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As the 2015 Rwanda day in The Netherlands came to a close in the Netherlands, foreign companies have shown interest in investing in Rwanda’s energy sector, a move likely to help the country achieve energy targets.

The companies from France and Italy are looking at investing in renewable energy, one of the priority areas where the country is wooing private investors to invest in.

“We wish to invest in Rwanda’s energy mainly in solar very soon,” Andrew Shabnicker, a representative of Italian companies aid during the 2015 Rwanda Day on Saturday.

The 2015 Rwanda day that was graced by His Excellency President Paul Kagame attracted Rwandans in Diaspora as well as friends of Rwanda with all pledging to contribute to the development of the country.

Meanwhile, a consortium of companies from France also pledged to invest over 200 million euros in the country’s energy sector during the event.The country is looking at producing 563 Mega Watts of energy by 2017 in order to meet the expected demand of energy.

Currently, Rwanda produces only 125Mega Watts.

The investments also come at the time the government opened doors for private investments in the sector as a way of boosting its production, moreover setting up incentives for investments going to energy.

The private sector is involved in power generation through Independent Power Producers (IPP’s) and Private Public Partnerships (PPP’s) structures,”Olivier Ngororabanga, Energy Specialist told this website.

According to the structures, the investors are assured of a minimum 25 years concession Agreement under the Power Purchase Agreement which ensures returns on investment by the investor.

As the hot August Sun rays pierced through thicket bushes of the Akagera national Park striking the red blooded waterbuck carcass placed outside the boma, the kings of the jungle were warming up to enjoy their freedom of the new home.

The seven lions that were introduced to Akagera national park from South Africa recently but kept under a quarantined Boma were finally realized to enjoy their freedom in the bushes of the country national park.

The lions that have made the longest wild lion translocation in conservation history that took over 45 hours are the first to roam in the Akagera national park almost after fifteen years; the kings of the jungle faced their extinction from the park.

The first female poked her nose out of the gates within a few minutes, closely followed by three other females who looked around curiously, unconvinced about their new found freedom, before feasting on the carcass,” said Sarah Hall, Tourism and Marketing Manager, Akagera National Park.

But two males which seemed more cautious as Sarah explains did not come out while the park and press vehicles were still around.

According to park officials, the seven lions are a ten-year-old mother and her one-year-old daughter, a single five-year-old female and two three-year-old sisters while the males are three and four years old and are unrelated.

“The lions have been fed every two-to-three days, mainly on impala carcasses, and will now hunt for their own food,” Sarah explained.

Accordingly, the seven lions are fitted with satellite collars to allow their easy tracking of their movement, their bondage and see whether they are adjusting to the new environment.

The lions as Amb. Yamina Karitanyi, the chief tourism officer at Rwanda Development Board-RDB, explains will contribute towards conservation of the Park while also increasing d tourism attractions of the country.

“Tourists now have the opportunity to see the lions in the wilderness of Akagera, as previously viewing were restricted to park personnel who had been monitoring the lions in the boma,” she said.

The park authorities and the Rwanda Development board are planning a naming ceremony of the lions which will make the lions the second animals to be named in a colorful ceremony after the Guerillas whose young ones are named every year.

CC.

Chris van der Plasse, Member of the Board Rwanda Chamber Foundation. Stef Schreuder, CEO Erasmus Investment International S.A.

To

All parties involved in the Green Business Hub Rwanda investment program, prepared by RCF in collaboration with GOR, local, and international parties.
Concerns New legal entity for the investment program in Rwanda.

Sir/Madam,

We have decided to create a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to realize the investment program in Rwanda. We own a legal entity very suitable to support our ambition in “Africa Business Development Ltd.” (ABD). ABD takes over all responsibilities and agreements from Erasmus Investment International (EII) concerning the Rwanda project. ABD will be the majority shareholder of Green Business Hub Rwanda (GBHR).
The main reason to take this course of action is primarily to maximize the focus on Rwanda and to generate maximum speed to proceed with the funding processes. During Q2 2015 we were confronted with some delays in the execution of the program. It took more time than expected to find co-financers of our investment program ; all parties need time for due diligence and negotiations. This is done simultaneously with other Erasmus programs in other countries. The Rwanda program is “competing” with these developments.

The United States is the largest contributor to Rwanda’s tourism revenues, accounting for 20% of the total revenue.

The immigration office says 1,220,000 visitors were received in 2014, compared to 1,122,000 visitors hosted in 2013, corresponding to a 9% increase (98,000 visitors).

In 2014, of the total number of visitors, 24,488 were Americans, followed by India with 13,008 visitors, then United Kingdom with 12,320, Belgium with 8,733, and 8,228 Germans on the fifth spot.

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) says the country generated$304.9 million in 2014 from tourism, compared to$293.6 million in 2013, representing an increase of 4%. These revenues increased from $62 million in 2000.

Apart from being the safest spot for vacation in Africa, wildlife sight-seeing, especially gorilla and bird watching, and conferences draw the biggest portion of the revenues. The country hosted 19,085 conference visitors, compared to 15,441 in 2013, earning $29 million.

Georgianne Nienaber, an American author and regular visitor to Rwanda asserts that “Americans realize that Rwanda is one of the safest places to vacation in Africa. More and more tourists will come.”

Tourists enjoy the variety of landscapes, the other wildlife, and especially the birds, Nienaber says. “Americans are big bird enthusiasts.”

Payments for gorilla permits accounted for 70% of this year’s tourism revenues worth$213.43 million, RDB says. A foreigner pays $750 to visit mountain gorillas.

Being home to two thirds of the world’s mountain gorillas aggressive conservation efforts in the last 10 years have helped breed 179 mountain gorilla infants, usually cerebrated and given names during the Kwita Izina ceremonies, inspired by the Rwandan baby naming tradition following the birth of a new baby.

Global figures such as Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Rick Warren have participated in the event.  Last year, over 500 international guests participated.

Meanwhile, the country targets generating $860 million from tourism by 2016, but analysts say the target is a little too ambitious and may not be attained due to different shortfalls, especially in the quality of services.

“When you look at Rwanda’s tourism growth in a regional perspective, a lot needs to be done,” said Joseph Opondo, a lecturer at Rwanda Tourism University.

“There should be more efforts in improving services like hospitality in different sectors of this country,” he said.

This week marks the third annual Book and Reading Festival, organised by the Ministry of Sports and Culture (MINISPOC) through its Rwanda Library Services (RLS).

The festival, themed Literacy for Self-reliance, commences today with the launch of a community library in Rulindo District.

Books have been delivered to #Rulindo for todays launch of a #communitylibrary and #bookfestival2015! @MINISPOC pic.twitter.com/4H4bE510aQ

According to MINISPOC, the week-long festival aims to promote a culture of reading and writing, raise awareness about the role of libraries in Rwanda, and sensitize parents about their role in childrens literacy.

Throughout the week, RLS, together with partners (such as the Education Development Center, Editions Bakame, Ishyo Arts Center, Save the Children, Institut Francais, the Rwanda Book Publishers Association, etc.), will engage communities across the country in storytelling activities, reading sessions and competitions, as well as discussions.

Twereke aho igitabo kitwa gira amatsiko kiri! Show us where the book titled “Be Curious” is! #bookfest2015 pic.twitter.com/eAjbpb1X6D

— Ishyo Arts Centre (@IshyoArts) February 16, 2015

The festival will conclude with a Walk for Literacy and closing ceremony on Friday, 20 February in Kigali at Petit Stade.

Rwandas Vision 2020 aims to transform the country into a knowledge-based economy; and it is believed that developing strong literacy skills will significantly contribute to achieving the goal.

Fast Company, whose mission is to inspires a new breed of innovative and creative thought leaders who are actively inventing the future of business, has listed Made in Kigali among the worlds 50 most innovative companies.

The Kigali-based fashion house is praised for helping to build an industry from scratch.

In a blog post, Emma Whitford explains why the company made it to the list:

[Scorpio Ramazani Khoury,] 26-year-old, a mineral trader by profession, is trying to lead the way—and in the process, boost Rwanda’s reputation as a global exporter (of textiles, of course, but also minerals). Her fashion house, Made in Kigali, expanded in a year to employ nearly 50 tailors, and is currently working with the minister of trade on a large-scale training center in Kigali that could handle 3,000 tailors.

Made in Kigali is listed alongside world renown brands such as Apple, Google, Alibaba, Instagram, Samsung, and more.