Tuesday 26 August 2008
Rwanda does not need international approbation - its judicial system is ready
BY CHARLOTTE KINGSMAN IN ARUSHA
A recently released report by the Rwandan government accusing France of having a role in the 1994 Rwanda Genocide, is a crucial step for Rwanda , let alone Africa.
The report accuses thirty-three French politicians, officials and soldiers, including former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and the late former president Francois Mitterrand, of playing major roles in the genocide.
Such allegations are extremely meaningful in light of this year’s recent events.
In its World Report in January 2008, Human Rights Watch (HRW) claimed that the Rwandan government was still “struggling with the consequences of the genocide”.
It took issue with the Gacaca jurisdiction in which the accused have no right to counsel and claimed that the popularity of Gacaca had declined following numerous cases of “faulty procedures, judicial corruption and false accusation”.
Gacaca is an indigenous form of restorative justice in Rwanda.
HRW’s report released in July, entitled Progress and Judicial Reform in Rwanda, was little more satisfying.
Despite acknowledgements that there have been noteworthy achievements in the delivery of justice in the last five years, the report claimed that “the technical and formal improvements in laws and administrative structure have not been matched by gains in independence in the judiciary and assurance of rights to a fair trial”.
The judiciary is said to be dominated by the executive and that official antipathy to views diverging from those of the government and its dominant party hamper the full realization of the potential of the reforms.
Allegedly, basic fair trial rights are not fully assured, including the right to presumption of innocence, the right to humane conditions of detention and the right to freedom from torture.
The report also argued that Rwandan political considerations have made it practically impossible for victims of crimes committed by Rwanda Patriotic Army soldiers in 1994 to receive justice.
The ICTR Trial Chambers took a similar position as they have consistently been denying the transferal of certain accused to Rwandan national jurisdiction, agreeing with HRW’s statement that “at this time, the independence of the courts and the assurance of fair trials are too limited”.
Requests for the transfer of Kanyarubiga’s case, as well as of Munyakazi and Hategekimana, were denied.
The Judges were not satisfied that the accused would have received a fair trial and, if sentenced to life imprisonment, the accused might have faced solitary confinement.
In such a context, accusing the French government of involvement in the 1994 genocide is a very meaningful political statement.
The head of HRW claimed that the accusation deliberately coincided with international pressure on Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front to bring to trial those RPA soldiers accused of crimes in 1994.
The investigative journalist Linda Melvern, on the other hand, argued that the report was far too serious to be “a sort of tit-for-tat as part of a diplomatic spat”. She added that “this is a European army being accused of human rights abuses in Africa.
It thus needs careful consideration by international human rights groups”.
But here lies the paradox. International human rights groups deem that the country’s judicial system is not ready to try the most important persons accused of Genocide.
Yet, Rwanda releases a report officially accusing another country’s government of participation in the genocide.
This is a serious matter and the message is clear enough. Indeed, Rwanda’s Minister of Justice Tharcisse Karugarama warned that “this report is not just going to lie down but it’s going to be used to help bring to justice people that were involved in committing Genocide”.
He said that his country would try to press charges in an international body.
Rwanda is asking that the concept of “Challenging Impunity”, which has been the ICTR’s motto, be applicable to all, including western powers.
Rwanda is asking the international community to bring those accused of genocide to trial, in this case French officials, in the same way that the international community has been urging Rwanda to try the accused RPA soldiers.
The Rwandan government is making a point; no one must escape accountability.
As Linda Melvern said, “What is needed here is the release of a lot of information”. For instance, regarding the assassination on April the 6th of Juvenile Habyarimana, the former president of Rwanda.
She claimed that “It’s incredible that two African presidents were assassinated that night over the skies of Kigali and that there’s been no international inquiry. Had it been two European presidents assassinated, there would have been an immediate inquiry”.
The journalist told Democracy Now that she believed certain western governments, including France, the US, and Belgium, are holding back information.
Beyond the question of whether the French government will be held responsible in the events of 1994, the way the international community will respond to the report might prove to be a turning point in African politics.
Ends
UHURU BAND
Uhuru Brothers preaching love above diplomatic obstacles between France and Rwanda
BY GEORGE KAGAME&
CHARLOTTE KINGSMAN
The recently released Mucyo report which officially emphasized the role of France in helping the government of Juvenal Habyarimana in effectively carrying out the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda is the latest twist in a long running love to hate and hates to love relationship between the two countries beginning many years back.
This relationship between Rwanda and France can be likened to a teenage love affair, which in many cases does not have any clear starting point, for starters Rwanda was not one of the colonies of France in Africa, instead Rwanda was a Belgian colony and France's interest in Rwanda can be said to have been motivated by the French desire to have their language spoken here as part of what was once known throughout colonial Africa as the assimilation policy.
The two countries struck a cord on basically cultural interests, this interest was sustained for a very long time by strong personal and political connections among leaders of both countries, to an extent, the alliances worked out well for both politicians in the two countries and this kept the relations between Rwanda and France cordial till 1994.
Several academicians and opinion leaders have stated that France is to a certain extent responsible for the events leading to the genocide, while many have argued that if that is not the case, France was in a strong position to stop the genocide in Rwanda before it got to the level it did-almost a million innocent Rwandans killed by their neighbours and friends.
The latest and most enduring images of the relationship between Rwanda and France is when both countries decided to close any diplomatic contact with each other in late 2006 after a French judge accused officials of Rwanda's ruling RPF for instigating the Rwandan Genocide. Since then there has not been any formal contact between the former 'love birds' and 'enemies' could not be misplaced if used to describe the state of affairs between the two countries currently.
With such a background it comes as a surprise that as French and Rwandan politicians do not seem to be seeing each other 'eye to eye', the exact opposite is happening among youths of both countries as told in the story of Antoine Chavendelier a @@@ from France and a group of Rwandans that formed a band known as Uhuru Brothers.
Uhuru is swahili for 'freedom', according to Chavendlier the Uhuru Brothers are the brothers of freedom "because each of us comes with their own background and feeds the group with their own unique and original style."
But Chavendlier is not just a member of the Uhuru Brothers, he has a day job in one of Kigali upmarket suburbs as a full time official, he says his inspiration to help start Uhuru Brothers grew out of his friendship with Jovial@@@, a Rwandan musician residing in Kiyovu a Kigali downtown suburb: "I met Jovial and from our friendship grew the band, he used to invite many friends to play at his house in the Kiyovu. Some of them were very professional and inspired to do something for music even if i was not here for a musical career. I was willing to help them." Uhuru band plays rumba, East African raggaeton and salsa but Chavendlier says roots-rock-raggae is their specialty.
Chavendlier has been in Rwanda for over a year now, he says he loves the country and irrespective of the political situation between the two countries he loves Rwanda, "I like Rwanda, my motivation to stay here has also a lot to do with the Uhuru Brothers. It’s a project close to my heart. One day i hope to see the band succeed to great levels." \
As a Frenchman living in Rwanda currently Chavendlier says: "Rwanda is one of the few countries where it is hard to go when you are French! I was really saddened to see the Franco-Rwandan cultural centre closed but I know that if I’m here it means that Rwanda wanted me and accepted me."
Chavendlier is concerned by the less impressive standards of Rwanda's musical industry today, he says that most musicians in the country are heavily influenced by US hip hop and many rely on playback to perform their own songs he adds that in France the audience would pelt eggs and tomatoes to artists performing on playback, he says that Rwandans however love music but they do not fully appreciate it: "there are currently very few options because there are also fewer musical instruments in the country. It is one of the basic observations which makes me want to help develop live music in Rwanda."
He adds that the poor state of music in Rwanda explains why most high profile artists that perform in Rwanda are from abroad contrary to most countries. The undeveloped potential of Rwanda's music industry has been caused by a weaker private sector in the country and Chavendlier agrees, he says: "......the private sector can contribute to the success of local musicians so long as it promotes a modern but Rwandan music. In that way Congo, Ivory Coast and Ethiopia have managed to become key in the African musical world and export their music well beyond the continent’s borders. But to get there, Rwanda must protect and promote its artistic heritage, exploit it as a proof of national reconciliation so that the Rwandans themselves can promote it."
And from that background Chavndlier says that Rwanda's music now has a richer heritage because the country is at the crossroads of two cultures strongly influenced by ex-colonies: "from this fact emerges a varied musical culture in which artists can easily alternate rumba and reggae. What is more, I have met extremely talented singers and musicians despite the lack of musical training available at the level of the mass. I just regret that there is not more inspiration from traditional music. I hope that one day Rwandan musicians will make more use of Rwandan traditional music and create their own particular style."
BY GEORGE KAGAME&
CHARLOTTE KINGSMAN
The recently released Mucyo report which officially emphasized the role of France in helping the government of Juvenal Habyarimana in effectively carrying out the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda is the latest twist in a long running love to hate and hates to love relationship between the two countries beginning many years back.
This relationship between Rwanda and France can be likened to a teenage love affair, which in many cases does not have any clear starting point, for starters Rwanda was not one of the colonies of France in Africa, instead Rwanda was a Belgian colony and France's interest in Rwanda can be said to have been motivated by the French desire to have their language spoken here as part of what was once known throughout colonial Africa as the assimilation policy.
The two countries struck a cord on basically cultural interests, this interest was sustained for a very long time by strong personal and political connections among leaders of both countries, to an extent, the alliances worked out well for both politicians in the two countries and this kept the relations between Rwanda and France cordial till 1994.
Several academicians and opinion leaders have stated that France is to a certain extent responsible for the events leading to the genocide, while many have argued that if that is not the case, France was in a strong position to stop the genocide in Rwanda before it got to the level it did-almost a million innocent Rwandans killed by their neighbours and friends.
The latest and most enduring images of the relationship between Rwanda and France is when both countries decided to close any diplomatic contact with each other in late 2006 after a French judge accused officials of Rwanda's ruling RPF for instigating the Rwandan Genocide. Since then there has not been any formal contact between the former 'love birds' and 'enemies' could not be misplaced if used to describe the state of affairs between the two countries currently.
With such a background it comes as a surprise that as French and Rwandan politicians do not seem to be seeing each other 'eye to eye', the exact opposite is happening among youths of both countries as told in the story of Antoine Chavendelier a @@@ from France and a group of Rwandans that formed a band known as Uhuru Brothers.
Uhuru is swahili for 'freedom', according to Chavendlier the Uhuru Brothers are the brothers of freedom "because each of us comes with their own background and feeds the group with their own unique and original style."
But Chavendlier is not just a member of the Uhuru Brothers, he has a day job in one of Kigali upmarket suburbs as a full time official, he says his inspiration to help start Uhuru Brothers grew out of his friendship with Jovial@@@, a Rwandan musician residing in Kiyovu a Kigali downtown suburb: "I met Jovial and from our friendship grew the band, he used to invite many friends to play at his house in the Kiyovu. Some of them were very professional and inspired to do something for music even if i was not here for a musical career. I was willing to help them." Uhuru band plays rumba, East African raggaeton and salsa but Chavendlier says roots-rock-raggae is their specialty.
Chavendlier has been in Rwanda for over a year now, he says he loves the country and irrespective of the political situation between the two countries he loves Rwanda, "I like Rwanda, my motivation to stay here has also a lot to do with the Uhuru Brothers. It’s a project close to my heart. One day i hope to see the band succeed to great levels." \
As a Frenchman living in Rwanda currently Chavendlier says: "Rwanda is one of the few countries where it is hard to go when you are French! I was really saddened to see the Franco-Rwandan cultural centre closed but I know that if I’m here it means that Rwanda wanted me and accepted me."
Chavendlier is concerned by the less impressive standards of Rwanda's musical industry today, he says that most musicians in the country are heavily influenced by US hip hop and many rely on playback to perform their own songs he adds that in France the audience would pelt eggs and tomatoes to artists performing on playback, he says that Rwandans however love music but they do not fully appreciate it: "there are currently very few options because there are also fewer musical instruments in the country. It is one of the basic observations which makes me want to help develop live music in Rwanda."
He adds that the poor state of music in Rwanda explains why most high profile artists that perform in Rwanda are from abroad contrary to most countries. The undeveloped potential of Rwanda's music industry has been caused by a weaker private sector in the country and Chavendlier agrees, he says: "......the private sector can contribute to the success of local musicians so long as it promotes a modern but Rwandan music. In that way Congo, Ivory Coast and Ethiopia have managed to become key in the African musical world and export their music well beyond the continent’s borders. But to get there, Rwanda must protect and promote its artistic heritage, exploit it as a proof of national reconciliation so that the Rwandans themselves can promote it."
And from that background Chavndlier says that Rwanda's music now has a richer heritage because the country is at the crossroads of two cultures strongly influenced by ex-colonies: "from this fact emerges a varied musical culture in which artists can easily alternate rumba and reggae. What is more, I have met extremely talented singers and musicians despite the lack of musical training available at the level of the mass. I just regret that there is not more inspiration from traditional music. I hope that one day Rwandan musicians will make more use of Rwandan traditional music and create their own particular style."
Rwanda Series
Zambia mourns Mwanawasa while Rwandan parties hype up gender politics as elections nigh
BY GEORGE KAGAME
It was reported in July during the AU heads of state summit in Cairo that Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa had died after suffering a stroke during the 11th Africa Union Summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt the Zambian government denied the charges and insisted that their leader was recovering in a Paris hospital unfortunately early this week it was reported that Mwanawasa had passed away in France.
Mwanawasa, 59, was a favourite with donors for tackling corruption and as the strongest critic of Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe for the political crisis in that country. He was among a few world leaders that came forward to criticize Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe for his mishandling of the presidential elections between him-Mugabe and his rival Morgan Tsvangarai describing the debacle in Zimbabwe as scandalous.
While Zambia mourns their fallen leader, Zimbabweans are still stuck in political confusion which has persisted presidential elections held in that country in March 2008. Reports in the week emerged that Robert Mugabe's people had decided to convene parliament in the middle of negotiations to end a long running stalemate, this was seen as a hindrance to the ongoing talks between Mugabe and Tsvangarai. Political talk at home is currently boiling around preparations for the forth coming parliamentary elections due next month, however instead of discussing their agenda in parliament, most political parties have jumped on the band wagon of gender politics, all the political parties are positioning themselves as promoting more women representatives and their percentages in the total number of legislators.
The electoral commission set the mood by announcing midweek that the number of women on all the party lists comes to 30 per cent, it is not clear why newsmakers have chosen to highlight the percentages f women as a new phenomena as the constitution emphasizes the 30 per cent mark as the minimum number of women required at all levels of decision making in Rwandan public offices and institutions. The RPF along with its 6 coalition partners have for long positioned themselves as leading the pack in nominating women for political office and predictably they have more numbers this time too. While the debate of women percentages rages one prior to the campaigns, the issues which the legislators are supposed to discuss have taken a back seat as women percentage talk takes centre stage. Rwanda's other touristic attraction, the Akagera National Park was last week in danger after a fire broke out and gutted close to 107 square kilometres of the oldest game reserve in the country.The fire is believed t have been caused by poachers and lasted for 38 hours. With the constant threat of fire outbreaks in Akagera, ORTPN will need the same effort to protect this largely Savannah grassland as they do with the sacred gorillas.
As part of Rwanda’s determination to reform business practices, customs authorities have increased working hours at the busy boarder post of Gatuna between Uganda and Rwanda. Revenue organizations from both countries agreed that from 1 September, business activities will resume at 6am in the morning and end at 10.00pm in the night.
The move follows a recent directive by Kenyan President Mr Mwai Kibaki that cargo delivery from Mombasa port and operations at all entry points be done 24 hrs.
Kibaki also directed that bottlenecks to cargo transportation like road blocks be reduced from 47 to 17 while four axle trucks have been banned from operating in Kenya due to the tear and wear implications on the roads caused by overloaded trucks.
Also in the news:
President Paul Kagame in his first visit as Chairman of the East African Community is on a working visit to neighbouring Burundi, who like Rwanda is the youngest members of the block.
The National University of Rwanda will next year start two post graduate courses in the study of peace and prevention of genocide.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
It was reported in July during the AU heads of state summit in Cairo that Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa had died after suffering a stroke during the 11th Africa Union Summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt the Zambian government denied the charges and insisted that their leader was recovering in a Paris hospital unfortunately early this week it was reported that Mwanawasa had passed away in France.
Mwanawasa, 59, was a favourite with donors for tackling corruption and as the strongest critic of Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe for the political crisis in that country. He was among a few world leaders that came forward to criticize Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe for his mishandling of the presidential elections between him-Mugabe and his rival Morgan Tsvangarai describing the debacle in Zimbabwe as scandalous.
While Zambia mourns their fallen leader, Zimbabweans are still stuck in political confusion which has persisted presidential elections held in that country in March 2008. Reports in the week emerged that Robert Mugabe's people had decided to convene parliament in the middle of negotiations to end a long running stalemate, this was seen as a hindrance to the ongoing talks between Mugabe and Tsvangarai. Political talk at home is currently boiling around preparations for the forth coming parliamentary elections due next month, however instead of discussing their agenda in parliament, most political parties have jumped on the band wagon of gender politics, all the political parties are positioning themselves as promoting more women representatives and their percentages in the total number of legislators.
The electoral commission set the mood by announcing midweek that the number of women on all the party lists comes to 30 per cent, it is not clear why newsmakers have chosen to highlight the percentages f women as a new phenomena as the constitution emphasizes the 30 per cent mark as the minimum number of women required at all levels of decision making in Rwandan public offices and institutions. The RPF along with its 6 coalition partners have for long positioned themselves as leading the pack in nominating women for political office and predictably they have more numbers this time too. While the debate of women percentages rages one prior to the campaigns, the issues which the legislators are supposed to discuss have taken a back seat as women percentage talk takes centre stage. Rwanda's other touristic attraction, the Akagera National Park was last week in danger after a fire broke out and gutted close to 107 square kilometres of the oldest game reserve in the country.The fire is believed t have been caused by poachers and lasted for 38 hours. With the constant threat of fire outbreaks in Akagera, ORTPN will need the same effort to protect this largely Savannah grassland as they do with the sacred gorillas.
As part of Rwanda’s determination to reform business practices, customs authorities have increased working hours at the busy boarder post of Gatuna between Uganda and Rwanda. Revenue organizations from both countries agreed that from 1 September, business activities will resume at 6am in the morning and end at 10.00pm in the night.
The move follows a recent directive by Kenyan President Mr Mwai Kibaki that cargo delivery from Mombasa port and operations at all entry points be done 24 hrs.
Kibaki also directed that bottlenecks to cargo transportation like road blocks be reduced from 47 to 17 while four axle trucks have been banned from operating in Kenya due to the tear and wear implications on the roads caused by overloaded trucks.
Also in the news:
President Paul Kagame in his first visit as Chairman of the East African Community is on a working visit to neighbouring Burundi, who like Rwanda is the youngest members of the block.
The National University of Rwanda will next year start two post graduate courses in the study of peace and prevention of genocide.
ARUSHA SERIES
Media case at ICTR sets the wrong tone for journalism in the country
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The evolution of the media industry in Rwanda is as equally inspiring as it is annoying. Inspiring because the first piece of African literature to be translated from a 'colonial' language into a vernacular language in East and Central Africa was a Kinya-rwanda version of the missionary bible.
The bible as thus was very critical in the beginning of the 'culture of obedience' as has been publicized before by many modern politicians in Rwanda. The politicians invoke the theory that Rwandans were or have been groomed to follow whatever instructions come from those above them-in most cases government the from 'above' . In that aspect, to show the measure of strength of communication in Kinya-rwanda, according renowned academician Mahmood Mamdani, Kinya-rwanda is the most widely spoken vernacular language in the world.
Naturally the instructions have historically been passed through to the intended audiences by the media, and as a result the position of the media in the country has swung as many times as the politicians have. The media in Rwanda as a result is now left to fight for its own relevance in the r-ebiulding process of the country. The most obvious example of how mixed up the relationship between journalists and politicians in Rwanda can be found in the famous media case at the ICTR.
The trial against Ferdinand Nahimana, Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza and Hassan Ngeze, popularly dubbed the Media case, involves the prosecution of three Rwandan journalists alleged to have been among the masterminds behind a media campaign to desensitize the Hutu population and incite them to murder the ethnic Tutsi population in Rwanda in 1994, this was packaged through the famous 'ten commandments'. Yet that was not the first case when the wrong people got in the way of media development in Rwanda. The first president of the republic Gregoire Kayibanda won support in 1959 from both colonialists and subjects for his now famous Par'muhutu commandments, which again were the core matter of journalism for Hassan Ngeze.
With such a background, it is possible the current state of the media in the country envisions a past background of damage. The government has in the past been accused of being intolerant to media criticism which has arguably suppressed the development of a free and active media industry in the country. As a result international media rating organizations have ranked Rwanda very low among 'media friendly' countries for its alleged hard line against media houses which are perceived as not toying the government official line. In its defense, the Rwandan government has on many occasions stated that the media industry is unprofessional and many parasitizing journalists in the country needed further training. In response, privately owned media organizations have cited limited revenue from the private and public sector as a reason for continued closure and poor management in many of these institutions. They say both factors conspire to maintain the current poor state of the media in Rwanda. Today, there is need to work towards creating a serious media industry in the country that can competently challenge government policies, instead of relying on it as the only source of news, legislation and funding. If the Rwandan media industry debated on many affairs beyond government issues and events, in the country it would increasingly dominate public affairs and inevitably develop. That way, the government will one day be able to appreciate journalism in the country and as it explains the gains from good governance, the fight against Malaria and HIV/Aids, the same government will also mention its achievements in the media sector. One that happens, it will be a well reserved reward for the ordinary decent reporters throughout the country that continue telling Rwanda's new story.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The evolution of the media industry in Rwanda is as equally inspiring as it is annoying. Inspiring because the first piece of African literature to be translated from a 'colonial' language into a vernacular language in East and Central Africa was a Kinya-rwanda version of the missionary bible.
The bible as thus was very critical in the beginning of the 'culture of obedience' as has been publicized before by many modern politicians in Rwanda. The politicians invoke the theory that Rwandans were or have been groomed to follow whatever instructions come from those above them-in most cases government the from 'above' . In that aspect, to show the measure of strength of communication in Kinya-rwanda, according renowned academician Mahmood Mamdani, Kinya-rwanda is the most widely spoken vernacular language in the world.
Naturally the instructions have historically been passed through to the intended audiences by the media, and as a result the position of the media in the country has swung as many times as the politicians have. The media in Rwanda as a result is now left to fight for its own relevance in the r-ebiulding process of the country. The most obvious example of how mixed up the relationship between journalists and politicians in Rwanda can be found in the famous media case at the ICTR.
The trial against Ferdinand Nahimana, Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza and Hassan Ngeze, popularly dubbed the Media case, involves the prosecution of three Rwandan journalists alleged to have been among the masterminds behind a media campaign to desensitize the Hutu population and incite them to murder the ethnic Tutsi population in Rwanda in 1994, this was packaged through the famous 'ten commandments'. Yet that was not the first case when the wrong people got in the way of media development in Rwanda. The first president of the republic Gregoire Kayibanda won support in 1959 from both colonialists and subjects for his now famous Par'muhutu commandments, which again were the core matter of journalism for Hassan Ngeze.
With such a background, it is possible the current state of the media in the country envisions a past background of damage. The government has in the past been accused of being intolerant to media criticism which has arguably suppressed the development of a free and active media industry in the country. As a result international media rating organizations have ranked Rwanda very low among 'media friendly' countries for its alleged hard line against media houses which are perceived as not toying the government official line. In its defense, the Rwandan government has on many occasions stated that the media industry is unprofessional and many parasitizing journalists in the country needed further training. In response, privately owned media organizations have cited limited revenue from the private and public sector as a reason for continued closure and poor management in many of these institutions. They say both factors conspire to maintain the current poor state of the media in Rwanda. Today, there is need to work towards creating a serious media industry in the country that can competently challenge government policies, instead of relying on it as the only source of news, legislation and funding. If the Rwandan media industry debated on many affairs beyond government issues and events, in the country it would increasingly dominate public affairs and inevitably develop. That way, the government will one day be able to appreciate journalism in the country and as it explains the gains from good governance, the fight against Malaria and HIV/Aids, the same government will also mention its achievements in the media sector. One that happens, it will be a well reserved reward for the ordinary decent reporters throughout the country that continue telling Rwanda's new story.
Arusha Series 13
Rwanda's language duopoly crucial but attracts unnecessary stereotypes
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The desire by Rwanda to create an economy where soft skills are the main product in the labour market has received recomendation from all observers of the country's progress.
The soft skills here can be divided into competence in Information technology, awareness of modern trends in financial and commercial services and so on, in retrospect, these soft skills can be said to be the cornerstone of the service sector in the country.
As a result, the service sector, (even if it comes with the burden of creating a society mainly consisting of consumers), is the most important sector of the economy. The ambition by government has especially been driven through the communication sector, Rwanda has the unique feature among all regional economies of having two international languages used in the economy as official mediums of communication, it is only in Rwanda in East and Central Africa where both French and English are widely spoken among private and public corporate institutions with equal competence. This language duopoly has greatly served Rwanda, to emphasize Rwanda's determination to progress on the language grid, currently the government is involved in multiple deals with leading computer software companies to develop programs in Kinyarwanda such that knowledge can permeate further down to the grass root citizens. To this end, the language duopoly is an essential chapter in Rwanda's current story however to an extend it has also created an uncomfortable coexistance among some people who are fluent in either English or French. This has led to the rise of the labels of Anglophone and Francophone. On the face value of these two identities there are no problems but in certain circles in the country the labels determine socialization characteristics among Rwandans. No where is this phenomena more prevalent than the National University of Rwanda in Butare, at this most important academic institution in the country students have clear cut pathways, hostels, restaurants, bars and corners where on any given day you will only find either Francophone or Anglophone. It is said by students here that in Anglophone corners Francophone students are not allowed to walk through after a given time of the day and the same goes for Francophone corners. According to Professor Silas Lwakabamba these differences are normally tolerated but they get ugly during student election campaigns where the language issue is used as a crucial vote winning card, he says: "In the past we had issues where students wrote abusive language in the toilets and their hostels against attacking either English or French speakers," he adds that this practice has now stopped however he admits that during guild elections, genocide related ideas come in to play in student politics; “genocide ideas come into play especially in election time, here they take the rivalries between Anglophones and Francophone students.” As a journalist in Rwanda, i have observed that among many of my potential sources the issue of Anglophone-Francophone is crucial as in many cases it can influence how much information one receives from newsmakers and that is the bottom line of this article. Just like Rwanda, here at the ICTR there's duopoly of both languages, however many of the potential sources of news are French speaking West Africans as a result it is essential especially to speak French if you are to cultivate sources using the language. While interviewing one such official last week he wandered at my poor attempt at French which caused a bit of an embarrassment. Having been in Arusha since the ICTR opened the West African official could not master a single paragraph of Swahili, the main medium of communication of Tanzania and he had managed to his job till now. Rwanda will possibly achieve the status of a few chosen countries in the world like Switzerland where both international languages are spoken with ease and no stereotypes, at that time it will not be possible that whenever one Rwanda chooses to speak English or French they will not be connected to the ugly past of the Genocide.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The desire by Rwanda to create an economy where soft skills are the main product in the labour market has received recomendation from all observers of the country's progress.
The soft skills here can be divided into competence in Information technology, awareness of modern trends in financial and commercial services and so on, in retrospect, these soft skills can be said to be the cornerstone of the service sector in the country.
As a result, the service sector, (even if it comes with the burden of creating a society mainly consisting of consumers), is the most important sector of the economy. The ambition by government has especially been driven through the communication sector, Rwanda has the unique feature among all regional economies of having two international languages used in the economy as official mediums of communication, it is only in Rwanda in East and Central Africa where both French and English are widely spoken among private and public corporate institutions with equal competence. This language duopoly has greatly served Rwanda, to emphasize Rwanda's determination to progress on the language grid, currently the government is involved in multiple deals with leading computer software companies to develop programs in Kinyarwanda such that knowledge can permeate further down to the grass root citizens. To this end, the language duopoly is an essential chapter in Rwanda's current story however to an extend it has also created an uncomfortable coexistance among some people who are fluent in either English or French. This has led to the rise of the labels of Anglophone and Francophone. On the face value of these two identities there are no problems but in certain circles in the country the labels determine socialization characteristics among Rwandans. No where is this phenomena more prevalent than the National University of Rwanda in Butare, at this most important academic institution in the country students have clear cut pathways, hostels, restaurants, bars and corners where on any given day you will only find either Francophone or Anglophone. It is said by students here that in Anglophone corners Francophone students are not allowed to walk through after a given time of the day and the same goes for Francophone corners. According to Professor Silas Lwakabamba these differences are normally tolerated but they get ugly during student election campaigns where the language issue is used as a crucial vote winning card, he says: "In the past we had issues where students wrote abusive language in the toilets and their hostels against attacking either English or French speakers," he adds that this practice has now stopped however he admits that during guild elections, genocide related ideas come in to play in student politics; “genocide ideas come into play especially in election time, here they take the rivalries between Anglophones and Francophone students.” As a journalist in Rwanda, i have observed that among many of my potential sources the issue of Anglophone-Francophone is crucial as in many cases it can influence how much information one receives from newsmakers and that is the bottom line of this article. Just like Rwanda, here at the ICTR there's duopoly of both languages, however many of the potential sources of news are French speaking West Africans as a result it is essential especially to speak French if you are to cultivate sources using the language. While interviewing one such official last week he wandered at my poor attempt at French which caused a bit of an embarrassment. Having been in Arusha since the ICTR opened the West African official could not master a single paragraph of Swahili, the main medium of communication of Tanzania and he had managed to his job till now. Rwanda will possibly achieve the status of a few chosen countries in the world like Switzerland where both international languages are spoken with ease and no stereotypes, at that time it will not be possible that whenever one Rwanda chooses to speak English or French they will not be connected to the ugly past of the Genocide.
Charlotte KINGSMAN-ICTR
Rwanda doesn’t need international approbation that its judicial system is ready
BY CHARLOTTE KINGSMAN
Arusha
The report released last Tuesday by the Rwandan government accusing France is a crucial step for Rwanda, let alone Africa. The report accuses thirty-three French politicians, officials and soldiers, including former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and the late former president Francois Mitterrand, of playing major roles in the genocide.
Such allegations are extremely meaningful in light of this year’s recent events.
In its World Report in January 2008, Human Rights Watch (HRW) claimed that the Rwandan government was still “struggling with the consequences of the genocide”. It took issue with the gacaca jurisdiction in which accused have no right to counsel and claimed that the popularity of the guacaca had declined following numerous cases of “faulty procedures, judicial corruption and false accusation”.
HRW’s report released in July, entitled Progress and Judicial Reform in Rwanda, was little more satisfying. Despite acknowledgements that there have been noteworthy achievements in the delivery of justice in the last five years, the report claimed that “the technical and formal improvements in laws and administrative structure have not been matched by gains in independence in the judiciary and assurance of rights to a fair trial”.
The judiciary is said to be dominated by the executive and that official antipathy to views diverging from those of the government and its dominant party hamper the full realization of the potential of the reforms. Allegedly, basic fair trial rights are not fully assured, including the right to presumption of innocence, the right to humane conditions of detention and the right to freedom from torture. The report also argued that Rwandan political considerations have made it practically impossible for victims of crimes committed by RPA soldiers in 1994 to receive justice.
The ICTR Trial Chambers took a similar position as they have consistently been denying the transferal of certain accused to Rwandan national jurisdiction, agreeing with HRW’s statement that “at this time, the independence of the courts and the assurance of fair trials are too limited”. Requests for the transfer of Kanyarubiga’s case, as well as of Munyakazi and Hategekimana, were denied. The Judges were not satisfied that the accused would have received a fair trial and, if sentenced to life imprisonment, the accused might have faced solitary confinement.
In such a context, accusing the French government of involvement in the 1994 genocide is a very meaningful political statement.
The head of HRW claimed that the accusation deliberately coincided with international pressure on Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front to bring to trial those RPA soldiers accused of crimes in 1994. The investigative journalist Linda Melvern, on the other hand, argued that the report was far too serious to be “a sort of tit-for-tat as part of a diplomatic spat”. She added that “this is a European army being accused of human rights abuses in Africa it thus needs careful consideration by international human rights groups”.
But here lies the paradox. International human rights groups deem that the country’s judicial system is not ready to try the most important persons accused of genocide. Yet, Rwanda releases a report officially accusing another country’s government of participation in the genocide.
This is serious matter and the message is clear enough. Indeed, Rwanda’s Minister of Justice Tharcisse Karugarama warned that “this report is not just going to lie down but it’s going to be used to help bring to justice people that were involved in committing genocide”. He said his country would try to press charges in an international body.
Rwanda is asking that the concept of “Challenging Impunity”, which has been the ICTR’s motto, be applicable to all, including western powers. Rwanda is asking the international community to bring those accused of genocide to trial, in this case French officials, in the same way that the international community has been urging Rwanda to try the accused RPA soldiers. The Rwandan governement is making a point; no one must escape accountability.
As Linda Melvern said, “what is needed here is the release of a lot of information”. For instance, regarding the assassination of Habyarimana on April the 6th . She claimed that “It’s incredible that two African presidents were assassinated that night over the skies of Kigali and that there’s been no international inquiry. Had it been two European presidents being assassinated, there would have been an immediate inquiry”. The journalist told Democracy Now that she believed certain western governements, including France, the US, and Belgium, to hold information which they are not releasing.
Beyond the question of whether the French governement held a responsibility in the events of 1994, the way the international community will respond to the report might prove to be a turning point in African politics.
BY CHARLOTTE KINGSMAN
Arusha
The report released last Tuesday by the Rwandan government accusing France is a crucial step for Rwanda, let alone Africa. The report accuses thirty-three French politicians, officials and soldiers, including former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and the late former president Francois Mitterrand, of playing major roles in the genocide.
Such allegations are extremely meaningful in light of this year’s recent events.
In its World Report in January 2008, Human Rights Watch (HRW) claimed that the Rwandan government was still “struggling with the consequences of the genocide”. It took issue with the gacaca jurisdiction in which accused have no right to counsel and claimed that the popularity of the guacaca had declined following numerous cases of “faulty procedures, judicial corruption and false accusation”.
HRW’s report released in July, entitled Progress and Judicial Reform in Rwanda, was little more satisfying. Despite acknowledgements that there have been noteworthy achievements in the delivery of justice in the last five years, the report claimed that “the technical and formal improvements in laws and administrative structure have not been matched by gains in independence in the judiciary and assurance of rights to a fair trial”.
The judiciary is said to be dominated by the executive and that official antipathy to views diverging from those of the government and its dominant party hamper the full realization of the potential of the reforms. Allegedly, basic fair trial rights are not fully assured, including the right to presumption of innocence, the right to humane conditions of detention and the right to freedom from torture. The report also argued that Rwandan political considerations have made it practically impossible for victims of crimes committed by RPA soldiers in 1994 to receive justice.
The ICTR Trial Chambers took a similar position as they have consistently been denying the transferal of certain accused to Rwandan national jurisdiction, agreeing with HRW’s statement that “at this time, the independence of the courts and the assurance of fair trials are too limited”. Requests for the transfer of Kanyarubiga’s case, as well as of Munyakazi and Hategekimana, were denied. The Judges were not satisfied that the accused would have received a fair trial and, if sentenced to life imprisonment, the accused might have faced solitary confinement.
In such a context, accusing the French government of involvement in the 1994 genocide is a very meaningful political statement.
The head of HRW claimed that the accusation deliberately coincided with international pressure on Kagame’s Rwandan Patriotic Front to bring to trial those RPA soldiers accused of crimes in 1994. The investigative journalist Linda Melvern, on the other hand, argued that the report was far too serious to be “a sort of tit-for-tat as part of a diplomatic spat”. She added that “this is a European army being accused of human rights abuses in Africa it thus needs careful consideration by international human rights groups”.
But here lies the paradox. International human rights groups deem that the country’s judicial system is not ready to try the most important persons accused of genocide. Yet, Rwanda releases a report officially accusing another country’s government of participation in the genocide.
This is serious matter and the message is clear enough. Indeed, Rwanda’s Minister of Justice Tharcisse Karugarama warned that “this report is not just going to lie down but it’s going to be used to help bring to justice people that were involved in committing genocide”. He said his country would try to press charges in an international body.
Rwanda is asking that the concept of “Challenging Impunity”, which has been the ICTR’s motto, be applicable to all, including western powers. Rwanda is asking the international community to bring those accused of genocide to trial, in this case French officials, in the same way that the international community has been urging Rwanda to try the accused RPA soldiers. The Rwandan governement is making a point; no one must escape accountability.
As Linda Melvern said, “what is needed here is the release of a lot of information”. For instance, regarding the assassination of Habyarimana on April the 6th . She claimed that “It’s incredible that two African presidents were assassinated that night over the skies of Kigali and that there’s been no international inquiry. Had it been two European presidents being assassinated, there would have been an immediate inquiry”. The journalist told Democracy Now that she believed certain western governements, including France, the US, and Belgium, to hold information which they are not releasing.
Beyond the question of whether the French governement held a responsibility in the events of 1994, the way the international community will respond to the report might prove to be a turning point in African politics.
EAC
EAC due to adopt harmonious infrastructure programmes soon; Mwapachu
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
Lake Victoria conservation efforts are set to be boosted by the launch of the Basin Development master plan due soon by the East African Community, Juma Mwapachu the EAC Secretary General revealed this week while touring several Kenyan organizations and institutions connected to the integration process of the community. Speaking from Nairobi Mwapachu said a study on the proposed EAC-Lake Victoria basin development master plan would greatly solve infrastructural connections in East Africa.
He said the plan was targeting a regional framework on road networks throughout the EAC, water transport, tourism and agricultural sectors. He added that the infrastructural projects were also contained in the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. Earlier President Paul Kagame announced during the June 2008 Leon H. Sullivan conference in Arusha that Rwanda and Tanzania were involved in negotiations for a railway line connecting Kigali to the port city of Dar Salaam, he said that the railway line was part of the East African Infrastructure project to be adopted by the EAC leaders due 2010. Lake Victoria Basin development master plan, Mwapachu said will accelerate East Africa’s ambition of becoming a regional economic development and growth zone, he added that the size of Lake Victoria would have a big economic impact if proper policy measures were adopted this is because Mwapachu added the lake is the second largest fresh water body in the world has a gross economic potential in the order of USD 5 billion. Regional infrastructure plans currently underway include the ongoing ring road around the Lake, which is part of the East African Road Network Project, with feeders leading to the shores of Lake Victoria with tourist facilities, hotels, lodges, cruise ships as well as strategic industries throughout East Africa.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
Lake Victoria conservation efforts are set to be boosted by the launch of the Basin Development master plan due soon by the East African Community, Juma Mwapachu the EAC Secretary General revealed this week while touring several Kenyan organizations and institutions connected to the integration process of the community. Speaking from Nairobi Mwapachu said a study on the proposed EAC-Lake Victoria basin development master plan would greatly solve infrastructural connections in East Africa.
He said the plan was targeting a regional framework on road networks throughout the EAC, water transport, tourism and agricultural sectors. He added that the infrastructural projects were also contained in the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. Earlier President Paul Kagame announced during the June 2008 Leon H. Sullivan conference in Arusha that Rwanda and Tanzania were involved in negotiations for a railway line connecting Kigali to the port city of Dar Salaam, he said that the railway line was part of the East African Infrastructure project to be adopted by the EAC leaders due 2010. Lake Victoria Basin development master plan, Mwapachu said will accelerate East Africa’s ambition of becoming a regional economic development and growth zone, he added that the size of Lake Victoria would have a big economic impact if proper policy measures were adopted this is because Mwapachu added the lake is the second largest fresh water body in the world has a gross economic potential in the order of USD 5 billion. Regional infrastructure plans currently underway include the ongoing ring road around the Lake, which is part of the East African Road Network Project, with feeders leading to the shores of Lake Victoria with tourist facilities, hotels, lodges, cruise ships as well as strategic industries throughout East Africa.
EAC
EAC marine and fisheries body to be revived
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
Negotiations are underway to re-establish the East African marine and fisheries organization revealed Juma Mwapachu the EAC Secretary General earlier in the week.
Mwapachu was speaking in Kenya after a week long familiarization tour of defence institutions and establishments in Kenya that are involved in the EAC co-operation agreement on defence matters. The joint EAC fisheries and marine organization existed under the former EAC (1967-1977), Mwapachu said the new version would involve research and development to tap the maritime and fisheries resources of the East African water bodies - both offshore and inland - for the benefit of the East African people.
Mwapachu also met with several Kenyan security officials concerned with EAC and held wide ranging discussions about co-operation in defence policy research and development. He further announced that joint EAC military exercises are set to be undertaken during 2009/2010; and that the establishment of a strong EAC Directorate of Peace and Security desk is underway.
Brigadier Ngewa Mukala, the deputy commander of the Kenya Navy said the East African Indian Ocean coastline has great strategic significance and that Kenya was undertaking initiatives along with international stakeholders to safeguard the regional security and maritime interests.
He added that anti-piracy and counter-terrorism operations had assumed a high profile on the East African and Horn of Africa coastline and as a result Maritime security services were currently under threat.
The East African Indian Ocean coastline has recently seen an upsurge of violent attacks to cruise ships from Somalian pirates; the pirates have also affected the supply of relief services to sick and starving people affected by war in Somalia.
The US along with other major powers has increased security patrol on the ocean as a result.
Mukala said that East Africa’s maritime zones remained largely untapped by the East African countries these resources include fisheries, oil and gas and that with the current global food and fuel prices crisis, the resources of the sea had become critical.
He revealed the best tuna fish resources were found in the Indian Ocean with Kenya having a potential of 150,000 tonnes per year, translating into 30 billion Kenya Shillings annually, however these resources are currently being exploited virtually exclusively by foreign interests.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
Negotiations are underway to re-establish the East African marine and fisheries organization revealed Juma Mwapachu the EAC Secretary General earlier in the week.
Mwapachu was speaking in Kenya after a week long familiarization tour of defence institutions and establishments in Kenya that are involved in the EAC co-operation agreement on defence matters. The joint EAC fisheries and marine organization existed under the former EAC (1967-1977), Mwapachu said the new version would involve research and development to tap the maritime and fisheries resources of the East African water bodies - both offshore and inland - for the benefit of the East African people.
Mwapachu also met with several Kenyan security officials concerned with EAC and held wide ranging discussions about co-operation in defence policy research and development. He further announced that joint EAC military exercises are set to be undertaken during 2009/2010; and that the establishment of a strong EAC Directorate of Peace and Security desk is underway.
Brigadier Ngewa Mukala, the deputy commander of the Kenya Navy said the East African Indian Ocean coastline has great strategic significance and that Kenya was undertaking initiatives along with international stakeholders to safeguard the regional security and maritime interests.
He added that anti-piracy and counter-terrorism operations had assumed a high profile on the East African and Horn of Africa coastline and as a result Maritime security services were currently under threat.
The East African Indian Ocean coastline has recently seen an upsurge of violent attacks to cruise ships from Somalian pirates; the pirates have also affected the supply of relief services to sick and starving people affected by war in Somalia.
The US along with other major powers has increased security patrol on the ocean as a result.
Mukala said that East Africa’s maritime zones remained largely untapped by the East African countries these resources include fisheries, oil and gas and that with the current global food and fuel prices crisis, the resources of the sea had become critical.
He revealed the best tuna fish resources were found in the Indian Ocean with Kenya having a potential of 150,000 tonnes per year, translating into 30 billion Kenya Shillings annually, however these resources are currently being exploited virtually exclusively by foreign interests.
Monday 25 August 2008
Rwanda affairs 1
Rwanda finally joins the exclusive club of capacity building donors as France's arrogance continues
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Capacity building is such a big word in Africa, that it is possible-even if there's no scientific evidence to back it that more millions of donor funds are spent on building human resources on the continent.
Rwanda has also finally joined Africa's capacity building band wagon donating 300,000 USD to to the latest organization charged with capacity building in Africa which is predictably, is a partnership between African governments and the international donor community to build sustainable human and institutional capacity for sustainable growth, poverty reduction and good governance in Africa. What else is new?
Meanwhile France continued her vehement denial of their involvement in the Rwandan genocide. Rwanda has insisted and reports were rife during the week that Rwanda was in the process of formally charging one senior French official or his role in the genocide. The United Peace Keeping force in Eastern Congo have done wonderful job in helping destroy they are charged with keeping, as if reports of Pakistan troops selling weapons in exchange for gold from rebel bandits holed up in the jungles of that vast country was not enough, Indian troops comprising the UN force in Eastern DR Congo are reported by UN officials to have abused 10 year old girls sexually. Now rebel groups have partners in crime with the bandits instead of peacekeepers, after the Pakistan sold their weapons for gold, the Indians have chosen pre teenage girls as sex slaves, it remains to be seen what another contingent of the MONUC will do in the continuing misery of Eastern DR Congo. Political talk of packaging the East African Community as a single destination is not dumbfounded after all. Last week it was revealed that the sector is so far the leading forex earner for many members of the community. Tourism is the leading sector in Kenya, Tanzania and is making important steps to become number one in Rwanda and Uganda. The East African Community Legislative Assembly in its 2008 budget set out a goal to market the region such that visitors can pay for one single visa and be able to tour all the five member states of the EAC. Tourists have in the past expressed their anger at having to pay visa fees separately for all five member countries of the EAC yet the community claims to be an economical block.
Experts note that with a strong East African Community (EAC) and her diverse features, a combined promotional initiative and information sharing, this should see the region become the travel destination of the world. If EAC accepts that status, the biggest beneficiary of the decision will be Burundi which has so remained behind in all integration talk.
Still in the EAC, the secretariat revealed in the week that it is negotiating to re-establish the East African marine and fisheries organization revealed Juma Mwapachu the EAC Secretary General earlier in the week. Mwapachu was speaking in Kenya after a week long familiarization tour of defence institutions and establishments in Kenya that are involved in the EAC co-operation agreement on defence matters. The joint EAC fisheries and marine organization existed under the former EAC (1967-1977), Mwapachu said the new version would involve research and development to tap the maritime and fisheries resources of the East African water bodies - both offshore and inland - for the benefit of the East African people.
In the new plan, Lake Victoria conservation efforts are also set to be boosted by the launch of the Basin Development master plan due soon by the East African Community, Juma Mwapachu the EAC Secretary General revealed this week while touring several Kenyan organizations and institutions connected to the integration process of the community. Rwanda Speaking from Nairobi Mwapachu said a study on the proposed EAC-Lake Victoria basin development master plan would greatly solve infrastructural connections in East Africa. He said the plan was targeting a regional framework on road networks throughout the EAC, water transport, tourism and agricultural sectors. He added that the infrastructural projects were also contained in the Lake Victoria Basin Commission.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Capacity building is such a big word in Africa, that it is possible-even if there's no scientific evidence to back it that more millions of donor funds are spent on building human resources on the continent.
Rwanda has also finally joined Africa's capacity building band wagon donating 300,000 USD to to the latest organization charged with capacity building in Africa which is predictably, is a partnership between African governments and the international donor community to build sustainable human and institutional capacity for sustainable growth, poverty reduction and good governance in Africa. What else is new?
Meanwhile France continued her vehement denial of their involvement in the Rwandan genocide. Rwanda has insisted and reports were rife during the week that Rwanda was in the process of formally charging one senior French official or his role in the genocide. The United Peace Keeping force in Eastern Congo have done wonderful job in helping destroy they are charged with keeping, as if reports of Pakistan troops selling weapons in exchange for gold from rebel bandits holed up in the jungles of that vast country was not enough, Indian troops comprising the UN force in Eastern DR Congo are reported by UN officials to have abused 10 year old girls sexually. Now rebel groups have partners in crime with the bandits instead of peacekeepers, after the Pakistan sold their weapons for gold, the Indians have chosen pre teenage girls as sex slaves, it remains to be seen what another contingent of the MONUC will do in the continuing misery of Eastern DR Congo. Political talk of packaging the East African Community as a single destination is not dumbfounded after all. Last week it was revealed that the sector is so far the leading forex earner for many members of the community. Tourism is the leading sector in Kenya, Tanzania and is making important steps to become number one in Rwanda and Uganda. The East African Community Legislative Assembly in its 2008 budget set out a goal to market the region such that visitors can pay for one single visa and be able to tour all the five member states of the EAC. Tourists have in the past expressed their anger at having to pay visa fees separately for all five member countries of the EAC yet the community claims to be an economical block.
Experts note that with a strong East African Community (EAC) and her diverse features, a combined promotional initiative and information sharing, this should see the region become the travel destination of the world. If EAC accepts that status, the biggest beneficiary of the decision will be Burundi which has so remained behind in all integration talk.
Still in the EAC, the secretariat revealed in the week that it is negotiating to re-establish the East African marine and fisheries organization revealed Juma Mwapachu the EAC Secretary General earlier in the week. Mwapachu was speaking in Kenya after a week long familiarization tour of defence institutions and establishments in Kenya that are involved in the EAC co-operation agreement on defence matters. The joint EAC fisheries and marine organization existed under the former EAC (1967-1977), Mwapachu said the new version would involve research and development to tap the maritime and fisheries resources of the East African water bodies - both offshore and inland - for the benefit of the East African people.
In the new plan, Lake Victoria conservation efforts are also set to be boosted by the launch of the Basin Development master plan due soon by the East African Community, Juma Mwapachu the EAC Secretary General revealed this week while touring several Kenyan organizations and institutions connected to the integration process of the community. Rwanda Speaking from Nairobi Mwapachu said a study on the proposed EAC-Lake Victoria basin development master plan would greatly solve infrastructural connections in East Africa. He said the plan was targeting a regional framework on road networks throughout the EAC, water transport, tourism and agricultural sectors. He added that the infrastructural projects were also contained in the Lake Victoria Basin Commission.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)