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This development comes at a time when the global sustainable bond market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by increasing awareness of climate change risks and their potential financial impact.

Green bonds remain the dominant instrument in the sustainable bond market, with growing demand for such bonds as well as other sustainable financial products. In response to this demand and the mounting climate change risks, Rwanda has adopted an ambitious strategy to establish itself as an International Financial Centre.

The newly released GSS+ Bond Guidelinesprovide a comprehensive regulatory framework for the public issuance and listing of GSS+ bonds in Rwanda. These guidelines are designed to complement the country’s existing debt securities laws, ensuring a consistent and robust approach to sustainable finance.

Thapelo Tsheole, the CEO of CMA, highlighted that these guidelines focus primarily on public issuance and do not cover private issuance or multi-jurisdictional issuance of GSS+ bonds.

“However, the framework seeks to create securities that are internationally credible, replicable, and attractive to global investors,” he said.

Tsheole also emphasized that the GSS+ Bonds Guidelines are based on international principles set by renowned organizations such as the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA) and the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), aligning Rwanda’s sustainable finance efforts with global best practices.

This regulatory initiative underscores Rwanda’s commitment to innovation and resilience in the face of global financial and environmental challenges, positioning the country as a leader in sustainable finance.

The Capital Market Authority has issued guidelines for issuance of green, social, and sustainability bonds expected to accelerate Rwanda’s efforts toward sustainable finance.

IGIHE

The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) revealed that the surge in industrial output was driven by strong performance across key sectors.

Mining and quarrying led the way with an impressive 45.2% increase, reflecting heightened activity in resource extraction.

Manufacturing also experienced substantial growth, expanding by 18.4%. This was supported by a notable 26.3% rise in food processing and a 16.6% increase in the production of beverages and tobacco. However, the manufacturing of textiles, clothing, and leather goods saw a significant decline of 39.5%.

Electricity production and supply registered a 9.6% increase, underscoring steady progress in the energy sector. Additionally, water and waste management activities grew by 12.8%, reflecting improvements in utility services and environmental management.

The November growth far exceeded the annual average growth of 8.6%, demonstrating a particularly strong performance for Rwanda’s industrial sector.

The IIP serves as a vital tool for monitoring short-term industrial performance, measuring changes in production volumes relative to the 2017 base year.

While the index excludes construction activities due to data constraints, it offers a comprehensive overview of manufacturing, mining, electricity, and utilities.

'The Index of Industrial Production serves as a tool to measure the industrial production performance of industries and provides timely estimates of broad trends,' NISR stated, emphasizing the role of IIP in tracking economic health and progress.

Rwanda’s formal industrial sector recorded strong growth in November 2024, with output surging by 14.7% compared to the same period in 2023, according to a recent report from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).

Wycliffe Nyamasege

The project is driven by VWMSR on behalf of Volkswagen Group Africa and was initiated by Volkswagen Group Innovation in Germany.

The Gen Farm project addresses the potential of renewable energy and a sustainable mechanization of agriculture, to shape mobility in Africa, thereby advancing Rwanda’s vision 2050 to transform the economy into a high-income nation.

This pilot e-hub will be managed by ARC Power for two years to ensure its feasibility and success, serving as a model for future expansion across the continent.

The hub will supply clean and reliable energy for essential services like electric tractors (e-tractors) and e-scooters, contributing to mechanized farming and sustainable mobility.

ARC Power provides affordable, reliable, and clean solar electricity to communities across Sub Saharan Africa. The company designs, pre-finances, and constructs both grid-tied and off-grid energy systems, delivering first-time energy access at scale.

ARC Power has received recognition for its innovative work, including the Queen’s Award for sustainable development in 2022 and the Energy Globe Award in 2023.

The hub will also provide a flexible business and training space for entrepreneurs, empowering local startups to thrive within the clean energy ecosystem.

Rwanda’s agricultural sector is at a crucial juncture, with only 5% of the country’s 1.4 million hectares of arable land currently mechanized. The Gen Farm project directly aligns with the National Agriculture Policy, which emphasizes the need for mechanization to increase productivity and reduce labor-intensive practices.

The e-hub will serve as a center for the operation and maintenance of mechanized farming equipment, linking farmers to essential tools and support.

By providing renewable energy to power farming technologies, the hub will support the country’s ambitions for market-oriented, climate-resilient agriculture.

'This partnership marks a new chapter for the potential of sustainable energy and agricultural innovation in Africa,' said Karl Boyce, CEO of ARC Power.

'With our solar energy and the ongoing management of the hub, we are confident this project will not only increase agricultural productivity in this area, but also prove the viability of a sustainable model to inspire further investment in the region,' she added.

The hub is designed to foster local economic self-sufficiency by addressing specific needs within the community. In particular, the initiative will reduce the workload of women, allowing them more time for other productive activities.

Additionally, the e-hub will serve as a center for the operation and maintenance of mechanized farming equipment, linking farmers to essential tools and support.

'Our vision is to use this empowerment hub as a pilot that will demonstrate the positive impacts of renewable energy and mechanization in Africa’s rural communities,' said Serge Kamuhinda, Managing Director of VWMSR.

'This hub is not only about providing energy; it’s about creating a sustainable, scalable business model for agriculture mechanization in Africa,' he said.

A blueprint for future development by serving as a platform for innovation, the hub is expected to lead to significant positive impacts on agriculture and local entrepreneurship, helping Rwanda achieve its long-term agricultural and economic goals.

VWMSR’s Gen farm project is a key part of this initiative, and the insights gained from this pilot will help shape the company’s future in emerging markets. The wider ambition is to shape mobility in Africa for generations to come.

VWMSR serves as innovation hub for the Volkswagen Group Africa and the empowerment hub project represents Volkswagen’s first step into rural mobility in Africa.

The hub will supply clean and reliable energy for essential services like electric tractors.

Sam K Nkurunziza

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks when responding to a relevant question at a press conference.

Guo said that China and Africa share time-honored friendship. The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was successfully held in 2024 and China-Africa relations entered the new phase of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, this week officially started his visit to four African countries, which also marks the 35th year for the Chinese foreign ministers to make Africa their first overseas destination at the start of the year.

The fine tradition for Chinese foreign ministers to start their year-round overseas visits with a trip to Africa speaks to the growing profound friendship between China and Africa and the continuity of China’s friendly cooperation with Africa, Guo said. “China always believes that Africa is never ‘the lost continent,’ but the land of hope and source of dynamism.”

Guo pointed out that Africa betters global governance with the power of transformation. He said under the guidance of Pan-Africanism, African countries have accelerated the integration process of seeking strength through unity and pursuing development and revitalization, playing an increasingly important role in international affairs.

Africa powers global economic growth, Guo said, adding the African Development Bank predicted that Africa’s average growth would rise to 3.7 percent in 2024, exceeding the projected global average. Among the 20 fastest growing economies in the world, 10 are African countries.

The spokesperson said that Africa is one of the birthplaces of the civilization of mankind, and also a land full of vigor and hope, with 70 percent of its population under the age of 30, the youngest in the world.

Amid the transformation in the world unseen in a century, the booming development of the Global South, such as China and Africa, has a profound impact on world historical progress, Guo said. “A stronger and more developed Africa will surely make greater contribution to world peace and development.”

Xinhua

These details were shared by the BRD leadership during a gathering for Rwandans living abroad on January 3, 2025.

The event hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, was attended by over 130 Rwandans from more than 40 countries.

In his address, the Minister emphasized that achieving the goals of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) will require ongoing effort and collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the Rwandan diaspora.

The student loan scheme, which started in 1980 under the Ministry of Education, has undergone several changes over time.

Initially managed by the Ministry of Education, the responsibility shifted in 2008 to the Students Financing Agency of Rwanda (SFAR).

In 2013, following a merger of institutions under the Ministry of Education, SFAR was integrated into the Rwanda Education Board (REB) as a department responsible for student loans.

In 2016, BRD took over the management of student loans and collection of repayments from beneficiaries.

During the event, Wilson Rurangwa, Head of the Education Department at BRD, urged those who had benefited from the loans to begin thinking about repayment.

“As the Minister mentioned, the NST2 development agenda aims to build a knowledge based economy, and this can only be achieved through education.

“Many of us here have had the privilege of studying with these loans, but we must repay them so that future generations can have the same opportunity,” Rurangwa said.

BRD also advises loan applicants to open accounts with BRD Minuza, which will allow them to easily track their payments or have their employers deduct payments directly from their salaries if applicable.

The bank has been making adjustments to student loan repayment procedures as needed.

For example, in July 2024, 300 million Rwandan Francs were refunded to those who had overpaid on their loans.

BRD has disclosed that it disbursed a total of Frw392 billion in student loans from 1980 to 2024.

IGIHE

The Uganda Law Society confirmed the new development on Monday, January 6, 2025, following a previously unsuccessful attempt by Karua to secure the crucial document in December last year.

The decision by the council came after an appeal lodged through the Uganda Law Society.

“FINALLY: The Law Council has granted a temporary Practicing Certificate to Hon. Martha Karua, following her reapplication through the Uganda Law Society,” the society said in a post on X.

The Uganda Law Council had initially declined Karua’s application to represent Besigye and his close associate Obeid Lutale at the General Court Martial, citing incomplete documentation and questioning the necessity of Karua’s involvement in the trial.

Both the Uganda Law Society and the Law Society of Kenya strongly protested the Uganda Law Council’s decision to deny Karua the document.

In a statement issued on December 10, 2024, Kenya’s premier bar association described the decision as a setback for regional cooperation in legal practice.

'It is inconceivable that the Law Council of Uganda would hold such little regard for Kenyan practitioners, especially a reputable and long-standing member of the Senior Counsel Bar,” LSK stated.

In its response, LSK expressed its intention to take immediate action to resolve the situation. The society called for urgent engagement with the Kenyan Attorney General to address the issue and ensure a fair, reciprocal agreement on cross-border legal practice.

LSK also threatened to suspend the admission of Ugandan lawyers to Kenya until Uganda demonstrates a commitment to fostering mutual legal cooperation.

'Kenya has been a leader in promoting regional cooperation in legal practice, but the lack of reciprocity from Uganda is unacceptable,' the LSK statement read.

“We must either find a mutually beneficial, reciprocal arrangement or withdraw from one-sided agreements that undermine the dignity of Kenyan legal practice.”

Karua, a former Justice Minister in Kenya and one of the senior lawyers in the country, had been appointed to lead a team of 50 lawyers in the case where Besigye and Lutale, face charges related to alleged activities undermining Uganda’s security and the illegal possession of firearms.

The two were apprehended in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 16, 2024, while attending the launch of a book by Karua. They spent Christmas and New Year festivities in custody and are expected to be arraigned in court tomorrow, January 7, 2025, for the mention of their case.

The Uganda Law Society confirmed the new development on Monday, January 6, 2025, following a previously unsuccessful attempt by Karua to secure the crucial document in December 2024.

Wycliffe Nyamasege

The Mpox outbreak, which began on July 24, 2024, has affected 52 districts, with over 784 confirmed cases and significant disruptions to public health infrastructure.

WHO and Uganda’s Ministry of Health have made significant strides in containment and response efforts, including deploying 5,000 health workers, setting up 25 isolation units, and mobilizing surveillance and risk communication strategies nationwide.

Despite the advances, the funding shortfall threatens to derail critical interventions such as infection prevention, case management, and community awareness initiatives.

With $11 million still needed from the total $12.9 million response budget, WHO has called on global partners to step up their contributions.

Current support has primarily come from nations like the United States, Germany, Canada, and others, alongside the WHO Foundation.

“More funds are needed to bridge the 85% funding gap given the high utilization rate of available funds and needs on the ground,” WHO Representative Dr. Charles Njuguna emphasized.

“WHO calls all partners to urgently support the Government of Uganda through increasing their financial contributions towards the Mpox response,” he added.

The WHO stressed that immediate action is essential to prevent the outbreak from further escalating and ensure a sustained, robust response.

Additional funding will expand health worker training, establish permanent isolation spaces, and enhance mental health services.

The Mpox outbreak in Uganda originated in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where an outbreak has been ongoing since January 2023. To date, the DRC has reported over 22,000 suspected Mpox cases and more than 1,200 suspected deaths.

With $11 million still needed from the total $12.9 million response budget, WHO has called on global partners to step up their contributions.

Wycliffe Nyamasege

The group, aged between 18 and 35, was accused and convicted of contributing to the growing insecurity in the capital, Kinshasa, and other urban areas. Minister of Justice, Constant Mutamba, confirmed that the executions took place at Angenga prison in the country’s northwest region.

'Forty-five individuals were executed at the end of December 2024, and 57 more were killed in the past 48 hours. The third batch will also be executed soon,' he said

The executions are part of the government’s Opération Ndobo, a special operation targeting Kuluna gangs that has resulted in the arrest of 70 more individuals, who are currently being held at Angenga prison, awaiting execution.

The DRC’s controversial decision to reinstate the death penalty, which was suspended for 18 years, has sparked debate both domestically and internationally. While some support the move as a necessary step to tackle escalating crime, human rights organizations have raised concerns over potential abuses, given the country’s flawed justice system.

The death penalty was originally abolished in the DRC in 1981 but was reinstated in 2006, mainly for military personnel convicted of treason. Although executions were halted in 2003, the government formally resumed capital punishment in March 2024, initially targeting soldiers who were accused of desertion or fleeing from battle.

Opération Ndobo, a special operation targeting Kuluna gangs that has resulted in the arrest of 70 more individuals.

IGIHE

The new drugs, Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine (DHAP) and Artesunate-Pyronaridine (ASPY), are both approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for treating uncomplicated malaria in both children and adults.

Dr. Aimable Mbituyumuremyi, Malaria and Other Parasitic Diseases Division Manager at RBC stated that the reason for introducing these new medicines is that the previous ones, like Coartem, have been ineffective against malaria in Rwanda and other countries. The malaria parasite has developed resistance, making it harder for the old treatment to work.

Mbituyumuremyi explained that the first batch of the new medicines arrived in Rwanda last week and will be distributed to all hospitals under medical supervision, starting January 6, 2024.

He revealed that these new treatments would be used alongside Coartem until April 2025, after which the new drugs will become the primary treatment. 'We will continue training health workers to ensure the proper use of these new medicines, as part of our long-term strategy to eliminate malaria,' he said.

Recently, the Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, addressed the recent surge in malaria cases, particularly in districts like Kicukiro, Gasabo, Bugesera, Nyamagabe, and Nyaruguru.

“We found that mosquitoes, due to the prolonged use of certain treatments, have adapted and now bite earlier in the evening before people go indoors. This behavior change has contributed to the rise in malaria cases, and it is crucial to continue using preventive measures like sleeping under treated mosquito nets and eliminating mosquito breeding sites,' Nsanzimana explained.

The Minister also reminded Rwandans that malaria is treatable and curable. “Malaria can be cured, and we urge people to seek treatment early. We have new medicines to complement the existing ones, so there should be no fear of resistance to treatment,” he said.

In recent years, the country has seen a significant reduction in malaria cases, with a 90% drop in the number of patients from 4.8 million in 2016 to 620,000 in 2024. However, malaria cases increased by 45.8% from March to October 2024, mainly due to resistance to the old treatments and changes in mosquito behavior.

Nsanzimana urged Rwandans to continue following preventive measures. “We encourage people to continue using mosquito nets and removing potential breeding grounds, such as stagnant water around their homes. Even a small bottle cap can harbor over 2,000 mosquitoes,' he said.

Rwandans are encouraged to continue using mosquito nets and removing potential breeding grounds, such as stagnant water around their homes.

Sam K Nkurunziza

“Hamas has not transferred a name list of (Israeli) hostages so far,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, denying previous media reports, which, citing a Hamas official, said the group agreed to release 34 hostages.

Meanwhile, Israel’s state-owned Kan TV reported on Sunday that Mossad chief David Barnea will travel tomorrow to Qatar to take part in the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks.

On Thursday, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement said Palestinian factions need a week to prepare and deliver a list of Israeli hostages for exchange during the first phase of a possible ceasefire deal.

People visit the site of the Nova festival, where partygoers were killed and kidnapped during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack, in Reim, southern Israel.

Xinhua