Students to benefit from use of English in tuition;RNEC
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Director General of Rwanda National Examinations Council-RNEC- John Rutayisire has welcomed the decision recently by government to adopt English as a medium of instruction in the country’s educational sector.
Speaking in an interview with The New Times today, Rutayisire said the language is needed as a tool of communication as well as a development tool. He said it would help students attain similar advantages in the East African job market as those from the established members of the regional black.
He said: “Because of the unique nature of the country’s political theorists, the decision could be differently interpreted by politicians but as education experts, we support government programmes in tourism promotion and creating an ICT hub in the region, if we want to achieve this objective in this region, we must produce labour that equally competes with our rivals in the region.”
Last week, the cabinet endorsed English as the major language that all levels of the education and speaking last week while touring a primary school in Kimiruhura, Kigali suburb, President Paul Kagame said cabinet changed from French to English because of the requirements of the labour market in the region-whereby most of the jobs in the region are held by mostly products of Uganda and Kenya's education system which uses English as the official medium of instruction.
Kagame said inorder for products of Rwanda's education system to compete favourably with others in the region, there was need to allign students towards English because it would open a wider market and opportunities for skilled labour.
According to Rutayisire, Rwanda's entry into the East African Community now ensures that education products of the education system here-which hitherto has been in French-competes with those from the established three members, as a result, many Rwandans are unfavoured by regional labour market demands.
As a result, one of the hot issues under debate in the EAC-Commom Market union negotiations curently underway are fears by some member countries that the free movement of labour will favour mainly Kenyans and Ugandans.
Commenting on the issue, Rutayisire said: "We shall emphasize to our students to learn all languages including Swahili, this will enable us to we are now calling for the support of teachers and parents because education reforms are part and partial of the rebiulding proccess we are undergoing to catch up with our competitors in the region."
Sunday, 19 October 2008
EAC lawmakers call for more involvement in new EPA negotiations
EAC lawmakers call for more involvement in new EPA negotiations
BY GEORGE KAGAME
East African law makers have asked governments of the respective five member countries comprising the block to scrap the interim Economic Partnership Agreement signed between the East African Community and the European Union late 2007 and begin a fresh round of negotiations.
Speaking recently during the 4th Annual Inter-Parliamentary Relations Seminar in Kigali, the parliamentarians declared that the EPA Framework Agreement that was initialled between the EAC and EU last November was a raw deal and poorly negotiated. The controversial EPA, was signed in Lisbon after East African governments were allegedly coerced with the the threat of the Cotonou pact governing trade between the European Union and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
The 2007 negotiations were limited only to ministers and technocrats, the legislators are now demanding that they be involved in EAC Common Market negotiations and to have their concerns considered before the final signing of the Comprehensive EPA Agreement. Their concerns include the flexibility and exceptions in market access, periodic and specific reviews, dispute settlements, and relevant institutions. The new round of negotiations the legislators pointed out should take place before June 2009.
They highlighted the "rapid developments" in East Africa and said the EAC now should focus more on South-South co-operation, which they consider to be more advantageous than that with the West, in order for the new negotiations to take place in a more transparent manner, the parliamentarians recommended that all EAC partner states assent to the East African Joint Trade Negotiation Bill recently.
Dr Francis Mangeni, a consultant on African trade and international trade policy, said the EU is once again moulding the developing world in its own image, and to negotiate itself into a permanent preferential place that assures its continued influence in order to secure an edge over competitors for resources, services and goods."
The seminar, officially opened by Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, brought together over 200 participants who included all the 45 EALA(East African Legislative Assembly) members; 15 Members of Parliament from each of the five EAC National Assemblies; East African ministers, senior government and EAC officials and 15 members of the Economic Community of Western African States parliament.
It was called to discuss the roles of national and regional legislators in the EAC integration process, ongoing negotiations on the EAC Common Market Protocol and the EU-EAC Economic Partnership Agreement. EALA speaker Abdirahin Haithar Abdi,said parliaments should be constantly appraised of the progress and developments on the ongoing negotiations of the EAC Common Market Protocol and the EPA negotiations.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
East African law makers have asked governments of the respective five member countries comprising the block to scrap the interim Economic Partnership Agreement signed between the East African Community and the European Union late 2007 and begin a fresh round of negotiations.
Speaking recently during the 4th Annual Inter-Parliamentary Relations Seminar in Kigali, the parliamentarians declared that the EPA Framework Agreement that was initialled between the EAC and EU last November was a raw deal and poorly negotiated. The controversial EPA, was signed in Lisbon after East African governments were allegedly coerced with the the threat of the Cotonou pact governing trade between the European Union and the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
The 2007 negotiations were limited only to ministers and technocrats, the legislators are now demanding that they be involved in EAC Common Market negotiations and to have their concerns considered before the final signing of the Comprehensive EPA Agreement. Their concerns include the flexibility and exceptions in market access, periodic and specific reviews, dispute settlements, and relevant institutions. The new round of negotiations the legislators pointed out should take place before June 2009.
They highlighted the "rapid developments" in East Africa and said the EAC now should focus more on South-South co-operation, which they consider to be more advantageous than that with the West, in order for the new negotiations to take place in a more transparent manner, the parliamentarians recommended that all EAC partner states assent to the East African Joint Trade Negotiation Bill recently.
Dr Francis Mangeni, a consultant on African trade and international trade policy, said the EU is once again moulding the developing world in its own image, and to negotiate itself into a permanent preferential place that assures its continued influence in order to secure an edge over competitors for resources, services and goods."
The seminar, officially opened by Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, brought together over 200 participants who included all the 45 EALA(East African Legislative Assembly) members; 15 Members of Parliament from each of the five EAC National Assemblies; East African ministers, senior government and EAC officials and 15 members of the Economic Community of Western African States parliament.
It was called to discuss the roles of national and regional legislators in the EAC integration process, ongoing negotiations on the EAC Common Market Protocol and the EU-EAC Economic Partnership Agreement. EALA speaker Abdirahin Haithar Abdi,said parliaments should be constantly appraised of the progress and developments on the ongoing negotiations of the EAC Common Market Protocol and the EPA negotiations.
East African political integration still a long shot: Kiraso
East African political integration still a long shot: Kiraso
BY GEORGE KAGAME
East African Political Federation is still a long time away but the economic and social integration of the community is due to be realized soon, it has been revealed by the deputy secretary general of the EAC Beatrice Kiraso.
Kiraso was last week addressing a workshop of national consultative committees set up in Rwanda and Burundi to help both countries speed up their fast tracking such that they can set out mechanisms similar to those existing in the three original members of the EAC before the onset of regional policies like the Common Market and the Customs Union.
She said that consultations are on course in the two new Partner States to embrace the policies of the East African Community.
Hon. Kiraso informed delegates that negotiations on the EAC Common Market were in high gear and that for fast tracking the integration process, the Summit of the EAC Heads of State directed that the EAC Common Market Protocol be in place by early 2010 while the EAC Monetary Union by 2012.
Political integration and federation of the EAC remains so far a major concern for Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, who in the 2006 presidential campaigns of his country promised his voters that the East African Community would achieve political integration by 2013. Kiraso said the timeframe for political federation has not yet been fixed: “The road map (of political integration) shall only be developed after the two NCCs of Rwanda and Burundi have presented their report and findings of the national consultations.”†
She said as the EAC integrations deepens and widens, the need for a central political authority to consolidate the gains that will have been achieved from integration cannot be over-emphasized. Economic integration is certainly, significant, but there is need for clear mechanisms for equitable distribution of the benefits of integration, enforcement of policy decisions and exploitation of the existing economies of scale in all sectors through a single planning unit.
†
Kiraso added that the EAC political federation is not an event (with a timetable) but a process which calls for institutional development through development of policies, mechanisms and frameworks that lay the foundation for the ultimate stage of the EAC integration - the Political Federation. “That is why the Secretariat is working towards developing a regional framework on good governance, which encompasses four major pillars namely; Democratization processes; Justice and Rule of Law; Anti-corruption, Ethics and Integrity; and Human Rights and Social Justice”,
BY GEORGE KAGAME
East African Political Federation is still a long time away but the economic and social integration of the community is due to be realized soon, it has been revealed by the deputy secretary general of the EAC Beatrice Kiraso.
Kiraso was last week addressing a workshop of national consultative committees set up in Rwanda and Burundi to help both countries speed up their fast tracking such that they can set out mechanisms similar to those existing in the three original members of the EAC before the onset of regional policies like the Common Market and the Customs Union.
She said that consultations are on course in the two new Partner States to embrace the policies of the East African Community.
Hon. Kiraso informed delegates that negotiations on the EAC Common Market were in high gear and that for fast tracking the integration process, the Summit of the EAC Heads of State directed that the EAC Common Market Protocol be in place by early 2010 while the EAC Monetary Union by 2012.
Political integration and federation of the EAC remains so far a major concern for Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, who in the 2006 presidential campaigns of his country promised his voters that the East African Community would achieve political integration by 2013. Kiraso said the timeframe for political federation has not yet been fixed: “The road map (of political integration) shall only be developed after the two NCCs of Rwanda and Burundi have presented their report and findings of the national consultations.”†
She said as the EAC integrations deepens and widens, the need for a central political authority to consolidate the gains that will have been achieved from integration cannot be over-emphasized. Economic integration is certainly, significant, but there is need for clear mechanisms for equitable distribution of the benefits of integration, enforcement of policy decisions and exploitation of the existing economies of scale in all sectors through a single planning unit.
†
Kiraso added that the EAC political federation is not an event (with a timetable) but a process which calls for institutional development through development of policies, mechanisms and frameworks that lay the foundation for the ultimate stage of the EAC integration - the Political Federation. “That is why the Secretariat is working towards developing a regional framework on good governance, which encompasses four major pillars namely; Democratization processes; Justice and Rule of Law; Anti-corruption, Ethics and Integrity; and Human Rights and Social Justice”,
New land reforms to spur economic growth and social harmony
New land reforms to spur economic growth and social harmony
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Government today launched the first phase of land tenure reforms stating that the new changes in land ownership and management would increase investments throughout the country.
Stanislas Kamanzi the minister of Lands, environment, forests, water and mines said the reforms are part of Rwanda’s mechanism for registering land titles and the proper use to ensure long equity in land ownership among all Rwandans.
The reforms are part funded by government and British aid organization, FID-Department of Foreign and International Development who have been funding land reforms in the country since 2002 spending Frw 3billion since then.
The reforms started off with the passing of the National Land Policy passed in 2004, and were amended by the launching of Organic Land Law in 2005.
Sandra Pepera said upon its completion, the land reforms in the country will stimulate investments and growth because it caters for the rights and protection of especially vulnerable groups in the country. She added that reforms would also help in resolving disputes in communities and promoting social harmony.
Pepera further said the whole land regularization would need 40m USD to be completed in the next five years. She called upon Rwanda’s other donor partners to contribute to the process.
Land issues have been a thorn to both local and national leaders in the country, in the Eastern province it took President Paul Kagame’s personal intervention in resolving matters connected to unequal distribution of land.
In large parts of the province, senior security officials had acquired large portions of land making many peasants landless and reducing them to squatters. Currently there are, according to the ministry of lands, 7.5 million plots of land in the country serving a population expected to be above 10 million now.
In the first phase of the land tenure reforms launched today, Kamanzi said the government will ensure that land owners are given their titles and guarantee security of these titles, leasing arrangements for land owners ranging between 29 to 99 years, and strengthening the existing district land commissions. He added that the second phase would begin in March 2009.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Government today launched the first phase of land tenure reforms stating that the new changes in land ownership and management would increase investments throughout the country.
Stanislas Kamanzi the minister of Lands, environment, forests, water and mines said the reforms are part of Rwanda’s mechanism for registering land titles and the proper use to ensure long equity in land ownership among all Rwandans.
The reforms are part funded by government and British aid organization, FID-Department of Foreign and International Development who have been funding land reforms in the country since 2002 spending Frw 3billion since then.
The reforms started off with the passing of the National Land Policy passed in 2004, and were amended by the launching of Organic Land Law in 2005.
Sandra Pepera said upon its completion, the land reforms in the country will stimulate investments and growth because it caters for the rights and protection of especially vulnerable groups in the country. She added that reforms would also help in resolving disputes in communities and promoting social harmony.
Pepera further said the whole land regularization would need 40m USD to be completed in the next five years. She called upon Rwanda’s other donor partners to contribute to the process.
Land issues have been a thorn to both local and national leaders in the country, in the Eastern province it took President Paul Kagame’s personal intervention in resolving matters connected to unequal distribution of land.
In large parts of the province, senior security officials had acquired large portions of land making many peasants landless and reducing them to squatters. Currently there are, according to the ministry of lands, 7.5 million plots of land in the country serving a population expected to be above 10 million now.
In the first phase of the land tenure reforms launched today, Kamanzi said the government will ensure that land owners are given their titles and guarantee security of these titles, leasing arrangements for land owners ranging between 29 to 99 years, and strengthening the existing district land commissions. He added that the second phase would begin in March 2009.
Government aims to connect all primary school pupils to lap tops by 2012: Murenzi
Government aims to connect all primary school pupils by 2012: Murenzi
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The launch of the 'One Lap Top Per Child' scheme in Rwanda by President Paul Kagame earlier in the month is a big step in the government's objective of creating a knowledge based economy by 2020, this was revealed by Professor Romain Murenzi the Minister in Charge of Science and Technology while meeting Japanese design and textile experts at Village Urugwiro over the weekend.
The experts from Tama Art University in Tokyo were in Rwanda promoting a new technique whereby banana leaves-after the edible part is taken-the remains can be turned into textile material, the discovery was made from the design university. Murenzi said the discovery would be very helpful if the experts opened a processing plant in the country, he added that Rwanda was committed to innovative technology as already the government was involved in using the banana wastes for its bio-diversity programmes, these Murenzi said include the Bio-mass projects which are producing energy that supplements the requirements of institutions like prison facilities scattered across the country.
Recently President Kagame launched the highly publicized One Lap Top per child in the country, Rwanda being only the third country in Africa adopt it after Libya and Nigeria.
In this scheme, which was initiated by US academician Professor Nicholas Negroponte and was adopted by the UN is promoted as one measure in establishing or and bridging the wide information gap among developing countries and developed ones.
Murenzi said that government needed 2.5 million lap tops to serve "all primary school going children" in the country that qualify to access to them, he said the project needed the support of parents, local government, civil society and donors to be a success. Kagame said government had already bought 5000 computers which have already been supplied in three districts.
The laptops ,according to Rwanda Information and Technology Authority director Nkubito Bakuramutsa will soon be translated into Kinyarwanda.
"My ministry is working with that of education in ensuring that the transfer, promotion of knowledge among school going children, it is our goal to have all primary school children have these laptops by 2012," Murenzi emphasized.
The 10 man delegation from Japan through their leader Koichi Hagiwara said in the spirit of promoting the use of this new technology in Rwanda-which has capacity to produce 6 tonnes of bananas annually-would send 40 banana growers to the Japanese to learn about the process of turning banana wastes into textile materials.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The launch of the 'One Lap Top Per Child' scheme in Rwanda by President Paul Kagame earlier in the month is a big step in the government's objective of creating a knowledge based economy by 2020, this was revealed by Professor Romain Murenzi the Minister in Charge of Science and Technology while meeting Japanese design and textile experts at Village Urugwiro over the weekend.
The experts from Tama Art University in Tokyo were in Rwanda promoting a new technique whereby banana leaves-after the edible part is taken-the remains can be turned into textile material, the discovery was made from the design university. Murenzi said the discovery would be very helpful if the experts opened a processing plant in the country, he added that Rwanda was committed to innovative technology as already the government was involved in using the banana wastes for its bio-diversity programmes, these Murenzi said include the Bio-mass projects which are producing energy that supplements the requirements of institutions like prison facilities scattered across the country.
Recently President Kagame launched the highly publicized One Lap Top per child in the country, Rwanda being only the third country in Africa adopt it after Libya and Nigeria.
In this scheme, which was initiated by US academician Professor Nicholas Negroponte and was adopted by the UN is promoted as one measure in establishing or and bridging the wide information gap among developing countries and developed ones.
Murenzi said that government needed 2.5 million lap tops to serve "all primary school going children" in the country that qualify to access to them, he said the project needed the support of parents, local government, civil society and donors to be a success. Kagame said government had already bought 5000 computers which have already been supplied in three districts.
The laptops ,according to Rwanda Information and Technology Authority director Nkubito Bakuramutsa will soon be translated into Kinyarwanda.
"My ministry is working with that of education in ensuring that the transfer, promotion of knowledge among school going children, it is our goal to have all primary school children have these laptops by 2012," Murenzi emphasized.
The 10 man delegation from Japan through their leader Koichi Hagiwara said in the spirit of promoting the use of this new technology in Rwanda-which has capacity to produce 6 tonnes of bananas annually-would send 40 banana growers to the Japanese to learn about the process of turning banana wastes into textile materials.
Emergency relief for flood victims victims in Rubavu underway
Emergency relief for flood victims victims in Rubavu underway
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Ministry of Internal Affairs is working around the clock to get emergency relief to help the victims of floods from the torrential rains that caused widespread destruction in the Western Province last Sunday, this was revealed by @@@@ Celeste Twahirwa the officer in charge of disaster management in the said ministry.
Twahirwa was speaking during a meeting with key partners involved in the drive to provide emergency relief to the victims, he said the government along with World Food Programme, UNICEF and Rwanda Red Cross, "we are working with a group of technicians from these institutions, they have helped to assess the damage, each of these institutions has committed to contributing to the emergency relief process."
The rains left 35 people injured on top of destroying thousands of houses in Gisenyi town and 107 classroom blocks were also razed to the ground according to Gideon Ruboneka, a senior official in Rubavu district.
The current rain season which began late September has also affected many areas in the Eastern Province where over 100 houses mostly in Kirehe district were shattered.The Ministry of Internal Affairs along with local government officials have been trying to resettle the victims.
"So far we been able to collect 1800 iron-sheets from UNICEF and Red Cross, 1700 plastic covers for temporary shelters of the victims, apart from that we have organized teams to help in the reconstruction of the basic infrastructure especially schools that was affected by the rains.
Rubavu district is eternally at the centre of natural nightmares, in february this year 44 people died from an earthquake which rocked this western part of the country which is located in the basin of Lake Kivu and a large volcanic activity presence in the area.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Ministry of Internal Affairs is working around the clock to get emergency relief to help the victims of floods from the torrential rains that caused widespread destruction in the Western Province last Sunday, this was revealed by @@@@ Celeste Twahirwa the officer in charge of disaster management in the said ministry.
Twahirwa was speaking during a meeting with key partners involved in the drive to provide emergency relief to the victims, he said the government along with World Food Programme, UNICEF and Rwanda Red Cross, "we are working with a group of technicians from these institutions, they have helped to assess the damage, each of these institutions has committed to contributing to the emergency relief process."
The rains left 35 people injured on top of destroying thousands of houses in Gisenyi town and 107 classroom blocks were also razed to the ground according to Gideon Ruboneka, a senior official in Rubavu district.
The current rain season which began late September has also affected many areas in the Eastern Province where over 100 houses mostly in Kirehe district were shattered.The Ministry of Internal Affairs along with local government officials have been trying to resettle the victims.
"So far we been able to collect 1800 iron-sheets from UNICEF and Red Cross, 1700 plastic covers for temporary shelters of the victims, apart from that we have organized teams to help in the reconstruction of the basic infrastructure especially schools that was affected by the rains.
Rubavu district is eternally at the centre of natural nightmares, in february this year 44 people died from an earthquake which rocked this western part of the country which is located in the basin of Lake Kivu and a large volcanic activity presence in the area.
ICTR pledges to finish remaining cases at Arusha before 2009 and denies appeal in Munyakazi transfer
ICTR pledges to finish remaining cases at Arusha before 2009 and denies appeal in Munyakazi transfer
BY GEORGE KAGAME
As if it was not predictable enough to read during the week that the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Appeals Chamber had rejected the prosecution plea appealing the earlier decision of the court denying the transfer of genocide suspect Yusuf Munyakazi to Rwanda, a commission set up in Kenya to study the violence which followed presidential elections in that country suggested-as one of its recommendations that an international tribunal be set up to investigate the outcome of the election violence which led to the death of 1500 Kenyans.
Not to be outdone in the race for dramatic news the ICTR said that they would pass rulings in 38 cases, the Arusha based court is remaining with. The president of the court Judge Dennis Byron made the serious pledge while addressing the UN Security Council, he was presenting the 13th completion strategy report of the ICTR to the UN Security Council.
Byron said his fellow judges had decided to finish all the remaining cases at the court before its mandate slated for 31-December-2009.
The news is dramatic because for the past 14 years, the ICTR has only been able to complete only 36 cases.
Rwanda's move towards the good governance platform is in full gear, if Transparent International are to be believed. In their recent index of corruption tendencies, upon which countries are rated according to their efficiency in the fight against the vice said Rwanda along with Tanzania had improved positions currently sitting in 102 position out of 180 countries surveyed.
The ratings are released annually and and are an important factor for international investors before committing their money in specific countrues.
Still talking figures and policies, Rwanda and other developing countries will not face the immediate repercussions of the global financial crisis currently causing the collapse of banks and other financial institutions in the US and Europe, opined John Rwangobwa.
The Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance and secretary to the national treasury John Rwangomba said while commenting during the week on the current crisis in the US financial market and its relevance to Rwanda and other developing countries-which heavily rely on western donor aid mostly from the US.
Matters of development and financing dominated news in the week, Washington was also the venue hosting The World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual general meeting of central bank governors, the govenors along with the World Bank president Robert Zoellick were mainly discussing the crisis currently prevailing in international stock markets in the West.
Rwanda was represented at the meeting by Francois Kanimba.
Addressing the governors, Robert B. Zoellick, said that the world is currently at an extraordinarily difficult time - a time of uncertainty and insecurity, with a danger that fears posed by the financial crisis push the global economy away from - not towards - a more inclusive and sustainable globalization.
He said that 2008 was a precarious year worsened by a meltdown in financial, credit, and housing markets on top of the continuing stress of high food, fuel, and commodity prices. Since the beginning of the year, there have been violent protests in South Africa, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Chile and Kenya with citizens protesting against central governments for high costs of food items and fuel.
While the big boys of international relations were occupied with finance matters which many in the developing countries don't even understand, aid organizations reminded the world that the continually raising cost of living was a problem worth equal attention as the stock exchange markets.
The figures Oxfam- a leading aid organization from Britain released during the week told of 900 million people in poor countries on the verge of facing starvation.
Of good fortune at the start of the week is that Rwanda along with Morocco progressed to the third round qualifying stage of the World Cup/African Nations' Cup, Senegal and South Africa are among the big absentees from the this round, while other countries' failure will cause anger and remorse-like the case was with Senegal where fans destroyed cars and streets-South Africa will face the humiliation more bacause they will host the World Cup in 2010, ironical to fail appearing at the African Nations' Cup and host a World Cup
BY GEORGE KAGAME
As if it was not predictable enough to read during the week that the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Appeals Chamber had rejected the prosecution plea appealing the earlier decision of the court denying the transfer of genocide suspect Yusuf Munyakazi to Rwanda, a commission set up in Kenya to study the violence which followed presidential elections in that country suggested-as one of its recommendations that an international tribunal be set up to investigate the outcome of the election violence which led to the death of 1500 Kenyans.
Not to be outdone in the race for dramatic news the ICTR said that they would pass rulings in 38 cases, the Arusha based court is remaining with. The president of the court Judge Dennis Byron made the serious pledge while addressing the UN Security Council, he was presenting the 13th completion strategy report of the ICTR to the UN Security Council.
Byron said his fellow judges had decided to finish all the remaining cases at the court before its mandate slated for 31-December-2009.
The news is dramatic because for the past 14 years, the ICTR has only been able to complete only 36 cases.
Rwanda's move towards the good governance platform is in full gear, if Transparent International are to be believed. In their recent index of corruption tendencies, upon which countries are rated according to their efficiency in the fight against the vice said Rwanda along with Tanzania had improved positions currently sitting in 102 position out of 180 countries surveyed.
The ratings are released annually and and are an important factor for international investors before committing their money in specific countrues.
Still talking figures and policies, Rwanda and other developing countries will not face the immediate repercussions of the global financial crisis currently causing the collapse of banks and other financial institutions in the US and Europe, opined John Rwangobwa.
The Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance and secretary to the national treasury John Rwangomba said while commenting during the week on the current crisis in the US financial market and its relevance to Rwanda and other developing countries-which heavily rely on western donor aid mostly from the US.
Matters of development and financing dominated news in the week, Washington was also the venue hosting The World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual general meeting of central bank governors, the govenors along with the World Bank president Robert Zoellick were mainly discussing the crisis currently prevailing in international stock markets in the West.
Rwanda was represented at the meeting by Francois Kanimba.
Addressing the governors, Robert B. Zoellick, said that the world is currently at an extraordinarily difficult time - a time of uncertainty and insecurity, with a danger that fears posed by the financial crisis push the global economy away from - not towards - a more inclusive and sustainable globalization.
He said that 2008 was a precarious year worsened by a meltdown in financial, credit, and housing markets on top of the continuing stress of high food, fuel, and commodity prices. Since the beginning of the year, there have been violent protests in South Africa, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Chile and Kenya with citizens protesting against central governments for high costs of food items and fuel.
While the big boys of international relations were occupied with finance matters which many in the developing countries don't even understand, aid organizations reminded the world that the continually raising cost of living was a problem worth equal attention as the stock exchange markets.
The figures Oxfam- a leading aid organization from Britain released during the week told of 900 million people in poor countries on the verge of facing starvation.
Of good fortune at the start of the week is that Rwanda along with Morocco progressed to the third round qualifying stage of the World Cup/African Nations' Cup, Senegal and South Africa are among the big absentees from the this round, while other countries' failure will cause anger and remorse-like the case was with Senegal where fans destroyed cars and streets-South Africa will face the humiliation more bacause they will host the World Cup in 2010, ironical to fail appearing at the African Nations' Cup and host a World Cup
Mujyawamariya calls for sustained efforts in gender policies amidst celebrations of a women dominated parliament
Mujyawamariya calls for sustained efforts in gender policies amidst celebrations of a women dominated parliament
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Minister in Charge of Gender and Family Promotion in the Prime Minister's office , Dr. Jean D'arc Mujyawamariya on has called upon all gender policy activists in the country to uphold Rwanda's achievements in the fight for gender equality needs sustained efforts in-order to avoid sharp contrasts when statistics are read.
Mujyawamariya was opening the national gender cluster steering committee meeting at Prime Holdings Kimiruhura on Tuesday. The cluster brings together stake-holders involved in gender issues and related policy formulation stake-holders throughout the country, namely, UNIFEM- a UN organization that advocates for the rights women, donor agencies and local women groups, they were holding a day long meeting to update themselves on national gender issues in the country including the recent good fortune for women in the September parliamentary elections where 45 women in which they took 45 out of the 80 seats available in the house.
Mujyawamariya said: "let us not forget how the women are presently suffering and who have died during the time you have taken to come here," she was referring to current national statistics which according to the reports from the previous day at the launch of White Ribbon, a safe motherhood project where it was stated that one in six deaths of women of reproductive age [15 to 44] is due to maternal causes.
She added that all efforts for gender activists in the country should focus on "promoting zero tolerance for women dying in pregnancy or childbirth; together we can eradicate the widow status that is preventable."
White Ribbon is an international organisation which raises awareness to improve maternal health in the country.
During the cluster meeting, it was reported that a five year action plan for the the promotion of women employment in the country was in the offing, while the centre for the promotion of small and medium scale enterprises in the country had trained 300 women on developing bankable projects.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Minister in Charge of Gender and Family Promotion in the Prime Minister's office , Dr. Jean D'arc Mujyawamariya on has called upon all gender policy activists in the country to uphold Rwanda's achievements in the fight for gender equality needs sustained efforts in-order to avoid sharp contrasts when statistics are read.
Mujyawamariya was opening the national gender cluster steering committee meeting at Prime Holdings Kimiruhura on Tuesday. The cluster brings together stake-holders involved in gender issues and related policy formulation stake-holders throughout the country, namely, UNIFEM- a UN organization that advocates for the rights women, donor agencies and local women groups, they were holding a day long meeting to update themselves on national gender issues in the country including the recent good fortune for women in the September parliamentary elections where 45 women in which they took 45 out of the 80 seats available in the house.
Mujyawamariya said: "let us not forget how the women are presently suffering and who have died during the time you have taken to come here," she was referring to current national statistics which according to the reports from the previous day at the launch of White Ribbon, a safe motherhood project where it was stated that one in six deaths of women of reproductive age [15 to 44] is due to maternal causes.
She added that all efforts for gender activists in the country should focus on "promoting zero tolerance for women dying in pregnancy or childbirth; together we can eradicate the widow status that is preventable."
White Ribbon is an international organisation which raises awareness to improve maternal health in the country.
During the cluster meeting, it was reported that a five year action plan for the the promotion of women employment in the country was in the offing, while the centre for the promotion of small and medium scale enterprises in the country had trained 300 women on developing bankable projects.
Residents of flood affected areas pivotal to success of relief efforts
Residents of flood affected areas pivotal to success of relief efforts
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The medical and infra-structural efforts in rebuilding the lives of the victims affected by recent torrential rains in Rubavu and Kirehe districts have been efficient due to the diligence of the residents in those areas.
Celeste Twahirwa, the Ministry of Internal Affairs officer charged with disaster management in the country commended the residents in an exclusive interview on Sunday.
Twahirwa was giving updates concerning the victims of the rains which left school students as well as many other people in Rubavu admitted after suffering injuries from the destruction of housing structures caused by the floods from the rains. Among the physical infrastructure razed to the ground included 107 classrooms and over 1000 homes in the Eastern and Western Provinces, a Rwanda National Police structure and several other infrastructures.
Twahirwa said: "the residents in the affected areas have been mobilized to be very active in the recovery of their areas instead of relying on government and aid organizations to help them out solely, as result, the iron sheets donated to the affected households have been used in the reconstruction process,” he added that local corporate organizations like Care Rwanda and Office for National Tourism Protection-ORTPN had contributed to the process. Twahirwa also said that out of the 4400 iron sheets required for the destroyed houses in both Kirehe and Rubavu districts, "we are only lacking 370 iron sheets which we are confident of getting soon."
According to Twahirwa, UNICEF-United Nations Children and Education Fund-had offered to cater for the rehabilitation of all the affected schools in both districts and that all the people admitted to hospital because of the rains had been discharged save for two cases in Rubavu.
Rubavu has occasionally suffered at the hands of violent rains; the last rainy season back in May left two people dead and a cholera attack in the district.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The medical and infra-structural efforts in rebuilding the lives of the victims affected by recent torrential rains in Rubavu and Kirehe districts have been efficient due to the diligence of the residents in those areas.
Celeste Twahirwa, the Ministry of Internal Affairs officer charged with disaster management in the country commended the residents in an exclusive interview on Sunday.
Twahirwa was giving updates concerning the victims of the rains which left school students as well as many other people in Rubavu admitted after suffering injuries from the destruction of housing structures caused by the floods from the rains. Among the physical infrastructure razed to the ground included 107 classrooms and over 1000 homes in the Eastern and Western Provinces, a Rwanda National Police structure and several other infrastructures.
Twahirwa said: "the residents in the affected areas have been mobilized to be very active in the recovery of their areas instead of relying on government and aid organizations to help them out solely, as result, the iron sheets donated to the affected households have been used in the reconstruction process,” he added that local corporate organizations like Care Rwanda and Office for National Tourism Protection-ORTPN had contributed to the process. Twahirwa also said that out of the 4400 iron sheets required for the destroyed houses in both Kirehe and Rubavu districts, "we are only lacking 370 iron sheets which we are confident of getting soon."
According to Twahirwa, UNICEF-United Nations Children and Education Fund-had offered to cater for the rehabilitation of all the affected schools in both districts and that all the people admitted to hospital because of the rains had been discharged save for two cases in Rubavu.
Rubavu has occasionally suffered at the hands of violent rains; the last rainy season back in May left two people dead and a cholera attack in the district.
Developing countries safe from immediate aftermath of global financial crisis; Minecofin
Developing countries safe from immediate aftermath of global financial crisis; Minecofin
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Rwanda and other developing countries will not face the immediate repercussions of the global financial crisis currently causing the collapse of banks and other financial institutions in the US and Europe, opined John Rwangobwa.
The Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance and secretary to the national treasury was speaking in an exclusive interview yesterday, while commenting on how the current crisis in the US is likely to affect Rwanda and other developing countries-which heavily rely on western donor aid mostly from the US, Rwangombwa said:
"Currently we have no problem yet, this is basically because we have no pronounced financial market so far," he added however that the crisis would affect international trade in general. "Our international manufacturers and importers mostly get financed by the institutions that are now affected by the crisis, so we might have a situation where the cost of our imports goes up and badly and this has dangerous implications for our balance of payment."
The balance of payment is unfavourable if a country pays more for its imports that earns from its exports, this means that revenue from exports cannot be sufficient enough to pay for imports. This is a bad situation especially for developing countries like Rwanda that mostly rely on imports for most factors of production in the economy.
He said that the crisis could also have wider implications on the flow of aid from developed countries to developing ones which crucially need donor assistance in their development programmes, "the recent decision by the US to inject 700 billion USD is likely to affect their budget for aid, however on the positive note, the crisis could reduce oil prices which is good for us."
In a related development, Rwangombwa said that Francois Kanimba the National Bank of Rwanda governor is currently in Washington with other central governors across the globe attending the Annual Meeting Board of Governors of the World Bank Group on Monday, where the most powerful financial institutions, the International Monetary Bank and The World Bank presented their concerns on the current state of affairs in the international financial industry.
Addressing the governors on Monday, Robert B. Zoellick President The World Bank Group said that the world is currently at an extraordinarily difficult time – a time of uncertainty and insecurity, with a danger that fears posed by the financial crisis push the global economy away from – not towards – a more inclusive and sustainable globalization.
He said that 2008 was a precarious year worsened by a meltdown in financial, credit, and housing markets on top of the continuing stress of high food, fuel, and commodity prices. Since the beginning of the year, there have been violent protests in South Africa, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Chile and Kenya with citizens protesting against central governments for high costs of food items and fuel.
Zoellick said that developing countries will suffer from continuing drop in exports, as well as capital inflow, which will trigger a falloff in investments. Deceleration of growth and deteriorating financing conditions will trigger business failures and increase the risk of banking emergencies. Some countries will slip toward balance of payments crises.
He further cautioned in the limited and contrasting nature of the international aid system, Zoellick said: "Donors bring ideas, energy, and resources, but they also can overwhelm national ownership by developing countries, harming the effectiveness of aid. "
It is during the same-time and city also that the ministers of finance from the G8, a group of the richest nations in the world and the ones responsible for the largest contribution to donor aid were holding their annual meeting.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Rwanda and other developing countries will not face the immediate repercussions of the global financial crisis currently causing the collapse of banks and other financial institutions in the US and Europe, opined John Rwangobwa.
The Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance and secretary to the national treasury was speaking in an exclusive interview yesterday, while commenting on how the current crisis in the US is likely to affect Rwanda and other developing countries-which heavily rely on western donor aid mostly from the US, Rwangombwa said:
"Currently we have no problem yet, this is basically because we have no pronounced financial market so far," he added however that the crisis would affect international trade in general. "Our international manufacturers and importers mostly get financed by the institutions that are now affected by the crisis, so we might have a situation where the cost of our imports goes up and badly and this has dangerous implications for our balance of payment."
The balance of payment is unfavourable if a country pays more for its imports that earns from its exports, this means that revenue from exports cannot be sufficient enough to pay for imports. This is a bad situation especially for developing countries like Rwanda that mostly rely on imports for most factors of production in the economy.
He said that the crisis could also have wider implications on the flow of aid from developed countries to developing ones which crucially need donor assistance in their development programmes, "the recent decision by the US to inject 700 billion USD is likely to affect their budget for aid, however on the positive note, the crisis could reduce oil prices which is good for us."
In a related development, Rwangombwa said that Francois Kanimba the National Bank of Rwanda governor is currently in Washington with other central governors across the globe attending the Annual Meeting Board of Governors of the World Bank Group on Monday, where the most powerful financial institutions, the International Monetary Bank and The World Bank presented their concerns on the current state of affairs in the international financial industry.
Addressing the governors on Monday, Robert B. Zoellick President The World Bank Group said that the world is currently at an extraordinarily difficult time – a time of uncertainty and insecurity, with a danger that fears posed by the financial crisis push the global economy away from – not towards – a more inclusive and sustainable globalization.
He said that 2008 was a precarious year worsened by a meltdown in financial, credit, and housing markets on top of the continuing stress of high food, fuel, and commodity prices. Since the beginning of the year, there have been violent protests in South Africa, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Chile and Kenya with citizens protesting against central governments for high costs of food items and fuel.
Zoellick said that developing countries will suffer from continuing drop in exports, as well as capital inflow, which will trigger a falloff in investments. Deceleration of growth and deteriorating financing conditions will trigger business failures and increase the risk of banking emergencies. Some countries will slip toward balance of payments crises.
He further cautioned in the limited and contrasting nature of the international aid system, Zoellick said: "Donors bring ideas, energy, and resources, but they also can overwhelm national ownership by developing countries, harming the effectiveness of aid. "
It is during the same-time and city also that the ministers of finance from the G8, a group of the richest nations in the world and the ones responsible for the largest contribution to donor aid were holding their annual meeting.
Japanese university to turn banana wastes into textiles
Japanese university to turn banana wastes into textiles
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Rwanda's desire to become a regional centre for technological innovation has received a boost after a group of Japanese experts-in turning banana leaves into textile materials-promised to train Rwandans how to exploit the popular crop beyond food and manure.
The 10 member team from Tama Art University Tokyo are visiting the country to assess how the banana crop can be exploited beyond just making food and manure for which it is popularly used in the country. The process to turn banana leaves into textiles was developed by Tama Art University which specializes in design and textile techinolgu. It was unveiled during the Tokyo International Cooperation and Development summit in May this year said Koichi Hagiwara, the Industrial Development Officer from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization who was also part of the delegation said.
He added that President Paul Kagame who attended the summit was impressed by the technology and expressed his desire to have the university team develop it in Rwanda which produces a large number of bananas.
The team also held a one day working seminal at Kigali institute of Science and Technology where 40 stake-holders in the banana industry were trained on how to turn banana leaves into a cloth.Professor Kyoko Hashimoto who lead the delegate from Tama Art University said her university as the first to develop this technology and Rwanda would be among the first countries to benefit from it.
Hagiwara said that even if the technology was developed in Japan, his country does not produce banana they intended to export the technology to the countries that grow the crop. He said that the Lake Victoria Basin in which Rwanda is located produces over 14 billion tones of bananas annually and most of the crop is wasted. He added that the team was here to: "awaken the people in the region to use the banana waste, Tama Art University is ready to transfer and train Rwandans this technology to help Rwanda develop, the university will also receive and train Rwandans to learn about the techical aspects of turning banana leaves into textiles."
Professor Romain Murenzi, Minister in the President's office charged with Science and Technology said this scheme would bolster the government in its desire of imparting technical skills among the citizens. He added that so far, the government was only using banana wastes in its bio-diversity programmes.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Rwanda's desire to become a regional centre for technological innovation has received a boost after a group of Japanese experts-in turning banana leaves into textile materials-promised to train Rwandans how to exploit the popular crop beyond food and manure.
The 10 member team from Tama Art University Tokyo are visiting the country to assess how the banana crop can be exploited beyond just making food and manure for which it is popularly used in the country. The process to turn banana leaves into textiles was developed by Tama Art University which specializes in design and textile techinolgu. It was unveiled during the Tokyo International Cooperation and Development summit in May this year said Koichi Hagiwara, the Industrial Development Officer from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization who was also part of the delegation said.
He added that President Paul Kagame who attended the summit was impressed by the technology and expressed his desire to have the university team develop it in Rwanda which produces a large number of bananas.
The team also held a one day working seminal at Kigali institute of Science and Technology where 40 stake-holders in the banana industry were trained on how to turn banana leaves into a cloth.Professor Kyoko Hashimoto who lead the delegate from Tama Art University said her university as the first to develop this technology and Rwanda would be among the first countries to benefit from it.
Hagiwara said that even if the technology was developed in Japan, his country does not produce banana they intended to export the technology to the countries that grow the crop. He said that the Lake Victoria Basin in which Rwanda is located produces over 14 billion tones of bananas annually and most of the crop is wasted. He added that the team was here to: "awaken the people in the region to use the banana waste, Tama Art University is ready to transfer and train Rwandans this technology to help Rwanda develop, the university will also receive and train Rwandans to learn about the techical aspects of turning banana leaves into textiles."
Professor Romain Murenzi, Minister in the President's office charged with Science and Technology said this scheme would bolster the government in its desire of imparting technical skills among the citizens. He added that so far, the government was only using banana wastes in its bio-diversity programmes.
Women to dominate unique Rwanda parliament and Zimbabwe begins journey to sobriety
Women to dominate unique Rwanda parliament and Zimbabwe begins journey to sobriety
BY GEORGE KAGAME
This week's events and stories were determined by the parliamentary elections which would otherwise have passed like any other political activity but were made unique because most of the victors were women politicians who are at greater advantage again after out numbering their male legislative colleagues.
The Rwandan parliament will be the first since modern history in which women are the majority, but the victory of the women is not likely to change the political landscape of the country since most of them come the Rwanda Patriotic Front, the party which won most of the seats available.
This is the second time that Rwanda makes history in gender politics of legislative assemblies; the last parliament had 48 percent of its members, which was also the highest representation of women in any parliament in the world. Election monitors were quick to welcome the results as having been organized in a fair manner; the organizers said voter turnout was 90 percent while rebel group operating in Eastern DR Congo and Belgium were quick to dismiss the results.
James Musoni the minister of Finance also released another form of figures but his were sad, he said that the government spends annually FRW 37m on capacity building purposes, the money is channeled through universities and research institutions with the sole objective of producing national experts, and reduce depending on foreigners in all the crucial sectors of the economy.
It is not clear which skilled labour policy the government puts more emphasis, currently the ministry of labour is undertaking the national skills audit upon whose completion the government will introduce incentives to attract foreigners to come and work in Rwanda. Talking capacity building, Rwanda is currently contributing to the funding of African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), which is a pan African institution aiming to solve skilled human labour shortage on the continent.
The lyrics of Bob Marley's 'Zimbabwe', were inspirational last week as Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangarai agreed to put their mutual dislike and distrust for each other to lay a framework of a new government since presidential election were held in that country at the beginning of the year, the results of those elections were completely confusing not only to the two men, but the country and the whole world. Zimbabwe and the two men have been trying to settle that confusion since then.
Last week,the political impasse in Zimbabwe was slowly taking a sober shape after Tsvangarai the esterwhile opposition leader in the country and its ailing president Mugabe agreed to share power ending a long standing violent dispute between their two political parties. In the Deal that was signed last week, Tsvangarai will be a prime minster and have his party colleagues part of the cabinet.
After the agreement, Tsvangarai told the press that he does not trust Mugabe but believes the old man is willing to forge a way forward for the crippling Zimbabwe back to economic stability after plunging to alarming inflation rates, South African president Thabo Mbeki who himself is fighting for his legacy under the threat of Jacob Zuma is credited for helping to settle the Zimbabwe crisis.
If 84 year old Mugabe is fighting for his political career and legacy, he will be happy to learn of the fate of 86 year old Mohammadu Bello Abubakar, whose unique marriage to 86 women has caused a puzzle to Islamic, legal and traditional practitioners in Nigeria.
The Nigerian, whose marriage troubles have been disturbing authorities in recent months was arrested by an Islamic court for refusing to divorce all but four of them. The muslim scholar was arrested during the holy month of Ramadathan and charged charged with "insulting religious creed" and "unlawful marriages".
What is interesting in this case is that while Niger traditional leaders have ordered Bello to divorce 82 of his wives, the legal courts have judged him innocent (citing his human rights), and the islamic court has instead arrested him, who is fooling whom?
Relationships is what President Paul Kagame was talking about last week when he stated that Rwanda is currently considering issuing arrest warrants against the French officials that were implicated in the Mucyo report for their part in the Rwandan Genocide. Kagame said the warrants would be a counter measure for the warrants issued against Rwandans by the French judiciary in 2006, the talk of warrants caused a diplomatic furore between the two and were the hottest political issue at the time.
While politicians are busy paying their lip service about East African integration, mobile telephone companies in the region have chosen to ignore all political gibberish and make the regional block a reality, last week leading communications network introduced uniform tariffs for their subscribers, this will ensure that clients will be able to recharge their talking time while they travel across the region with out having to change their phone chips.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
This week's events and stories were determined by the parliamentary elections which would otherwise have passed like any other political activity but were made unique because most of the victors were women politicians who are at greater advantage again after out numbering their male legislative colleagues.
The Rwandan parliament will be the first since modern history in which women are the majority, but the victory of the women is not likely to change the political landscape of the country since most of them come the Rwanda Patriotic Front, the party which won most of the seats available.
This is the second time that Rwanda makes history in gender politics of legislative assemblies; the last parliament had 48 percent of its members, which was also the highest representation of women in any parliament in the world. Election monitors were quick to welcome the results as having been organized in a fair manner; the organizers said voter turnout was 90 percent while rebel group operating in Eastern DR Congo and Belgium were quick to dismiss the results.
James Musoni the minister of Finance also released another form of figures but his were sad, he said that the government spends annually FRW 37m on capacity building purposes, the money is channeled through universities and research institutions with the sole objective of producing national experts, and reduce depending on foreigners in all the crucial sectors of the economy.
It is not clear which skilled labour policy the government puts more emphasis, currently the ministry of labour is undertaking the national skills audit upon whose completion the government will introduce incentives to attract foreigners to come and work in Rwanda. Talking capacity building, Rwanda is currently contributing to the funding of African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), which is a pan African institution aiming to solve skilled human labour shortage on the continent.
The lyrics of Bob Marley's 'Zimbabwe', were inspirational last week as Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangarai agreed to put their mutual dislike and distrust for each other to lay a framework of a new government since presidential election were held in that country at the beginning of the year, the results of those elections were completely confusing not only to the two men, but the country and the whole world. Zimbabwe and the two men have been trying to settle that confusion since then.
Last week,the political impasse in Zimbabwe was slowly taking a sober shape after Tsvangarai the esterwhile opposition leader in the country and its ailing president Mugabe agreed to share power ending a long standing violent dispute between their two political parties. In the Deal that was signed last week, Tsvangarai will be a prime minster and have his party colleagues part of the cabinet.
After the agreement, Tsvangarai told the press that he does not trust Mugabe but believes the old man is willing to forge a way forward for the crippling Zimbabwe back to economic stability after plunging to alarming inflation rates, South African president Thabo Mbeki who himself is fighting for his legacy under the threat of Jacob Zuma is credited for helping to settle the Zimbabwe crisis.
If 84 year old Mugabe is fighting for his political career and legacy, he will be happy to learn of the fate of 86 year old Mohammadu Bello Abubakar, whose unique marriage to 86 women has caused a puzzle to Islamic, legal and traditional practitioners in Nigeria.
The Nigerian, whose marriage troubles have been disturbing authorities in recent months was arrested by an Islamic court for refusing to divorce all but four of them. The muslim scholar was arrested during the holy month of Ramadathan and charged charged with "insulting religious creed" and "unlawful marriages".
What is interesting in this case is that while Niger traditional leaders have ordered Bello to divorce 82 of his wives, the legal courts have judged him innocent (citing his human rights), and the islamic court has instead arrested him, who is fooling whom?
Relationships is what President Paul Kagame was talking about last week when he stated that Rwanda is currently considering issuing arrest warrants against the French officials that were implicated in the Mucyo report for their part in the Rwandan Genocide. Kagame said the warrants would be a counter measure for the warrants issued against Rwandans by the French judiciary in 2006, the talk of warrants caused a diplomatic furore between the two and were the hottest political issue at the time.
While politicians are busy paying their lip service about East African integration, mobile telephone companies in the region have chosen to ignore all political gibberish and make the regional block a reality, last week leading communications network introduced uniform tariffs for their subscribers, this will ensure that clients will be able to recharge their talking time while they travel across the region with out having to change their phone chips.
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