From audivia2002 at yahoo.fr Sun Jan 4 18:56:37 2009 From: audivia2002 at yahoo.fr (Bishop Venuste Mutiganda) Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2009 18:56:37 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [Francophones] =?iso-8859-1?q?Je_vous_fais_suivre=2C_tel_qu=27il_?= =?iso-8859-1?q?est=2C_cet_article_publi=E9_par_le_quotidien_New_Times_de_?= =?iso-8859-1?q?Kigali=2E?= Message-ID: <574279.72381.qm@web26305.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Sunday, 4th January 2009 Future of truce in eastern Congo in doubt UN Special envoy on the Congo crisis, Olusegun Obasanjo (L) with Gen. Laurent Nkunda of CNDP after talks. BY FRANK KAGABO It emerged this week that there is apparently a divergence of opinion between the forces of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) of General Laurent Nkunda and the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). This is in regard with the alleged reoccupation of the separation zone by the Congolese army and its allies, something that could spark off the conflict once again. It was reported that the MONUC had rejected CNDP’s allegations that the Congolese army FARDC was boosting its frontline positions. This controversy came as the two warring sides; CNDP and the government of DR Congo are currently engaged in talks in Nairobi under the auspices of the United Nations special representative to the Great Lakes Region, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. On December 24, Nkunda informed Alan Doss the head of MONUC that the FARDC and its allies were redeploying. Nkunda made it known to Doss that the army was bringing more troops to Kibati located a few kilometres from the strategic town of Goma. The bone of contention for Nkunda and his forces is that the government forces and its allies have in effect violated a truce. This, according to security analysts, may derail the talks and consequently lead to a return to the trenches. It has been reported that the Mai Mai and the Forces for the Democratic Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) have taken positions in this areas which is supposed to be supervised and controlled by the MONUC forces. CNDP spokesman Bertrand Bisiimwa was quoted in the media saying that, light should be shed on the reoccupation of the zones which the CNDP had withdrawn from, by the government and its allies. However, MONUC has claimed that no government forces have been sighted in the area. This is seen by the CNDP as an attempt by MONUC to cover up or shirk its failure of responsibility to protect the separation zone. What is likely to be a point of departure is if the government coalition has reoccupied the separation zone with the participation of the genocidaires FDLR, who, it has been pointed out, are the root cause of the conflict in eastern DR Congo because of its genocide ideology of eliminating the Tutsis in eastern Congo. This being one of the major reasons for CNDP taking up arms will not help matters. It may mark a turning point in talks. As Bisiimwa was quoted saying, a spark could reignite hostilities and hence further complicate the situation. MONUC by taking up the responsibility of manning the separation zone should help to salvage the talks between the two sides and hence avoid a return to war. Ends -------------- section suivante -------------- Une pièce jointe HTML a été nettoyée... URL: http://justus.anglican.org/pipermail/francophones.justus/attachments/20090104/02ba168a/attachment.html From audivia2002 at yahoo.fr Sat Jan 10 10:02:38 2009 From: audivia2002 at yahoo.fr (Bishop Venuste Mutiganda) Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 10:02:38 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [Francophones] (SPAM: ?) Un article tel quel dans le quotidien New Times de Kigali Message-ID: <80486.1227.qm@web26308.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Saturday, 10th January 2009 Kabarebe, DRC military chiefs meet in Kinshasa BY JAMES KARUHANGA KINSHASA - Rwanda?s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. James Kabarebe arrived in Kinshasa Thursday to meet his Congolese counterpart, to discuss how both parties can finally implement their joint plan to uproot negative forces in the volatile eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). As explained by Army Spokesman Maj. Jill Rutaremara Friday, the current meeting is a follow up of last December?s joint Defence Ministers? meeting in Rwanda?s border town of Gisenyi. He explained that on arrival in the Congolese capital, Kabarebe and his delegation were received by the DRC army Chief of Staff, Gen. Didier Etumba, and thereafter, paid a courtesy call to President Joseph Kabila. ?Kabila expressed his determination and commitment by his government to resolve the ex-Far/Interahamwe problem,? Maj. Rutaremara told The New Times. ?He expressed satisfaction with the way both militaries are moving forward to resolve the problem,? Rutaremara added. After the brief meeting with President Kabila, the top defence officials from both sides then met on Friday, focusing on one   issue, ?the way to operationalise their joint military plan.? The plan was endorsed in a two-day bilateral meeting by the countries? Foreign Affairs Ministers on December 5 last year in the DRC border town of Goma. The current meeting was scheduled to conclude Friday, after which both army chiefs would present President Kabila with the results, Rutaremara explained. ?The calendar of activities is what is expected from this current meeting,? he said. In Kinshasa, Gen. Kabarebe is accompanied by senior security officers, including his Security Advisor Brig Gen. Jérôme Ngendahimana and the Chief of Military Intelligence, (J2), Brig. Gen. Jack Musemakweli. On December 29, last year, both countries? defence ministers accompanied by their army chiefs and other senior security officials met in Gisenyi (Rwanda) to draw plans to eliminate negative forces from the vast central African country. At the meeting held at Gisenyi?s Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, Rwanda?s defence minister, Gen. Marcel Gatsinzi, told The New Times that the joint plan had already been seen and approved by the two countries? Heads of State. ?They gave us instructions to also look at it and identify gaps and see how it could be implemented as soon as possible,? Gatsinzi had said. The joint operational military strategy is expected to deal with ex-FAR/Interahamwe militia, now grouped under what is known as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). The ex-FAR and Interahamwe militia, are remnants of those who spearheaded the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis that claimed the lives of over one million people. They later fled to neighbouring DRC from where they continue to commit grave crimes - raping, looting, and killing innocent civilians. Gen. Gatsinzi earlier underlined that more meetings would be held to ?see how things are being implemented? and reiterated that the will to accomplish the task was there, at ?the highest levels? so as to find a lasting solution to the conflict in eastern DRC. His counterpart, Charles Mwando Nsimba, also accompanied by Gen. Etumba and others, including DRC Police Chief John Numbi had also stressed that establishing an environment for both countries? reconstruction was ?now? of paramount importance. ?This is a determination that we have. The countries must play a role in the pacification of the east,? he said. Ends -------------- section suivante -------------- Une pièce jointe HTML a été nettoyée... URL: http://justus.anglican.org/pipermail/francophones.justus/attachments/20090110/7a015901/attachment.html From audivia2002 at yahoo.fr Tue Jan 13 16:00:16 2009 From: audivia2002 at yahoo.fr (Bishop Venuste Mutiganda) Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:00:16 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [Francophones] =?iso-8859-1?q?Je_transfert=2C_tel_qu=27il_est=2Cc?= =?iso-8859-1?q?et_article_publi=E9_par_le_quotidien_News_times_de_Kigali?= =?iso-8859-1?q?=2E?= Message-ID: <618393.97471.qm@web26307.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Tuesday, 13th January 2009 Premier extols role of Church in development Rt Reverend Gasatura (kneeling) takes his Vows before Arch-Bishop Emmanuel Kolini(seated) in Huye on Sunday. (Photo/ P Ntambara). BY PAUL NTAMBARA SOUTHERN PROVINCE HUYE- Prime Minister Bernard Makuza has commended the Anglican Church and other religious organizations for their role in the country’s development. He said this while delivering a speech on behalf of President Paul Kagame, at the consecration and installation of the Rt. Reverend Nathan Gasatura as Bishop of Butare Anglican Diocese on Sunday. The Premier said that in the history of Rwanda, the Church played an important role in fighting illiteracy and spreading Christianity which was embraced by many Rwandans. He said that many Rwandans were baptized, prayed and followed to the letter all other practices as demanded by the Church but that this did not deter them and their leaders from doing evil as evidenced in the country’s bad history. The Premier said that something was lacking in the teachings then and that this is what current Church leaders have to look for and put right. He said: “Churches and Religions should embark on teachings that help Rwandans to change their mindset, behaviour and way of doing things. Church teachings must be followed by action.” Prime Minister Makuza said that squabbles that have been reported in different churches and between church leaders only result in loss of valuable time that would otherwise be channelled in developmental activities. He said that such squabbles should not be characteristic of leaders, adding that the Government and Church leaders should be persons of integrity. “Doing so pleases and glorifies God,” he said. He called for partnership between Government and Churches in building a country that Rwandans will be proud to live in. Makuza promised Government’s unwavering support for Bishop Gasatura’s 20 year development programme that seeks to create ‘a transformed, harmonious and prosperous diocese by the year 2030. Bishop Gasatura who has been working with World Vision, becomes the third Bishop of Butare Anglican Diocese after Bishop Venuste Mutiganda who went into early retirement. The colourful consecration and installation ceremony attended by different Bishops from the region was presided over by Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini who has been overseeing the diocese for the last two years. Kolini reminded consecrated Bishop of the mountainous task ahead of providing both spiritual and physical nourishment to the Christians in his diocese. He tasked the new bishop to tackle the practice of idol worship; a practice he said is rampant in the Diocese. In his massage to Gasatura, , Bishop Edward Muhima from the North Kigezi Diocese in South Western Uganda asked his counterpart to remain steadfast in times of trial and not to fear taking tough decisions if they are meant for the good of the Christians. “God is not asking for your ability because you are not able. He is asking for your availability,” said the aging prelate. “Humble yourself my brother, pride comes before a fall,” he counselled. Bishop Muhima called upon the new Bishop to work on rebuilding people’s moral fabric and relationships through reconciliation. “People who are broken morally cannot build a broken nation or Church. Rwanda will only be a great nation if its people are morally upright,” said Bishop Muhima. In his ‘Bishop’s Charge’, Bishop Nathan Gasatura enumerated his ‘God given Butare Vision 2030’ in which he envisages a transformed, harmonious and prosperous diocese. “We will reach out to the broken hearted, vulnerable, poor and needy orphans and widows with the saving and hope giving Gospel of Christ,” said Bishop Gasatura. Bishop Gasatura said that a deliberate assessment and situation analysis of the Diocese will be conducted in the first six months and that a clear design detailing all the components and issues to be addressed in the next 20 years will be highlighted and demonstrated. The consecration ceremony was attended by a host of senior government officials who included ministers, parliamentarians and other heads of different institutions in the country. Ends -------------- section suivante -------------- Une pièce jointe HTML a été nettoyée... URL: http://justus.anglican.org/pipermail/francophones.justus/attachments/20090113/245785a3/attachment.html From audivia2002 at yahoo.fr Sat Jan 17 13:54:47 2009 From: audivia2002 at yahoo.fr (Bishop Venuste Mutiganda) Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:54:47 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [Francophones] =?iso-8859-1?q?Je_transf=E8re_cet_article_tel_qu?= =?iso-8859-1?q?=27il_est_publi=E9_dans_le_quotidien_New_Times_de_Kigali?= =?iso-8859-1?q?=2E?= Message-ID: <958520.85424.qm@web26303.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Saturday, 17th January 2009 Congolese rebels declare end of war BY KENNEDY NDAHIRO A group of Congolese rebels of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) who recently claimed to have ousted their leader, Gen. Laurent Nkunda, yesterday announced that they were ending their rebellion against the Kinshasa government “with immediate effect”. In a statement signed by top commanders of the CNDP who rallied behind the fomenter of the palace coup, CNDP Chief of Staff Gen. Bosco Ntaganda , the rebels said they were putting their troops at the disposal of the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) government. “The CNDP requests the government of the DRC the setting up of a joint commission to implement the reintegration into the FARDC (government army),” the statement reads. The officers said that they were committed to the peace process and ready to take part in a joint effort to neutralise FDLR/ Interahamwe rebels in accordance with an agreement signed between Rwanda and the DRC. They added that they “expect the FARDC to take into account this support for the quick restoration of trust and security in eastern DRC.” The group requested the immediate removal of all their roadblocks mounted by both CNDP and FARDC to allow free movement of people and goods in the whole of North Kivu province so as to allow the displaced to return to their homes. In return, the rebels demanded that the Congolese government to put into effect the amnesty law that covers the insurrection in accordance with  the Goma peace plan. Another demand was the quick solution to the return of Congolese refugees in exile, but added that it was first necessary to deal with the issue of the FDLR “in the shortest time possible” to facilitate this return. The FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) are remnants of former Rwanda Government Forces (Ex-FAR) and Interahamwe militia responsible for the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis. They have been holed up in eastern Kivu for the past decade where they have had a free run of the country with the tacit approval of previous Congolese governments, many times lending FARDC a hand in its war against CNDP. Ntaganda’s success in rallying top military commanders – who at the beginning had resisted Nkunda’s ouster – to his side  is a heavy blow to the latter’s aspirations. Those who signed the truce announcement include Colonels Makenga Sultan (deputy Chief of Staff), the chief of operations, Muhindo Faustin, Ruhorimbere Eric, Gahizi Innocent, Micho Claude, Kabundi Innocent, Munyakazi Esaïe and Ngaruye Baudouin. Two Lt. Cols: Mulomba Bahati and Nsengiyumva Wilson were also signatories. Ends -------------- section suivante -------------- Une pièce jointe HTML a été nettoyée... URL: http://justus.anglican.org/pipermail/francophones.justus/attachments/20090117/f7088689/attachment.html From bishop at tec-europe.org Sun Jan 18 10:29:06 2009 From: bishop at tec-europe.org (Bishop) Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:29:06 +0100 Subject: [Francophones] demande d'informations Message-ID: <7AA9FFC1-FA01-434D-A5F0-B9DD3878ECD5@tec-europe.org> Chers amis, Nous n'avons pas eu des nouvelles du Nord Kivu depuis un moment, à part de sources séculiaires. Un mot de là-bas serait réconfortant. Aussi, je me demande comment va Mgr Albert Gomez, avec la crise dans son pays. Grâce à vos prières, je me remets de quelques défis de santé, plutôt ennuyeux que dangéreux, mais qui ont été un achoppement pour moi. +Pierre (Mgr) Pierre Whalon Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe 23, avenue George V 75008 Paris France +33 1 53 23 84 06 (tel) +33 1 49 52 96 85 (fax) office at tec-europe.org From bishop at tec-europe.org Tue Jan 20 08:04:37 2009 From: bishop at tec-europe.org (Bishop) Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:04:37 +0100 Subject: [Francophones] La LRA en Soudan/anglais Message-ID: Et ça continue... +Pierre http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_104279_ENG_HTM.htm * If clicking on the link above does not work: open a new browser window, cut and paste the link into the address bar, and press Enter. Bishop (Mgr) Pierre Whalon Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe 23, avenue George V 75008 Paris France +33 1 53 23 84 06 (tel) +33 1 49 52 96 85 (fax) office at tec-europe.org From bishop at tec-europe.org Wed Jan 21 08:40:04 2009 From: bishop at tec-europe.org (Bishop) Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:40:04 +0100 Subject: [Francophones] Re : demande d'informations In-Reply-To: <722503.57995.qm@web26202.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> References: <722503.57995.qm@web26202.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <98316AD4-6229-4386-B548-6CC7CE4EA9A9@tec-europe.org> Merci Monseigneur Bahati de vos informations, qui vont réjouir les membres du Réseau. Et comment va la reconstruction de votre centre diocésain? En Christ, +Pierre Whalon Le 20 janv. 09 à 17:31, sylveltre bahati a écrit : > Cher Mgr. Pierre Walon. > > Que la paix et la grace de Dieu soient avec vous et vote famille. > > Merci de votre e-mail ci-dessous qui montre combien vous etes > souciez de la situation qui prevaut au Nord-Kivu en RDC, Nous vous > informons que nous sommes bien portants ici a Bukavu et nous pensons > qu'il en est de meme pour vous la en France. > > En effett, la situation au Nord-Kivu, actuellement, elle est calme. > Cette semaine les chefs des troupes rebelles et ceux de l'armee > gouvernementale ont signe un cesser- le- feu, et les rebelles > acceptent qu'ils vont cette fois-ci rejoindre l'armee > gouvernemental.e Apres leurs signatures ils ont tous enleve toutes > les barrieres qui etaient errigees sur les territoires conquises par > les rebelles de General Laurent Nkunda. Aujourd'hui les gens > circulent librement dans les territoires de Masisi et Rutshuru. > > Aussi les pourparlees de Nairobi entre les chefs des troupes du CNDP > de Gen. Laurent Nkunda et le Gouvernement de la RDC sous le guide du > Nigerien OBASANJO continue jusqu'a obtenir un cesser- le- feu > effectif. > Mais les deplaces sont encore dans les camps en observant si ces > accords seront vraiment reels. > > Continuer a prier pour nous pour qu'un cesser- le0 feu effectif soit > obtenu et que la paix totale revienne au Nord Kivu. > > Mgr. BAHATI BALI-BUSANE Sylvestre > Eveque du diocese de Bukavu. > . > > > > --- En date de : Dim 18.1.09, Bishop a écrit : > De: Bishop > Objet: [Francophones] demande d'informations > À: Francophones at justus.anglican.org > Date: Dimanche 18 Janvier 2009, 11h29 > > Chers amis, > > Nous n'avons pas eu des nouvelles du Nord Kivu depuis un moment, à > part de sources séculiaires. Un mot de là-bas serait réconfortant. > > Aussi, je me demande comment va Mgr Albert Gomez, avec la crise dans > son pays. > > Grâce à vos prières, je me remets de quelques défis de santé, plutôt > ennuyeux que dangéreux, mais qui ont été un achoppement pour moi. > > +Pierre > > > (Mgr) Pierre Whalon > Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe > 23, avenue George V > 75008 Paris France > +33 1 53 23 84 06 (tel) > +33 1 49 52 96 85 (fax) > office at tec-europe.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > Francophones mailing list > Francophones at justus.anglican.org > http://justus.anglican.org/mailman/listinfo/francophones.justus > Bishop (Mgr) Pierre Whalon Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe 23, avenue George V 75008 Paris France +33 1 53 23 84 06 (tel) +33 1 49 52 96 85 (fax) office at tec-europe.org -------------- section suivante -------------- Une pièce jointe HTML a été nettoyée... URL: http://justus.anglican.org/pipermail/francophones.justus/attachments/20090121/8446e014/attachment.html From audivia2002 at yahoo.fr Fri Jan 23 16:03:54 2009 From: audivia2002 at yahoo.fr (Bishop Venuste Mutiganda) Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:03:54 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [Francophones] Je transmets cet article tel quel par le quotidien New Times de Kigali Message-ID: <245537.16426.qm@web26307.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Friday, 23rd January 2009 FDLR begin to surrender in face of joint Rwanda-DRC offensive DRC Defence Minister Charles Mwando Simba shaking hands with Gen Marcel Gatsinzi during their meeting at the Rwanda-DRC border in Gisenyi. (File Photo). BY JAMES KARUHANGA Elements of the Ex-FAR/Interahamwe have started feeling the heat of the on-going Rwanda-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) joint military operation to disarm and repatriate them and have started to surrender. The joint operation launched early this week was agreed upon by Rwanda and the DRC to rout out elements grouped under the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Congolese army (FARDC) spokesman in the eastern part of the country, Capt. Olivier Hamuli, confirmed that some rebels had so far surrendered. ?Yes, we have them and we will certainly show them off for everyone to see tomorrow (Friday) morning,? Capt. Hamuli, told The New Times last evening over the phone. FDLR, remnants of those responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda, have largely been operating from the eastern part of the DR Congo from where they have continued to commit atrocities against the local population.  According to Hamuli, a joint DRC-Rwanda military operation hatched and endorsed last year was operationalised by FARDC troops and intelligence units of the Rwandan Defence Forces (RDF) early this week. This partnership has recently expanded, with of other rebel groups  ? the National Congress for the Defence of People (CNDP) and PARECO, the Coalition of Congolese Patriotic Resistance joining the operation. This too, was confirmed in a press release by the FARDC?s eastern military command based in the border town of Goma. ?The government of DRC salutes this excellent gesture and courage by various compatriots,? the statement says about the CNDP and PARECO groups, ?of whose integration into the FARDC, no longer has any shade of doubt.? ?A strong message is therefore extended to all ex-FAR/FDLR and Interahamwe as well as all other armed groups to seize this opportunity to lay down arms and adhere to the on-going processes so that we can, together, consolidate peace and security for our respective populations,? the statement concludes. Rwanda has sent an intelligence unit into the Congo which is working with the Congolese authorities to remove the menace of the FDLR. The offensive against the FDLR follows a series of meetings between Rwanda and DRC officials into which Rwanda had emphasized the threat posed by FDLR was not only against Rwanda but Congo as well. Ends -------------- section suivante -------------- Une pièce jointe HTML a été nettoyée... URL: http://justus.anglican.org/pipermail/francophones.justus/attachments/20090123/dd63305f/attachment.html From audivia2002 at yahoo.fr Sun Jan 25 14:17:50 2009 From: audivia2002 at yahoo.fr (Bishop Venuste Mutiganda) Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:17:50 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [Francophones] =?iso-8859-1?q?Je_transf=E8re_cet_article_tel_qu?= =?iso-8859-1?q?=27il_est_publi=E9_par_le_quotidien_New_Times_de_Kigali?= Message-ID: <953370.20006.qm@web26302.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Sunday, 25th January 2009 Kagame hails Rwanda-DRC joint operation Diplomatic corps, representatives of international institutions and their spouses pose for a group photo with President Kagame at Urugwiro Village on Friday. (PPU Photo). BY EDMUND KAGIRE URUGWIRO VILLAGE - President Paul Kagame has hailed the ongoing Joint Operation by Rwandan and Democratic Republic of Congo forces aimed at uprooting FDLR rebels crammed in the Eastern part of DRC. Kagame said that for the first time, he is hopeful that the collaborative effort by the two countries to disarm remnants of the Ex-FAR- Interahamwe, now known as FDLR, will yield a lasting solution to problems of insecurity in the region. Kagame was speaking Friday during a traditional New Year cocktail dinner in which he hosts diplomatic corps and representatives of international institutions and their spouses held at Urugwiro Village. The President thanked the members of the diplomatic community for sustaining good bilateral and Multilateral relations between Rwanda and their respective countries and institutions. He hailed 2008 as a successful year for Rwanda’s diplomatic ties despite the many challenges encountered such as the Global Financial crisis which dealt a heavy blow to world economies. He added that nevertheless a lot was achieved on the economic and social front, all from the good relations that prevailed between Rwanda and other countries in 2008. He cited the increase in tea, minerals and coffee exports which earned Rwanda massive revenues last year. He also said that Rwanda’s tourism sector registered a massive 46 percent growth in 2008, earning USD 214m from a record 1 million tourists who chose Rwanda as their destination in the past year, which he said was also a sign of good foreign relations. Among other achievements, the President cited the steady increase in the volume of remittances by Rwandans in the Diaspora which reached USD 108m in 2008 and foreign direct investments in the country worth about USD 100m. He also noted that development aid to Rwanda almost doubled and used the opportunity to thank Ambassadors, mission heads and representatives of international institutions and bodies for what he called the ‘invaluable partnership’ the Country has with their respective countries and institutions, urging them to do even better in 2008. The President said that Rwanda’s economy has continued to grow, registering a 10 percent growth in 2008. He attributed the positive trend to the turn-around of several sub sectors of the economy making them more productive than they were before. He cited the Agricultural sector which is the backbone of the economy as an example, saying that it is currently being transformed from a subsistence to a more productive agricultural sector through land reforms, use of improved seeds, fertilisers and use of modern farming technologies. Kagame however said that a stiff challenge to lift many Rwandans out of poverty still remains and that there’s more to be done. The president said that there’s need to develop Rwanda’s workforce to make it a more professional and skilled sector. He further said that Rwandans in the public and private sectors need to adopt better customer care practices that embrace international standards if they are to favourably compete with the rest of the world. “We can no longer accept the culture of mediocrity of giving poor or substandard services” said Kagame. The President told his guests who included Government Ministers and heads of government institutions that Rwanda is committed to Regional and continental integration processes. He noted that 2008 was a successful year in which Rwanda became the Chair of EAC. He thanked EAC member states for working to remove Non-Tariff Barriers and implementing the EAC Customs Union as well negotiating the EAC Common Market which are all positive moves. He said that Rwanda is proud to be part and parcel of the Tripartite arrangement that will see 3 major blocs, EAC-COMESA-SADC merge to form a market of over 600m people. On behalf of the diplomatic community, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Rwanda Richard Kabonero, who is also Uganda’s Ambassador to Rwanda, commended the government of Rwanda for its positive stand on development, saying that the international community was impressed by the several projects the government undertake. Among them, he cited the 9 year basic education plan, the formation of Rwanda Development Board, successful Parliamentary elections in 2008 and the zero-tolerance stance the current leadership has on corruption. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosemary Museminali under whose docket diplomatic missions fall, said that Rwanda is even more determined to further strengthen her international and bilateral relations with the rest of the world in 2009. The night was crowned with a toast of good relations suggested by the President before Inganzo Ngari, a traditional dance troupe mesmerised the presidents guests with a thrilling performance of local Kinyarwanda dances. Ends -------------- section suivante -------------- Une pièce jointe HTML a été nettoyée... URL: http://justus.anglican.org/pipermail/francophones.justus/attachments/20090125/6a4abdd0/attachment.html