The project has a total cost of US$41 million and will be co-financed by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and the government of Rwanda…reports Asian Lite News
The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is providing a US$18 million loan to the government of Rwanda to support the “Nyacyonga–Mukoto Road Project”, helping to improve living standards and economic livelihoods in the country. The project has a total cost of US$41 million and will be co-financed by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and the government of Rwanda.
Uzziel Ndagijimana, Minister of Finance of Rwanda, and OPEC Fund Director-General Abdulhamid Alkhalifa signed the agreement at a meeting during the Sustainable Energy for All Forum, a global gathering focused on energy taking place in Kigali. OPEC Fund Director-General Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “We are proud to have partnered with Rwanda for decades, promoting socio-economic development and support key sectors as infrastructure, agriculture and the financial sector. Our new loan will further contribute to Rwanda’s sustainable development agenda and its efforts to achieve its ambitious 2050 Vision, which sets a strategic direction to lead the country to the living standards of high income countries by 2050.”
The Nyacyonga–Mukoto route, currently a 36km gravel road, connects two major national paved roads from the northern part of the capital Kigali to the northern provinces. Upgrading the road will increase connectivity, promote economic livelihoods particularly agriculture, agro-industries, mining and tourism sectors.
Rwanda is a land-locked and densely populated country in East Africa. Regional integration and international trade are key to support economic activity and sustainable economic growth. To date, the OPEC Fund has provided around US$ 285 million in financing for over 30 projects supporting key sectors in Rwanda.
Home Secretary Priti Patel will sign the £120 million agreement for a “migration and economic development partnership” in Kigali, the capital of land-locked Rwanda on Thursday
The government is expected to sign a deal to send male asylum seekers who cross the English Channel in small boats to Rwanda while their claims are processed in Britain.
Home Secretary Priti Patel will sign the £120 million agreement for a “migration and economic development partnership” in Kigali, the capital of land-locked Rwanda on Thursday, according to the Times newspaper. It said the cost would be funded by UK taxpayers. There was no immediate response from Rwanda.
Crossing the Channel in small boats will also be made a crime, and those who are allowed to stay will have to live in strictly-controlled camp-like environments while their cases are considered, the paper said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is under renewed pressure after being fined by police for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules at a number of parties in his office, is also set to announce new plans to tackle people-smuggling gangs and increase UK operations in the Channel.
Critics say Johnson is trying to divert attention from his own behaviour amid calls for his resignation over the repeated lockdown breaches.
Last year, more than 28,000 people crossed from Europe to the UK, many in small dinghies.
“Before Christmas 27 people drowned, and in the weeks ahead there may be many more losing their lives at sea, and whose bodies may never be recovered,” Johnson will say according to his office. “Around 600 came across the Channel yesterday. In just a few weeks this could again reach a thousand a day.”
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street
Johnson is expected to announce a “long-term plan for asylum”, according to his office.
Having “control” of the UK’s borders was the rallying cry for the ‘No’ campaign in the divisive 2016 referendum on whether the country should stay in the European Union.
In January, British media said that the government planned to deploy the navy in charge of efforts to deal with the Channel crossings. The sea, which is also busy with commercial shipping, is about 34km across at its narrowest point, and most of the small boats attempt the crossing in the northern summer when the weather is better.
News of the scheme quickly drew derision from the Opposition as well as refugee advocates, including the Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, who told the BBC it would not work.
“I really worry that this is not the right way to treat asylum seekers. We have an international duty under the Refugee Convention to look after asylum-seekers well. They are big issues. They’ve got to tackled and I don’t think this is the way to do it,” he said.
“I remain to be convinced that it’s going to be deterrent in any way.”
Human rights campaigners have described the Government’s plan as “barbaric”, “cowardly” “shockingly ill-conceived”.
Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, said that the African nation had a “dismal human rights record”.
In a statement to the PA news agency, Valdez-Symonds said: “Sending people to another country – let alone one with such a dismal human rights record – for asylum ‘processing’ is the very height of irresponsibility and shows how far removed from humanity and reality the Government now is on asylum issues. The Government is already wrecking our asylum system at huge cost to the taxpayer while causing terrible anxiety to the people stuck in the backlogs it has created. But this shockingly ill-conceived idea will go far further in inflicting suffering while wasting huge amounts of public money.”
The East African Community (EAC) on Thursday commemorated 28 years of the 1994 Rwanda genocide by laying wreaths as a tribute to the more than one million innocent lives lost through the genocide….reports Asian Lite News
A statement by the EAC headquarters in Tanzania’s northern city of Arusha said the wreaths were laid at the commemoration monument at the EAC gardens.
The event brought together a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including representatives from various religious groups, the East African Business Council, the United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, students from different universities and secondary schools in Arusha and the EAC staff, said the statement.
Peter Mathuki, the EAC secretary general
“As we commemorate for the 28th time, it is important to reaffirm the fundamental truth that we are all created equal, and we have certain undeniable rights that include the right to life and no one has the right to take it away as it was done 28 years ago from the innocent men and women of Rwanda,” said Peter Mathuki, the EAC secretary-general.
“I want once again wish to reiterate our commitment as EAC secretariat that the Community will continue to ensure the genocide vice is uprooted from our region, through discussions and reflections on the dangers of genocide ideology and its denial,” he said.
“With the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda, the entire humanity was put to test and the sanity of human nature was put into serious doubts,” said John Mongella, the Arusha regional commissioner.
Rwandan President criticizes “coverup” over 1994 genocide
Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Thursday slammed countries covering up acts of the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, as Rwandans marked the 28th anniversary of the massacres.
Kagame made the remarks at Kigali Genocide Memorial, final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the genocide, in the capital city Kigali.
Kagame said that some of the genocide perpetrators and accomplices roam freely in different countries.
“The very reasons that we suffered and endured, is the reason, they cannot give us peace, they want to cover up their responsibility, silence when the millions of people in Rwanda needed them to speak out, speak up and come to their help,” Kagame said.
He reminded the audience that the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) restrained itself from revenging against the genocide perpetrators.
Kagame also told off those questioning Rwanda’s justice system the basis of which some countries are reluctant to extradite genocide suspects to Kigali.
“We are a small country but we are big on justice and some of those are big and powerful countries but they are very small on justice,” he said.
“They have no lessons to teach anyone because they are part of this history that saw over a million of our people perish. They are the cause and Rwandans just executed, killed their fellow Rwandans,” said Kagame.
More than 1,000 Rwanda genocide suspects are still at large in regional countries and overseas, according to Rwanda’s Genocide Fugitives Tracking Unit.
The Rwandan leader also criticized “powering countries” for blocking channels to voices of truth in the face of falsehood about Rwanda and the genocide.
Earlier, the president along with the first lady Jeannette Kagame as well as other dignitaries laid wreaths at the memorial, before lighting the flame of remembrance to mark the start of the genocide mourning week.
Some Rwandans said they still felt emotional while recalling the massacres, which marked the darkest page of the country’s history.
“My thoughts are with our beloved ones, 1 million victims of genocide against Tutsi. Our sorrow cannot be cured. I remember the anxiety, fear, humiliation, and suffering. But our heartache is lessened by the choice we made to raise our kids in a Rwanda free of discrimination,” said Diane Gashumba, Rwanda’s Ambassador to Sweden.
“It is really painful experience recalling that dark past. I was just a kid when the genocide happened and it left a dent on my life. The memories of the massacres are still fresh like it happened yesterday in my hometown in Nyamata,” a survivor who identified herself only as Jeannette told Xinhua.
Naphtal Ahishakiye, the executive secretary of the umbrella body of genocide survivors’ organizations (IBUKA), said genocide denial remains a concern requiring international collaboration.
“There is need for collaboration to stop genocide denial through relevant legislation. Besides, all genocide fugitives need to be prosecuted,” Ahishakiye said.
This year’s genocide commemoration is observed under the theme “Remember, Unite and Renew.” Throughout the mourning week, the Rwandan flag will be flying at half-mast in honor of the victims.
Rwandans gathered in their respective villages to commemorate genocide where a wide range of discussions on national unity, reconciliation and prevention of genocide ideology and revisionism were held.
After national mourning week, genocide commemoration activities will continue until July 4 to mark the 100-day calamity, during which over one million people, mainly Tutsi and moderate Hutus were killed.
Perpetrators included extremists from Hutu ethnic group and Interahamwe, the youth wing of the then ruling party.
Defense and police forces also participated and this challenged efforts of the Tutsi who, in some areas, had tried to resist traditional weapons of the killers.
UAE-driven initiative improves healthcare for rural Rwandans
More than 80% of Rwanda’s population lives in rural areas where the mountainous terrain makes accessing distant health facilities a true challenge…reports Asian Lite News
Continuing to extend its support to rural communities in Africa, Beyond2020, the UAE-driven humanitarian initiative, has recently reached Rwanda offering critical access to healthcare services to a rural population of 20,000 people. The deployment aims to bring sustainable and affordable primary care to Rwanda’s Nyaruguru and Rubavu districts, which lag behind the rest of the country in terms of health access and outcomes.
Following in the footsteps of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Beyond2020 – launched by the Zayed Sustainability Prize in partnership with several leading organisations – aims to further his humanitarian legacy by donating sustainable technologies and solutions to vulnerable communities around the world. Rwanda marks the 11th deployment of the initiative, which will continue to offer life-transforming interventions to a broader number of beneficiaries worldwide, providing tech for good and fostering development that is inclusive and sustainable.
UAE-driven initiative improves healthcare for rural Rwandans
Hazza Mohammed Al Qahtani, UAE Ambassador to Rwanda, said, “The UAE is proud to support critical access to healthcare in Rwanda through its humanitarian initiative, Beyond2020. Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic has been the greatest test for healthcare globally. Expanding access to robust and resilient healthcare systems is of pivotal importance in managing the post-COVID-19 recovery, especially when it comes to overcoming service disruptions.”
Al Qahtan added, “In recognition of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee, the nation is now driving forward its 10 Principles for the next 50 years under the guidance and directives of the UAE’s wise leadership. One of the principles prioritises foreign humanitarian aid as an essential part of the UAE’s vision, inspired by the ambitions of our Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed, to help international communities achieve sustainable economic and social development.”
Emmanuel Hategeka, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the UAE said, “Universal access to health care is one of Rwanda’s top priorities. We value the intervention by Beyond2020 and its partners which aligns directly with the Rwanda Government’s ongoing efforts to increase access to a more modern and world-class health apparatus for its people.”
Known as the land of 1,000 hills, more than 80% of Rwanda’s population lives in rural areas where the mountainous terrain makes accessing distant health facilities a true challenge. While Rwanda is recognised globally as a leader in improving health services through its successful adoption of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), community access to primary care remains a barrier to continued progress. With poor access causing people to seek healthcare later and less often, preventable, and treatable illnesses can become life-threatening in remote rural settings.
Reducing the distance between patients and health centres can significantly increase the use of health services and improve key health outcomes. Identifying rural access to healthcare as a priority, Rwanda’s Ministry of Health (MoH) has signed a public-private partnership agreement with One Family Health (OFH), a leading global non-profit organisation and a Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020 finalist under the ‘Health’ category, to establish 500 clinics in rural communities and 156 clinics have already been opened to date.
The clinics operate on a mobile health system (mHealth) that enables nurses to manage service data and patient records electronically allowing for more efficient clinic operations. One Family Health leverages contributions from multiple government agencies and private partners and harnesses entrepreneurial principles to deliver primary care through franchised clinics in underserved areas. The franchised clinics provide an opportunity to experienced nurses to become entrepreneurs, while offering basic preventive and curative primary care services that address the key drivers of community illness, such as acute respiratory infections, malaria, and diarrheal disease.
As the international community prepares to take stock of climate action efforts against the backdrop of national and regional recovery plans, the expanded humanitarian outreach of Beyond2020 continues to be crucial in alleviating the challenges of some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), a partner of the initiative said, “The Beyond2020 initiative directly aligns with ADFD’s mission to provide strategic financial support and other tools that help strengthen capacity and build self-sufficiency for developing countries to achieve high priority economic and social development objectives while advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals. This new project in Rwanda is an excellent example of the tangible impacts on people’s lives by giving them access to universal healthcare through medical clinics in rural communities.”
Through this deployment, four clinics have been established in disadvantaged communities, while four nurses have been empowered and trained in business management and 12 new jobs have been created to support operations across the four businesses. The clinics also provide direct surveillance, screening, and referral of any suspected cases of COVID-19 or other emerging epidemics.
As part of the initiative’s impact to-date, a total of ten deployments have been rolled out, including energy, health, water and food-related solutions in Nepal, Tanzania, Uganda, Jordan, Egypt, Cambodia, Madagascar, Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Philippines. In addition to Rwanda, another 9 countries have been identified as deployment grounds going forward.
Beyond2020 brings together a leading number of partners which include Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Mubadala Petroleum and Masdar.
Rwanda has achieved the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target of vaccinating 40 percent of its entire population by December 2021, the Ministry of Health said in a statement…reports Asian Lite News
According to the Ministry, as of December 24, a total of 7,556,466 of the targeted Rwandan population aged over 12, have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 5,313,421 were fully inoculated.
Rwanda achieves WHO Covid-19 vaccination target
“Vaccinating 40 per cent of our country’s total population before the end of 2021 is a great milestone. This is attributed to our country’s leadership, partnership, coordination and community engagement,” Daniel Ngamije, Rwandan Health Minister told Xinhua news agency on Sunday.
He added that the country has already achieved its Covid-19 vaccination target of covering 30 per cent of the total population with two doses by end of 2021.
According to him, the target is to vaccinate 70 per cent of the total population by December 2022.
The country’s total population is over 12.6 million, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).
The vaccination rate also exceeded the 30 percent target Rwanda had set to achieve by the end of this year, according to the ministry.
Last week, the government of Rwanda imposed restrictions for unvaccinated people in the country, excluding them from indoor restaurants, worship places, public transport in order to minimize the spread of coronavirus and encourage vaccine sceptics to get their jabs.
The measures were announced by the office of the Prime Minister last week and will be reviewed upon health assessment.
The country prohibited wedding-related receptions while traditional, civil and religious weddings should not exceed 40 persons.
Parties and any other kind of celebrations are prohibited.
The government also instructed business owners countrywide to ensure their employees are fully vaccinated.
The Ministry of Health may temporarily close public or private premises with identified clusters of people infected with Covid-19, the statement warned.
The government urged all citizens and Rwandan residents to get fully vaccinated, and frequently tested.
The new measures are intended to contain the spread of the Omicron variant which has been shown to spread rapidly…reports Asian Lite News
Rwanda on Wednesday announced stricter Covid-19 preventive measures, suspending nightclubs and increasing quarantine days for arriving travellers, effective from December 16, following the confirmation of the first six cases of Omicron variant in the country.
“All arriving passengers must be quarantined for three days at a designated hotel at their own cost. A Covid PCR test will be taken upon arrival and an additional test taken on the third day and on the seventh day at own cost from arrival date,” a statement released by the Prime Minister’s office said, following Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.
President Paul Kagame (Twitter image)
The government had reintroduced mandatory 24-hour quarantine for incoming travellers in November following detection of the Omicron variant in South Africa, Xinhua news agency reported.
The government has also suspended nightclubs and live band entertainment in other venues, according to the statement.
It said organised concerts will be approved on a case by case basis.
On Wednesday, the Rwandan Ministry of Health announced that the first six cases of Omicron variant had been confirmed in the country through genomic sequencing of samples collected from travellers and their contacts.
The ministry said the new measures are intended to contain the spread of the Omicron variant which has been shown to spread rapidly.
As of December 15, Rwanda had recorded an accumulated tally of 100,763 Covid cases with 1,344 deaths.
At least 6.9 million people in the east African country have received the first Covid vaccination jab while 4.2 million are fully vaccinated, according to the Ministry of Health.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced that it has evacuated 176 vulnerable asylum seekers from Libya to Rwanda on a humanitarian flight…reports Asian Lite News
“It was the second such flight to Rwanda this year, using the Emergency Transit Mechanism, the first having taken place in July,” the UN agency said in a statement.
Among those evacuees were several babies from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and South Sudan, said the statement.
176 asylum seekers evacuated from Libya to Rwanda
The UNHCR added that many of the asylum seekers were victims of trafficking or survivors of gender-based violence and other forms of abuse, with several just released from detention centres.
The agency said it aims to help the asylum seekers to find durable solutions such as resettlement to third countries, voluntary return where it is possible, or local integration in Rwanda.
“It’s relieving to see more people evacuated to safety in Rwanda. We commend the leadership of this country and our supporters for their generous backing of efforts to revive the hope of the evacuees,” said Ahmed Baba Fall, UNHCR representative to Rwanda.
Since 2017, a total of 7,490 refugees and asylum seekers have left Libya through humanitarian evacuations or resettlement to third countries, according to the statement.
Many illegal migrants, mostly Africans, choose to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores from Libya, due to the state of chaos the country has been mired in since 2011.
Rwanda suspends flights to S. Africa over Omicron variant
Rwanda has temporarily suspended direct flights to and from southern African countries due to concerns over the new Covid-19 variant Omicron…reports Asian Lite News
The decision was made late on Sunday after an extraordinary cabinet meeting on Rwanda’s response to the Omicron variant chaired by President Paul Kagame, according to the communique, Xinhua news agency reported.
“While the variant has not been detected in Rwanda, its effects are potentially dangerous and therefore Rwandans and residents of Rwanda are required to exercise extra vigilance in the practice and enforcement of preventive measures,” the communique said.
Rwanda suspends flights to S. Africa over Omicron variant
A seven-day quarantine at own cost will be required for passengers travelling from, or those with a recent history of travelling to, the affected countries, it said.
All arriving passengers must quarantine for 24 hours at a designated hotel at their own cost, it added.
According to the communique, a Covid PCR test will be taken upon arrival at own cost, and an additional test, covered by the government of Rwanda, taken on day seven from the arrival date at a designated testing site.
People attending events or gatherings, including conferences, concerts, weddings and festivals or exhibitions, must be fully vaccinated and tested, the communique said.
Both sides agreed to work with each other for early conclusion of pending MoUs and carry forward the work under the existing institutional mechanisms…reports Asian Lite News.
India and Rwanda have expressed their interest in enhancing cooperation in areas like health, ICT, civil aviation, energy, security and infrastructure development.
This was discussed during Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan’s official visit to the Republic of Rwanda on November 14-15.
Do watch what Dr. Olivier Mukulira, MD, @Ricem_Rwanda says about the Rwanda-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Kigali
Glad to inaugurate the Centre set up through our development partnership
He co-chaired the first India-Rwanda Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda Vincent Biruta in Kigali, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Both sides discussed the existing state of bilateral relations in areas of mutual interest including health, energy, agriculture, ICT, education, civil aviation, culture, defence, security and infrastructure development and expressed interest to enhance cooperation in these areas.
According to the MEA, the two sides also discussed regional, international & multilateral issues.
Both sides agreed to work with each other for early conclusion of pending MoUs and carry forward the work under the existing institutional mechanisms.
The Rwandan side expressed their thanks for the developmental aid and co-operation being provided by India.
During the visit, Muraleedharan called on President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame.
President Kagame conveyed his greetings to Prime Minster Modi and spoke about the strategic partnership between India and Rwanda and expressed his desire to work with India to achieve the full potential of this special relationship.
He also invited the Indian leadership to participate in the CHOGM summit to be held in Rwanda in 2022.
Muraleedharan briefed the President of Rwanda about the deliberations that were held in the JCM. The MoS recalled President Kagame’s visits to India and also thanked him for addressing the Raisina dialogue virtually in April 2021.
He also invited President Kagame to visit India for an official visit.
During the visit, MoS Muraleedharan visited the Nyabarongo Hydro-electric Power project which was completed in 2015 under Government of India’s Lines of Credit of US$ 80 million.
Happy to have inaugurated Rwanda-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Kigali.
Set up with our development partnership assistance, the Centre will help in capacity building and promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in Rwanda. pic.twitter.com/16gm5TNf4C
He also visited Kigali Genocide Memorial and paid floral tributes.
The MoS External Affairs inaugurated the India-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Development centre in Kigali, which has been built with Indian grant assistance. He also interacted with the Indian community and appreciated their contribution in building socio-cultural & commercial ties between the two countries.
According to the MEA, the MoS’s visit to Rwanda helped to sustain the momentum created by the visit of Prime Minister of India to Rwanda in 2018 and marked the successful holding of the first ever Joint Commission Meeting that set out a road map for future engagements.
