by Guo Chunju

DAR ES SALAAM, (Xinhua) — The East African Community (EAC) is looking forward to reinforce trade, investment and various relations with China, which is seen as a more serious economic partner with the total acceptance of market, EAC Secretary General Juma Mwapachu said here on Wednesday.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 11th annual East African Power Industry Convention, Mwapachu said that the region is ready to work with China for development as the international financial crisis developed negative effects to the world economy.

“Market is the key driver of development,” the secretary general noted, hailing China’s reform and opening policy constructed by then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and adopted in 1978 in China.

“Most of China’s investment in the region focus on mineral resources, like copper, as well as infrastructure including roads. China has rich experience in developing energy sectors and east Africa has the potential for investment to develop energy, ” said the Mwapachu, who was former Tanzanian Ambassador to France and with a wide-ranging career in the public and private sectors in the east African country.

The 64-year-old experienced diplomat noted that gas reserves was detected in Rwanda and the region expects cooperation with China in the sectors of developing geothermal, wind and solar power.

He also expressed hope to make better use of the China-Africa Fund through the energetic regional body of EAC.

The secretary general further sent his warmest congratulation on the upcoming 60th founding anniversary of China on Oct. 1st this year.

On the integration process of the East Africa, Mwapachu noted that everything goes smoothly as the EAC is celebrating its 10th anniversary and the heads of states of its five members, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, are expected to sign the EAC Common Market Protocol in November this year.

Under the theme “Pooling Resources for African Development”, the three-day 11th annual East African Power Industry Convention, which began on Tuesday with pre-conference round table sessions, attracted more than 280 delegates from nearly 20 countries to address pertinent issues on infrastructural requirements to support national development programs.

Editor: Yan

THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK; Minister of Health Dr Richard Sezibera during the dinner at the Chinese Embassy (Photo; F. GOODMAN)

BY PENINNAH GATHONI

A twelve -member Chinese medical team has arrived in the country as part of the medical assistance that the Peoples’ Republic has been giving to Rwanda since 1982. The new team will be deployed at Kibungo Hospital in the Eastern Province. During the welcome dinner hosted by the Chinese Embassy, Minister of Health Dr Richard Sezibera commended the existing bilateral relations between Rwanda and China that has ensured cooperation in health and other sectors. “Rwanda commends the outgoing team for the high-level professional techniques and dedication in providing medical services to Rwandans,” Sezibera told the medics. The new delegation is made up of medical specialists in different fields and they came equipped with medical supplies and other facilities that they will use while on assignment here. The same dinner also honoured the departing Chinese medical team that has finished its two year term in the country. Sezibera noted that the Chinese medics’ expertise would contribute to the improvement of health sector in the country. “This cooperation has ensured cross cultural learning and knowledge-sharing that goes on to improve services offered to patients,” Sezibera said. The head of the outgoing team, Fang Xuejun praised the government of Rwanda for the support it has rendered to his team during their stay in the country. According to Xuejun, the team diagnosed and treated 30,000 patients and performed over 3,000 operations. The Charge d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Kigali, Li Yigang, hailed the outgoing team for its success and urged the new team to build on present achievements of the China-Rwanda health cooperation. Yiyang stressed the need for continued efforts to improve health and assured his country’s dedication in assisting Rwanda achieve its goals. (newtimes.co.rw)

James Karuhanga

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Beijing — Following a two-day bilateral summit that was concluded in Beijing last week, China has given Rwanda interest-free loans amounting to $ 37 million most of which will fund the Kigali road network rehabilitation project.

Other projects discussed included an agricultural demonstration centre and two rural primary schools, the new State House project, provision of anti-malaria drugs, an anti-Malaria center and the dispatch of Chinese volunteers to Rwanda.

The road network was allocated $ 32 million.

“The Rwandan Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Exim Bank of China signed the related loan agreement. Both sides wish to strengthen coordination in the implementation process of the project,” reads part of a nine-page summary of the summit’s minutes.

The meeting of the “Joint Committee on Economic, Technical and Trade Cooperation” between the two Governments was part of the routine bilateral summits held every two years.

In addition, a separate interest-free loan agreement totaling $ 5.8 million was also granted to Rwanda.

“The loan shall be utilized to implement project(s) to be agreed upon through consultations between the two governments. Specific matters shall be stipulated in agreements(s) to be signed subsequently by the two sides,” reads article II of the joint agreement, a copy of which is contained in the nine-page text.

The two delegations discussed bilateral trade, investment cooperation and economic and technical cooperation. The trade imbalance in favour of China was also acknowledged.

“The Chinese side is committed to encourage the Chinese enterprises to import from Rwanda, commodities that are needed on the Chinese market, such as coffee, tea, minerals, etc,” says part of the document.

On investment cooperation, both sides agreed to work “with common efforts” to facilitate potential enterprises to invest in Rwanda and encourage Chinese investors to participate in Rwandan infrastructure such as roads, electricity, telecommunications and manufacturing.

Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Eugene Munyakayanza, led the Rwandan side with representatives from the ministries of Finance, Health, Agriculture, Education, Infrastructure and Trade while China’s delegation was led by Vice-Minister in the Ministry of Commerce Fu Ziying.

The next bilateral summit will be held in Kigali.

(ALLAFRICA)

Rwanda is on the hunt for investors to pump up to $770 million into its construction industry and reap returns from surging demand for tiles, glass, cement.

The Rwanda Development Board is aiming to lure investors to pour funds into the one of the fastest growing construction industries in the country - product manufacturing.

“Rwanda is currently the largest importer of construction materials in the region. This is because we have few manufacturers in the industry yet according to last year, the construction industry is growing by 16 percent,” said Rosemary Mugisha Mbabazi, the RDB acting director general for investment promotion.

Mbabazi cited the example of Cement where CIMERWA, the country’s sole cement manufacturer has an annual output worth US $100m but imported cement is also worth the same amount, which is a clear sign of shortages.

“To address this shortfall, we have identified key areas of possible investment worth US $600m and we will encourage investors to invest here because the returns are massive since the demand of materials such as tiles, glass, cement and others is very high,” she explained.

The Republic of Rwanda, a small landlocked country in east-central Africa, is home to over 10 million people who mostly engage in subsistence agriculture.

The country’s major export markets include China, Germany and the US.

Ruth Liew

(financialstandard.com.au)

You’ve heard of “green” fuel. Now get ready for yellow as scientists have found a way to turn banana waste into a sustainable fuel source that could be relevant to many countries across Africa.

Rotting banana skins are mashed into a pulp, then mixed with saw dust

The simple, low-tech idea, was developed by researchers at Nottingham University.

They used banana skins to create briquettes that can be burned for cooking, lighting and heating.

It could alleviate the burden of gathering firewood, the dominant energy source in many parts of the continent.

This would help reduce deforestation, which makes a significant contribution to global climate change.

Go yellow

In some African countries, like Rwanda, bananas are an important and versatile crop, used for food, wine and beer.

But experts estimate that the edible fruit makes up just a small part of what the plant produces.

The banana skins bind other materials together really well, they act like glue Joel Chaney,Nottingham University

According to scientists, for every one tonne of bananas, there are an estimated ten tonnes of waste, made up of skins, leaves and stems.

It was on a visit to Rwanda that Joel Chaney, a PhD student from the University of Nottingham came up with the idea of developing a low-tech approach to turn this banana waste into an efficient fuel source.

Back in the laboratory at the University’s faculty of engineering, Joel showed me how to make bananas burn.

He first mashes a pile of rotting skins and leaves. This pulp is then mixed with saw dust, compressed and dried to create briquettes that ignite readily and throw out a steady heat, ideal for cooking.

“The banana skins bind other materials together really well, they act like glue,” says Mr Chaney.

“We can then either form the material into a ball by hand, or use a press to squeeze the materials together and squeeze the liquid out.

“Once we’ve pressed them we can lay the briquettes outside in the sun, and within about two weeks we have some dried fuel.”

The emphasis of the project has been on developing a simple technology that can be used in developing countries without the need for a large financial outlay.

Over the years there have been many attempts to develop new stoves and fuel sources in Africa that have failed because they were too expensive or did not take on board local needs.

These briquettes are made by hand, we haven’t used any mechanical equipment at all Mike Clifford,Nottingham University

Mike Clifford is associate professor in the department of engineering at Nottingham. Standing around a stove in the laboratory that’s using banana briquettes to boil water, he says he is really pleased with the project.

“This is working really well. These briquettes we’ve made by hand, we haven’t used any mechanical equipment at all. No technology and we’ve had a really good result,” he says.

“We’re starting from very basic problems and we are making the solutions as simple and accessible as possible to the people that need them.

“It’s almost seen as a new colonialism, imposing solutions on people in developing countries, we are very keen not to do that.”

Saving firewood

The scientists believe that banana fuel might help reduce dependence on wood as an energy source across Africa.

The briquettes are easily made, no machinery is required

In some of the continent’s biggest banana-producing countries like Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi, more than 80% of current energy needs are met from burning wood.

This has a very damaging impact on the environment leading to deforestation which contributes to climate change. Gathering wood for fuel is also a time consuming job, mainly done by women.

“In some areas wood fuel is getting depleted and you are getting deforestation. Women sometimes have to walk over six hours a day to get firewood,” says Joel Chaney.

“This is a way to use waste from crops like bananas, to make them burn in a better way because loose residue most often just burns too rapidly.

“Imagine just putting some straw onto your fire at home. It just goes up in flames, you can’t cook food over it, while the briquettes provide a way to cook food in a much better way.”

The Nottingham researchers say their low-tech approach is a small step along the way of meeting the millennium goals and helping people out of poverty.

They say that they are happy to give the idea away for free and are encouraging people who want to use the idea to get in touch.

Rwanda’s ruling party leader Francois Ngarambe reaffirmed his country’s one-China policy in Beijing Tuesday.

“We hope the Chinese people will soon complete their long- cherished wish to realize national reunification,” Ngarambe told Luo Gan, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Ngarambe, general secretary of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), is leading an RPF delegation on a nine-day visit in China.

Luo said China appreciates Rwanda’s adherence of one-China policy and its support to China’s efforts of realizing national reunification.

He also hailed long-term China-Rwanda cooperation, saying the CPC wants to improve exchanges with the RPF in ruling countries and upgrade bilateral relations to a new level through enhanced understanding and friendship.

Ngarambe thanked China for its help and support for his country over the past years. He also expressed Rwanda’s appreciation of China’s efforts in promoting China-Africa friendship within the framework of China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

The RPF has been Rwanda’s ruling party since 1994.

Source: Xinhua

Kigali — A-Link Technologies, a Chinese firm will soon assemble laptops and radios in Rwanda with an initial investment worth $0.5 million (Rwf283.7 million).

This will consolidate Rwanda’s stance as an Information Technology hub in the region whereas the firm increases its product line. Currently, it assembles mobile phones, making Rwanda the first country in the East African region to host such a plant.

According to Edward Yin, the President of A-Link Technologies, the two projects (laptop and radio) will be on the market by end of July this year.

“The laptops are expected by the end of next month, whereas the radio project is expected later on,” he explained.

Adding, “Our partners in China are currently developing the laptop chips.Once ready and shipped into the country, alongside other parts, the laptops will be assembled and sold on the local market.”

Management predicted that a laptop, which will be christened ‘A-Link’ like other products assembled, will cost about $400 (Rwf 226,960). This is $216 (Rwf113,480) less than the current price.

Currently, a laptop on the local in the likes of HP, Acer or Dell costs Rwf350,000 ($616).

Yin stressed that the projected price for the A-Link laptops may drop depending on the market, though the investment decision was attracted by their high prices.

Initially, A-Link had planned to venture into assembling television sets and radio after starting its operations with mobile phones last year.

However the Minister in the President’s Office in charge of ICT, Romain Murenzi was not aware of the developments when contacted. He promised to make an official comment after meeting with the Chinese investors soon.

Mobile phone assembling was the first project by A-Link with an investment of $0.5 million (Rwf283.7 million). It was after government started laying of fibre optic cables for wireless broadband in Kigali and the suburbs, a new technology intended to increase coverage of high speed wireless internet.

Since then, it has produced about 6,000 handsets, with an average output of 200 phones per day.

With already 30 Rwandans employed to assemble phones, the two projects (laptop and television) are expected to also employ more 30 citizens.

A-Link is an affiliate to China link Digital and Technology Company Limited, also a Chinese based electronics company.

After Rwanda, the company is targeting the East African Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region.

(ALLAFRICA

PREPARATIONS for the third annual African e-government Forum that Rwanda will host in March have begun.

Organizers said the three-day event will give an opportunity to Information and communication technologies to voice their views, insights, knowledge and share experiences at the forum, which is Africa’s leading e-government conference.

The Forum will attract Ministers of Technology, heads of e-government projects, civil society leaders and representatives from IT organizations including mobile operators, infrastructure providers, foundations, development and donor agencies to discuss current issues and witness success stories on e-government in Africa.

Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), which is organizing the event, said the forum will see the participation of Ministers of Technology in the continent, heads of e-government projects, civil society leaders and representatives from IT organizations including mobile operators among other stakeholders.

“The CTO is honoured that this year the Ministry of Science and Technology, Rwanda will be hosting the 3rd Annual African e-Gov Forum.

“Key ICT stakeholders in the region, including Ministers of technology, heads of e-Gov projects, civil society leaders and representatives from IT organisations, mobile operators, infrastructure providers, foundations, development and donor agencies will discuss current issues and witness success stories on e-Gov in Africa,” it said.

CTO is an international development partnership between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, business and civil society organisations.

The organisation provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development, by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the specific areas of Telecommunications, IT, Broadcasting and the Internet.

Last year, Uganda hosted the e-government forum–ITNewsAfrica.

Villiage Urugwiro — Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi, paid a courtesy call to President Paul Kagame at Urugwiro Village yesterday afternoon from where he called for a boost in the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters shortly after the meeting, Jiechi, who arrived in the country yesterday morning for a two-day State visit extolled Kagame’s role in promoting the present “friendly” Rwanda-China relations.

“I paid high tribute to the President’s attendance and participation in the China-Africa cooperation summit back in 2006,” he said.

“I also paid high tribute to his State visit to China in 2007. Because of that visit, our leaders have reached a consensus on a variety of areas of cooperation,” he said, adding that both countries would now like to maintain high-level visits to exchange views.

Jiechi also expressed China’s wish to further promote trade and economic cooperation with “this great country” and underlined a desire to encourage Chinese companies to come and invest in Rwanda.

The two countries’ relations date back as far as 1971 and China has been assisting Rwanda in various areas since.

China sponsored the construction of Bugarama cement factory, a hospital in Ngoma district in the east, Kinyinya-Nyarutarama and Kinyinya-Utexrwa roads in Kigali, as well the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building whose inauguration ceremony Jiechi duly attended after meeting Kagame.

The country also gives scholarships to Rwandan students and, under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and “envisions” funding other projects, including the construction of a 100-150 bed polyclinic in Kigali, an agricultural demonstration centre and a malaria prevention and treatment facility.

Last year China’s contribution to Rwanda development was valued at USD 7,800,000 and is expected to increase this year.

“We hope that the projects can proceed very smoothly, come to good conclusion and we have pledged our best efforts,” Jiechi said.

“We also believe that it’s important to have more Rwandan students coming to study in China,” he said, promising to continue offering more scholarships and, increase cooperation with Rwanda on many regional and international issues.

“The President expressed very important views on how to further promote the relationship and I was deeply impressed by his sincerity and broad vision I will report to my leaders.”

Foreign Minister Rosemary Museminali, who also attended the Chinese top diplomat’s meeting with the President, underlined that Rwanda-China relations have been growing “from strength to strength, year by year.”

“We want to commit to continue working on them and improving them,” she pointed out.

Apart from delivering the new Minaffet structure, a multi-million complex worth USD 8,940,000, the Chinese Minister also inaugurated the new Chinese Embassy in Kigali.

(http://allafrica.com)

Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Rose Museminali and her counterpart, the Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Yang Jiechi, yesterday signed an aid and cooperation agreement at the ministry’s offices in Kigali.

While the figure was not specified at the time of going to press, the amount signed is in addition to the USD 7.8m donated last year, for different projects being implemented across the country.

In remarks made to the press after signing the agreement. Minister Museminali made a call for increased Chinese investment in Rwanda.

“China supports Rwanda in areas like agriculture, education through constructing schools, infrastructure like the constructing of important roads in the country, but we want the Chinese investors to enter into the investment, and technology sector and help it to develop more,” said Museminali.

The minister is on an official State visit to Rwanda which is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Rwanda and the People’s Republic of China which spans a period of over thirty years now. According to Museminali, the interaction would further cement the good relations between the two countries.

“Our bi-lateral relationship is so good because if out of fifty three African countries, Rwanda is among the four which the minister is going to visit, it shows that our relations are good,” said minister Museminali. She explained that the purpose of the visit was to increase mutual cooperation and aid between the two countries.

Minister Jiech expressed satisfaction at how Rwanda is willing to push further the ties between the two countries.

“I am impressed by the willingness of Rwanda to push these ties further; this is shown by the visit that your President paid to our country while attending the China-Africa cooperation conference in 2006 and also the official visit in 2007,” he said.

He further extended an invitation to the Foreign Affairs minister and other respective ministers to visit china as a way of strengthening more the ties between Rwanda and China.

“Rwanda is our partner and true friend, and we will continue to hold important official visits that are going to see our relationship grow more steadily because there is a lot we can do together,” the Chinese minister underscored.

He also pointed out that China was willing to support investment in Rwanda focusing more on agriculture and the infrastructure sector.

He praised Rwanda’s investment climate saying that the Chinese people who are already investing in Rwanda are satisfied and describe it as excellent.

Minister Jiech also revealed that China is committed and is paying more attention to Africa-China cooperation which is aimed at bringing more development to both partners.

Minister Jiech also toured the Gisozi memorial centre and laid a wreath on the graves of the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

In his remarks at the memorial site, he said that what happened to Rwanda was a horrendous tragedy which serves as a lesson to the whole world that people need to learn from one another’s experiences to avoid the repetition of such tragedies.

He however, was impressed by the seriousness of the people of Rwanda in wanting to develop their country and how they have united after the genocide.

The Chinese minister will visit three other African countries; Uganda, Malawi and South Africa.

(http://allafrica.com/)

The Chinese Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi, will today officially open and handover to the Government of Rwanda, the multi-million dollar complex that will serve as the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MINAFFET).

Minaffet has revealed that the state-of-the-art building located at Kimihurura worth about $8.9m, is among various projects funded by China in Rwanda. The Chinese Minister will also inaugurate the new Chinese Embassy complex in the City Centre during his one day visit to Rwanda.

Jiechi who arrives in the county today will pay a courtesy call to President Paul Kagame at Urugwiro Village and will also hold bilateral talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rosemary Museminali to further discuss how China and Rwanda can strengthen their bilateral ties.

Museminali is quoted in a statement saying that the Chinese top diplomat’s visit is “highly welcome and will be an opportunity to cement the good relationship which has prevailed for a long time between Rwanda and China.”

Jiechi visit some of the projects his government has funded in Rwanda and also further discuss how China can continue to support development projects in the country.

China is one of Rwanda’s major development partners, supporting several projects in different sectors of the economy, ranging from agriculture, industry, infrastructure to education.

Rwanda has also benefited from different arrangements under the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), an initiative by China to support African Economies develop and some of the special arrangements Rwanda has benefited from is the Special Preferential Tariff Treatment (SPT) programme which allows tax free entry of Rwandan products into China.

Jiechi who is visiting Rwanda and three other African countries including Uganda, Malawi and South Africa is on a traditional African tour taken by Chinese Foreign Ministers on invitation by the foreign ministers.
During his stay, Jiechi will visit some of the projects currently funded by China including several paved roads within the City of Kigali.

China is also funding the construction and operationlization of the cement factory (CIMERWA) at Bugarama, rice processing plants in Rwamagana and Nyagatare and the construction of Ngoma Hospital in Ngoma District in the Eastern Province.

Apart from the MINAFFET Complex, China funded different projects across the country valued at $7.8m in 2008 alone, the ministry revealed.
(allAfrica)

Landlocked Burundi and Rwanda plan to build a 500 km (310 mile) road linking them with neighbouring Tanzania to reduce their overdependence on Kenya’s Mombasa port, a minister said on Tuesday.

The two economies suffered greatly when imports through Mombasa were blocked by political violence in Kenya earlier this year. The port on the Indian Ocean is a main gateway into much of eastern Africa.

“This project is of great importance to our economies. The road will largely reduce the cost of our imported merchandise,” Burundi Finance Minister Clotilde Nizigama told reporters, adding that it would also ease the coffee grower’s exports.

“We hope our partners in development are going to respond positively to our request.”

The road is budgeted to cost $688 million and take four years to complete. The two countries have a $100-million grant from the African Development Bank and are seeking the rest from the World Bank, European Union, China and Saudi Arabia.

The two central African nations have also begun a $4 billion project to build a 691 km (430 mile) rail line to connect them to Tanzania. It is expected to be operational by 2012.

(engineeringnews)