Rwanda Information Portal

Rwanda gets grant of 73.8 million Euros from European Union

Kigali – The European Union (EU) has granted to Rwanda a total amount of Rwf 56.5 billion (Euro 73.8 million) earmarked for Rwanda�s transport infrastructure, good governance and rural development sectors � the three focal areas of EU-Rwanda cooperation.

Ambassador Michel Arrion, head of the EU delegation to Rwanda, confirmed this on Monday in a news conference at the Ministry of Finance as he briefed journalists on Europe Day, an annual EU celebration of peace and unity that is celebrated every May 9.

Half of these funds will be channelled through sector budget support.

According to a joint communiqu�, Rwf 15.3 billion and Rwf 3.5 billion will be allocated to decentralised agriculture and environment and natural resources, respectively.

Another Rwf 9.2 billion will go to the areas of justice, reconciliation and law and order to promote good governance and the culture of peace.

Rwf 4.1bn is meant for Parliament to facilitate the monitoring of government programmes and contribute to guaranteeing the capacity and independence of the National Electoral Commission in organizing the 2010 and 2011 elections in accordance with regional and international standards.

In transport infrastructure, Rwf 24.5 billion will finance the rehabilitation of the 78 km long Kigali-Gatuna road.
This Northern Corridor linking Rwanda to Uganda, and the Kenyan port of Mombasa, will be enlarged to a width of seven metres to comply with EAC standards.

Ambassador Arrion, who was accompanied by Ronald Nkusi, the financial resources mobilization coordinator in the Ministry of Finance, spoke at length on Monday about the historical significance of Europe Day, and how Rwanda and other African economies �can draw lessons from it.�

- If you want to receive per email, articles published on Rwandinfo in English, click here.
- If you want to receive Rwandinfo articles in English through your RSS Reader, click here.

May 11, 2010   No Comments

Rwanda: Ex-FDLR officer linked to Victoire Ingabire denied bail

Kigali – The Gasabo Intermediate Court has ruled this Monday that Captain Jean Marie Vianney Karuta remain in custody pending further investigations into crimes he is charged with of conspiring to create a terrorist group in order to destabilize security in Rwanda.

Captain Karuta who was a member of the FDLR (Forces D�mocratiques de Lib�ration du Rwanda) operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) appeared in court on the 6th May to hear the charges leveled against him. He admitted all the charges, but introduced a bail application.
See Rwanda: Ex-FDLR officer admits terrorism charges and claims complicity with Victoire Ingabire�s FDU-Inkingi

In its verdict on Monday, the court indicated that there is no sufficient evidence showing that the accused willingly detached himself from the FDLR rebel group and that he would not flee away back to DRC. The court decided to keep him in detention.

- If you want to receive per email, articles published on Rwandinfo in English, click here.
- If you want to receive Rwandinfo articles in English through your RSS Reader, click here.

May 11, 2010   No Comments

‘Hotel Rwanda’ star is United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment

Kigali – The actor of the genocide film �Hotel Rwanda� Don Cheadle has been named the UN Goodwill Ambassador for the environment, the UN announced Monday.

The Hotel Rwanda actor first teamed up with the U.N. in 2009 to front its climate change campaign, urging world leaders to sign a treaty limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

The UNEP provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

Cheadle’s efforts have won him high praise from organisation officials and he will be promoted to a Goodwill Ambassador during a special ceremony next month (June 2010).

In a statement, Cheadle said: “I will be named officially in Rwanda on June 5th, a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environmental programme. I’ll be in Rwanda on June 5th.”

This day will be International Environment Day coinciding with the naming of baby Gorillas in Rwanda.

Don Cheadle is well-known as one of the founders of the ‘Not On Our Watch’ organization � along with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Jerry Weintraub � after co-authoring a book of the same name with human rights activist John Prendergast, offering background information about the Darfur crisis and how the public can help.

He also co-founded a charity poker tournament called ‘Ante Up For Africa’ with Annie Duke to raise money for and awareness of the crisis in Darfur.

Since its release in 2005, the movie �Hotel Rwanda� has not been watched in public in Rwanda. Mr. Paul Rusesabagina, the Rwandan exiled politician on whose story the movie is based, is a fierce government critic. He has received various global awards.

- If you want to receive per email, articles published on Rwandinfo in English, click here.
- If you want to receive Rwandinfo articles in English through your RSS Reader, click here.

May 11, 2010   No Comments