proof until she went into labor and they forced her to say who the father of her child was. To their shock and amazement Akinyi confided in them that her father was responsible. [Click to read more->http://www.kenyan-post.com/2012/08/shocking-10-year-old-delivers-twins-in.html]

    {{Kenyan Post}}

  • Belgium Pledges Support to Congolese Refugees in Rwanda

    {{The Belgium Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders has said that his government will continue to support Congolese refugees currently in Rwanda.}}

    He noted that Belgium support to Congolese refugees will be channeled through international organizations working in Rwanda.

    Reynders pledged the support August 25, while visiting refugees at Nkamira refugee camp in Rwanda. He commended Rwanda for the support given to congolese refugees.

    The Belgian diplomat was shown around the camp including support facilities especially water, electricity health center and other basic services provided by the Rwandan government.

    Congolese refugees at the camp recounted to Reynders how they were mistreated by Congolese forces and other pro government militia that forced them out of their land and property just because they are Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese.

  • Ludacris Teams Up with Daughter on New Website

    {{Ludacris is a polite kind of fellow. Yes, he’s a rapper who’s aggressive vocal delivery dominates a good party track, but he’s got incredible home training.}}

    The rapper and actor—he’s currently in London filming Fast 6—took a quick break from shooting to talk about his latest production: he teamed up with his 10 year-old daughter, Karma to create www.karmasworld.com, an interactive, educational site filled with games, lesson plans and music.

    The site was originally launched in December, but the two are re-launching it this month and putting 11 new songs and artwork on it just in time for the new school year.

    The Atlanta-based rapper also is preparing to release a new studio album—likely on his 35th birthday next month—but this day, he asked if the focus of the EBONY.com interview could be on his daughter’s project. (But he promised he’d talk new Luda music with us soon.)

    Since he was so polite—and used please and thank-you—we obliged.

    EBONY: {{What was the genesis for the website?}}

    {{Ludacris:}} The whole thing came about because my daughter followed me into the studio, like even when she was way younger, and as time progressed she continued wanting to seem to pursue something in music.

    Basically what happened was she kept saying she wanted to do it and I said, ‘Well, if you want to record music you have to talk about what’s going on in your life and that was basically education and school, where it came from.’

    And she actually did all 20 songs that are on the website right now. I’m an extremely proud father, especially that she’s an entrepreneur at the age of 10 right now.

    EBONY: {{Guessing it’s in her DNA, this whole music business?}}

    {{Ludacris:}} You know, you can’t deny the DNA. I guess that’s what it is, because I definitely didn’t force her into doing this!

    EBONY: {{It’s educational based, but does that mean that she kind of has this hunger to follow dad in his footsteps? And does she have your blessing to do that if so?}}

    {{Ludacris:}} We’re just experimenting and making sure that she gets an early start on certain things that she loves and what she’s passionate about. So that’s my goal.

    But I think we’re helping out kids worldwide and everybody that clicks on the site, because it’s just a new way of learning and I feel… like it’s always revolutionizing education.

    Honestly, it’s really just about giving back and this is just something that we started on my own and I’m just, again, trying to give kids a new way to learn.

    LUDACRIS (Christopher Bridges) and daughter Karma

    EBONY: {{ Did you have consultants that helped you guys put it together?}}

    {{Ludacris:}} I had a creative team, and we just came up with all the subject matter, especially since the anti-bully campaign going on and we just … we wanted to make sure that we were being a voice for kids worldwide and address a lot of issues, and at the same time we have songs on there about hygiene and eating healthy, about the importance of working hard and the importance of telling the truth and not lies.

    So I think it’ll surprise people, the subject matters that are on here. And that’s basically what we were going for.

    EBONY: {{Does that mean your daughter’s a really sharp student?}}

    {{Ludacris}}: Man, she’s a good student, but her listening to her own songs is helping her to improve and I think that’s the greatest example of how this can help every kid in the world.

    EBONY: {{Kind of a different project for a rapper to get into, yes?}}

    {{Ludacris}}: Yeah, but there aren’t but so many options of what kids and parents can listen to these days, and I think I have created something that is educational and fun at the same time.

    I think it’s about really riding to school, driving your kids home from school, whether they have their own iPad, iPhone, you know, iPod, they have an album to listen to and I think parents will feel great about it because they’re listening to catchy songs, but they’re getting educated at the same time.

    So that’s why I always say it’s revolutionizing education.

    EBONY: {{How does this inspire you as a musician?}}

    {{Ludacris:}} My daughter inspires me, first and foremost. So I think that just goes into the fact of her being a young entrepreneur at the age of 10, me seeing her on her game and promote her own site.

    {{EBONY Magazine}}

  • Muhanga: More Murder Suspects Arrested

    {{Muhanga district Mayor Mutakwasuku Yvonne has said that two people have been arrested in connection with killings that had been reported in the district in the previous weeks.

    Two men were arrested Friday in Remera, Nyamabuye sector. One of the suspects was arrested after stealing a resident, a telephone and money worth Frw 3000. Another suspect had already broken a window to a kiosk in the area.

    District authorities say the men arrested were responsible for causing insecurity in the area and violently murdering over 11 residents with machetes.}}

  • 80 Arrested Over Fake Currency

    {{Over 80 people in Rwamagana district are under detention found in possession with counterfeited Rwandan currency notes.

    The arrests were made on August 22 during a police operation in the district where money worth Frw 400000 was seized.

    Police Spokesperson Supt. Theos Badege urged citizens to remain alert and be careful about the fake currency in circulation.}}

  • Somalia Cabinet Ready to Hand Over Power to New Government

    {{Somalia Cabinet led by Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali held a meeting in the capital Mogadishu on Saturday and agreed to allow a smooth transition of power to a new government.}}

    During the meeting, they also discussed completion of transition process and current political issues including forthcoming presidential and speaker’s election, saying the polls would signify democracy.

    “We are also looking forward to an equally democratic progression running up to the election of a new president of Somalia,” they said in a press statement.

    Prof Ali commended the cabinet members for ensuring a smooth end to the transition period and hailed their commitment to the process.

    He stressed that his cabinet will smoothly hand over power to the new president.

    “My government is ready to hand over power to a new Federal Government when formed,” he said.

    According to a roadmap agreed on by the main political groupings in Somalia, the term of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) ended on August 20 with the establishment of a federal parliament, which replaced the transitional federal parliament that served for eight years.

    The members of the new parliament are expected to elect a president; the contestants include the incumbent TFG President, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and parliamentary Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden.

    The outcome of the envisaged election will culminate in a process that transforms TFG into a permanent government after more than two decades of chaos and anarchy in the Horn of Africa country.