Igihe

Author: b_igi_adm1n

  • Rwanda: 3rd Easiest Economy to Do Business in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Rwanda’s performance in the Doing Business Rankings in recent years has been exemplary, drawing attention from international observers and investors alike. Improvements have been made across the board.

    The 2013 World Bank Doing Business Report has ranked Rwanda 52nd out of 185 countries. In the overall performance, Rwanda is still the best performing country in the East African region as well as 3rd easiest place to do business in Sub-Saharan Africa (1st is Mauritius which ranks 19th globally, 2nd is South Africa which ranks 39th globally, 3rd is Rwanda which ranks 52nd globally, 4th is Botswana at 59th globally and 5th is Ghana which ranks 64th globally.

    A non-Sub-Saharan African country that also performed well was Tunisia at the 50th position globally.

    According to the survey; 185 Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high rank on the ease of doing business index means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.

    The report, Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises found that from June 2011 to June 2012, 28 of 46 governments in Sub-Saharan Africa implemented at least one regulatory reform making it easier to do business-a total of 44 reforms.

    Rwanda particularly stands out as having consistently improved since 2005. A case study in this year’s report features Rwanda, which since 2005 has implemented 26 regulatory reforms (over half of Sub-Saharan Africa’s annual reforms) as recorded by Doing Business.

    Rwanda has been recognized for making improvements in two areas of regulations: Enforcing Contracts (39th) and Getting Electricity (49th).

    The country made enforcing contracts easier by implementing an electronic filing system for initial complaints whereas the country eased getting electricity by reducing the cost of obtaining a new connection by 30%. Rwanda’s ranking per indicator has improved.

    Looking at areas where Rwanda is still strong, the Starting a Business rank has remained the 8th easiest in the world, with Company registration taking only two procedures and the whole process of incorporation is concluded in just 6 hours. In ease of Paying Taxes, Rwanda is 25th easiest place globally.

    Rwanda recognizes that the momentum to reform should be maintained if not doubled and in particular where we have challenges.

    This is precisely why Rwanda managed to improve over the last ten years. Rwanda has moved from 150th in the 2008 report to now 52nd in the 2013 report with consistent reforms every single year.

    In comparison to her neighbors in the East African region, Rwanda still leads her partner states. Uganda is the second in EAC ranked at 120th globally, Kenya the third in EAC and ranked at 121st globally, Tanzania is fourth and ranked at 134th globally whereas Burundi comes fifth in EAC and ranked at 159th globally.

    Outside the EAC, but neighboring Rwanda is the DRC ranked at 181st globally.

    Beyond the Doing Business index, Rwanda’s performance is consistent with the World Economic Forum (WEF) Competitiveness index where for the second year running, Rwanda emerged among the top countries (3rd) in Sub-Sahara Africa.

    The Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) is based on 12 indicators that include the strength of the economy, education and social welfare, innovation among others.

    The Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Kanimba Francois welcomed the report. “We have seen consistent improvement, both in competitiveness and ease of doing business. Rwanda continues to be one of the top places to invest in Africa,” he affirms.

    “For all these records, Rwanda’s performance in this year’s index is a sign of the country’s commitment to achieving its economic goals,” said Clare Akamanzi, the Chief Executive Officer at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

    “This demonstrates Rwanda’s commitment and consistency in its vision of economic development. We will work very hard to address remaining challenges to make Rwanda even more attractive as a business destination,” she added.

  • President Kagame is 55 Years

    Mr. Paul Kagame also the President of the Republic of Rwanda was born on October 23. It is his birthday today.

    However, the Country’s Leader has been on a busy schedule out of the country.

  • President Kagame is 55 Years

    Mr. Paul Kagame also the President of the Republic of Rwanda was born on October 23. It is his birthday today.

    However, the Country’s Leader has been on a busy schedule out of the country.

  • Andrew Mitchell Resigns

    British cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell resigned October 20, after launching a foul-mouthed tirade at police officers guarding the gates of Prime minister David Cameron’s Downing Street office.

    Mitchell, who as the government’s chief whip was supposed to enforce discipline in Cameron’s Conservative party, handed in his resignation after nearly one month of intense pressure over his behaviour.

    He denied accusations that he had called police “plebs” but admitted using bad language to the officers after they stopped him going through the main gate on his bicycle, directing him to a side gate instead.

    The row was damaging for the Conservatives as they face growing accusations that the privileged backgrounds of Cameron and other senior party members including Mitchell are out of touch with voters.

    The new chief whip will be George Young, the former leader of the House of Commons. British media pointed out that Young is like Mitchell a keen cyclist and went to the elite Eton College, where Cameron was educated.
    In his resignation letter, Mitchell, said: “The offending comment and the reason for my apology to the police was my parting remark ‘I thought you guys were supposed to fucking help us’.”

    Part of the offensive word was replaced by asterisks in the copy of his letter officially released by Downing Street.

    Citing the “upsetting and damaging publicity”, Mitchell said that “whatever the rights and wrongs of the matter I will not be able to fulfil my duties as we would both wish”.

    He added: “I have made clear to you — and I give you my categorical assurance again — that I did not, never have and never would call a police officer a ‘pleb’ or a ‘moron’ or use any of the other pejorative descriptions attributed to me.

    “It was obviously wrong of me to use such bad language and I am very sorry about it and grateful to the police officer for accepting my apology.”

    Police representatives had called for Mitchell’s resignation, saying his outburst was particularly badly timed because it came in the week that two policewomen were shot dead in the city of Manchester in northwest England.

    Cameron wrote back that he was sorry to receive Mitchell’s resignation but understood why he had decided to quit.

    “I regret that this has become necessary,” the prime minister wrote.

    “As you have acknowledged, the incident in Downing Street was not acceptable and you were right to apologise for it.”

    Mitchell, 56, a former soldier and investment banker, was appointed to his new post by Cameron during a cabinet reshuffle in August. He previously served as international development secretary.

    He was educated at the elite Rugby public school where he was reportedly nicknamed “Thrasher” because of his reputation as a stern disciplinarian.

    Mitchell met Britain’s Police Federation last Friday in a fruitless attempt to smooth over the row.

    The opposition Labour Party had also taunted Cameron over Mitchell’s row with the police, which was first reported in The Sun newspaper and quickly became known as “Plebgate” in the British media.

    Speculation over his position reached fever pitch after he was unable to attend the Conservatives’ annual conference in the industrial city of Birmingham, which neighbours his own constituency as a lawmaker.

    But the Conservatives continue to face accusations of being a party of the privileged.

    Hours before Mitchell quit, finance minister George Osborne was embroiled in a row after he got into a first class train carriage with only a standard ticket.

    It emerged later that Osborne paid to upgrade his ticket, while both his spokesman and rail company Virgin Trains dismissed initial reports that Osborne’s aide had refused to pay.

  • Andrew Mitchell Resigns

    British cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell resigned October 20, after launching a foul-mouthed tirade at police officers guarding the gates of Prime minister David Cameron’s Downing Street office.

    Mitchell, who as the government’s chief whip was supposed to enforce discipline in Cameron’s Conservative party, handed in his resignation after nearly one month of intense pressure over his behaviour.

    He denied accusations that he had called police “plebs” but admitted using bad language to the officers after they stopped him going through the main gate on his bicycle, directing him to a side gate instead.

    The row was damaging for the Conservatives as they face growing accusations that the privileged backgrounds of Cameron and other senior party members including Mitchell are out of touch with voters.

    The new chief whip will be George Young, the former leader of the House of Commons. British media pointed out that Young is like Mitchell a keen cyclist and went to the elite Eton College, where Cameron was educated.
    In his resignation letter, Mitchell, said: “The offending comment and the reason for my apology to the police was my parting remark ‘I thought you guys were supposed to fucking help us’.”

    Part of the offensive word was replaced by asterisks in the copy of his letter officially released by Downing Street.

    Citing the “upsetting and damaging publicity”, Mitchell said that “whatever the rights and wrongs of the matter I will not be able to fulfil my duties as we would both wish”.

    He added: “I have made clear to you — and I give you my categorical assurance again — that I did not, never have and never would call a police officer a ‘pleb’ or a ‘moron’ or use any of the other pejorative descriptions attributed to me.

    “It was obviously wrong of me to use such bad language and I am very sorry about it and grateful to the police officer for accepting my apology.”

    Police representatives had called for Mitchell’s resignation, saying his outburst was particularly badly timed because it came in the week that two policewomen were shot dead in the city of Manchester in northwest England.

    Cameron wrote back that he was sorry to receive Mitchell’s resignation but understood why he had decided to quit.

    “I regret that this has become necessary,” the prime minister wrote.

    “As you have acknowledged, the incident in Downing Street was not acceptable and you were right to apologise for it.”

    Mitchell, 56, a former soldier and investment banker, was appointed to his new post by Cameron during a cabinet reshuffle in August. He previously served as international development secretary.

    He was educated at the elite Rugby public school where he was reportedly nicknamed “Thrasher” because of his reputation as a stern disciplinarian.

    Mitchell met Britain’s Police Federation last Friday in a fruitless attempt to smooth over the row.

    The opposition Labour Party had also taunted Cameron over Mitchell’s row with the police, which was first reported in The Sun newspaper and quickly became known as “Plebgate” in the British media.

    Speculation over his position reached fever pitch after he was unable to attend the Conservatives’ annual conference in the industrial city of Birmingham, which neighbours his own constituency as a lawmaker.

    But the Conservatives continue to face accusations of being a party of the privileged.

    Hours before Mitchell quit, finance minister George Osborne was embroiled in a row after he got into a first class train carriage with only a standard ticket.

    It emerged later that Osborne paid to upgrade his ticket, while both his spokesman and rail company Virgin Trains dismissed initial reports that Osborne’s aide had refused to pay.

  • Armstrong Asked to Pay US$11m to US Insurance Company

    A Texan insurance company is pursuing Lance Armstrong for US$11million.

    SCA Promotions insured performance bonuses paid to the American after he claimed his fourth, fifth and sixth Tour de France victories.

    As the International Cycling Union (UCI) has now stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour titles, SCA will demand the money back from Armstrong.

    “We will make a formal demand for return of funds,” SCA’s lawyer, Jeffrey M. Tillotson said.

    “If this is not successful, we will initiate formal legal proceedings against Mr Armstrong in five business days (Monday 29 October).”

    The insurance policy was taken out by Tailwind Sports, owner of the US Postal team, to cover performance bonuses that would be due to Armstrong if he won the Tours.

    SCA initially refused to pay out money covering the bonus for Armstrong’s sixth Tour de France win in 2004, totalling $5m, because it argued Armstrong was not a clean rider.

    Armstrong took the company to an arbitration hearing in Dallas in 2005 and won, because the contract between the parties stipulated the insurance money would be payable if Armstrong was the “official winner” of the Tour.

    It meant SCA was forced to pay out US$7.5million – a US$5million bonus, plus US$2.5million in interest and legal fees.

  • Armstrong Asked to Pay US$11m to US Insurance Company

    A Texan insurance company is pursuing Lance Armstrong for US$11million.

    SCA Promotions insured performance bonuses paid to the American after he claimed his fourth, fifth and sixth Tour de France victories.

    As the International Cycling Union (UCI) has now stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour titles, SCA will demand the money back from Armstrong.

    “We will make a formal demand for return of funds,” SCA’s lawyer, Jeffrey M. Tillotson said.

    “If this is not successful, we will initiate formal legal proceedings against Mr Armstrong in five business days (Monday 29 October).”

    The insurance policy was taken out by Tailwind Sports, owner of the US Postal team, to cover performance bonuses that would be due to Armstrong if he won the Tours.

    SCA initially refused to pay out money covering the bonus for Armstrong’s sixth Tour de France win in 2004, totalling $5m, because it argued Armstrong was not a clean rider.

    Armstrong took the company to an arbitration hearing in Dallas in 2005 and won, because the contract between the parties stipulated the insurance money would be payable if Armstrong was the “official winner” of the Tour.

    It meant SCA was forced to pay out US$7.5million – a US$5million bonus, plus US$2.5million in interest and legal fees.

  • AU Pledges to Help Resolve Crisis in Mali

    The Commission of the Africa Union chaiperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has decried the serious threat that the entrenchment of terrorist and criminal networks posed to the stability of Mali and the surrounding region.

    Addressing the meeting of the Support and Follow-up Group of the AU in Bamako Friday, Dr Dlamini-Zuma said the sooner the union dealt with the problem, the better.

    Said the AU chief in a press statement: “The African Union was the first Organisation to react to the attacks against Mali by rebel groups in mid-January this year.

    We did so as a matter of principle because there was and still there is no justification, whatsoever, for the use of arms, particularly when there are peaceful avenues to address legitimate concerns of a given group.

    “We did so because we foresaw the likely consequences that would arise from the resumption of armed conflict in North Mali.”

    According to the press release, Dr Dlamini-Zuma paid tribute to the regional Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) for its proactive involvement in the quest for a solution in Mali.

    “We could not expect less from an organisation that has, over the years, made significant contributions to the promotion of regional peace, security and stability,” said Dr Dlamini-Zuma.

    She also recognised the contribution of the core countries, Algeria, Mauritania, Mali and Niger in their fight against rebel and terrorist groups in the Sahel region.

    The Ecowas, AU, the European Union and UN representatives were meeting in the Mali capital, hoping to finalise a clear strategy for the intervention in the troubled country.

    Mali, noted Dr Dlamini-Zuma, was one of the founding members of the OAU and the AU, and the principles at stake in the Malian crises were of particular importance to the continent.

    “Africa cannot simply fold its arms while two thirds of the Malian territory was under the control of armed, terrorist and criminal groups,” said Dr Dlamini-Zuma.

  • AU Pledges to Help Resolve Crisis in Mali

    The Commission of the Africa Union chaiperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has decried the serious threat that the entrenchment of terrorist and criminal networks posed to the stability of Mali and the surrounding region.

    Addressing the meeting of the Support and Follow-up Group of the AU in Bamako Friday, Dr Dlamini-Zuma said the sooner the union dealt with the problem, the better.

    Said the AU chief in a press statement: “The African Union was the first Organisation to react to the attacks against Mali by rebel groups in mid-January this year.

    We did so as a matter of principle because there was and still there is no justification, whatsoever, for the use of arms, particularly when there are peaceful avenues to address legitimate concerns of a given group.

    “We did so because we foresaw the likely consequences that would arise from the resumption of armed conflict in North Mali.”

    According to the press release, Dr Dlamini-Zuma paid tribute to the regional Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) for its proactive involvement in the quest for a solution in Mali.

    “We could not expect less from an organisation that has, over the years, made significant contributions to the promotion of regional peace, security and stability,” said Dr Dlamini-Zuma.

    She also recognised the contribution of the core countries, Algeria, Mauritania, Mali and Niger in their fight against rebel and terrorist groups in the Sahel region.

    The Ecowas, AU, the European Union and UN representatives were meeting in the Mali capital, hoping to finalise a clear strategy for the intervention in the troubled country.

    Mali, noted Dr Dlamini-Zuma, was one of the founding members of the OAU and the AU, and the principles at stake in the Malian crises were of particular importance to the continent.

    “Africa cannot simply fold its arms while two thirds of the Malian territory was under the control of armed, terrorist and criminal groups,” said Dr Dlamini-Zuma.

  • Joaquim Chissano At Requiem Mass for Turatsinze

    Former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano and senior government officials of Mozambique attended a Requiem Mass for slain Rwandan Businessman Turatsinze Theogene.

    Turatsinze was kidnapped by unknown people several days ago and killed. Before meeting his death he had sent a text message to his wife telling her that he loved her and was in a difficult situation.

    His car was found Intact at a Beach.

    The Requiem mass was attended by Mrs. Chisaano, the first lady of Mozambique Mrs. Guebuza, The Mozambiquan Foreign Affairs Minister, High Commissioner Vicent Karega(Resident in South Africa),Representative of Burundi and Madagascar in Mozambique, Religious Leaders and Heads of tertiary institutions in mozambique.