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Paul Kagame, the President of Rwanda has been awarded the Africa ICT industry development award by ForgeAhead, a South African ICT firm.

The RwandaTRACnet, a bilingual dynamic information technology system that uses cell phones, text messages and sophisticated database to collect, store, analyze and disseminate critical program information, drug distribution and patient information related to the care and treatment of HIV/AIDS was announced the winner of the 2007 African ICT Achievers Award on November 17, on the same event, at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

President Kagame was awarded with a Lifetime Achievers Award for his commitment to the proliferation of the ICT industry in Rwanda and across the continent, as well as promotion of the use of technology within governments for better service delivery to citizens.

The competition was organized by the ForgeAhead and the South African department of Communications under the theme “Making the African Century a Reality”, The 9th Africa ICT Achievers Award was contested by 300 participants of whom 43 were selected from 20 African countries.

According to the director general of Treatment and Research AIDS Center (TRAC) Ms. Anita Asiimwe, on the event of the 9th annual Africa ICT Achievers Award, TRACnet system was awarded as one of the top seven public sectors embracing ICT in Africa in 2007 and TRAC as an institution was awarded with the overall winner of the top ICT organization Award.

TRACnet was developed by voxiva in 2003 to speed up service delivery to the people living with HIV/AIDS. The system was funded by the .US. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) being used by 400 health care professionals in all 155 health centers that offer retroviral therapy to more than 44,000 Rwandans.

Dubai World, major holding company owned by the United Arab Emirates is to invest US$230million in eight tourism facilities in Rwanda.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Government of Rwanda and Dubai World on September 26 sealed the deal that will put the country at a higher pedestal in the East African region.

The minister of state in charge of industry and investment promotion in the ministry of commerce, industry, investment promotion, tourism and co-operatives Mr. Vincent Karega signed on behalf of Rwanda while the vice president and prime minister of UAE and ruler of Dubai Mr. Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum signed for Dubai World.

During an interview with East African Business Week at her offices in Kigali on October 2, the deputy director general in charge of investment promotion at the Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency (RIEPA) Ms. Clare Akamanzi said this initiative from a single source has superseded their 2007 expectations.

“This is very exciting and a major development for the country. Each of the projects on their own is big. This has enabled us to surpass our 2007 target. Our target for investments this year was $229million.”

The Dubai World has pledged to increase its investment portfolio. In a press statement sent to Business Week, the chair of Dubai World Mr. Ahmed Bin Sulayem said, “This is an important strategic deal for Dubai World. Rwanda is recognised as the most improved sub Saharan nation. It has come along way in sustainable development, and has a safe environment which still has tremendous potential for growth”.

He added, “The development offers both partners significant opportunity. Construction on the developments will commence in late 2007 and we will open an office in Kigali to manage the existing trading operations, paving the way for increased tourist arrivals who seek quality service and high end experience.”

On his part, Karega revealed that the country is on an unstoppable growth curve. “Our vision for Rwanda’s socio-economic transformation is to position our country as a hub for excellence and quality service. Tourism is a pillar for rapid economic growth within that context. Our policy choice for tourism is to become a high end destination capitalising on unique natural beauty, security, property rights and zero tolerance for corruption.

The MoU states that Dubai World will fully take over the 60-room Akagera game lodge and turn it into a four- star facility. In addition, a joint venture with Government is to be set up to operate the 1,080 Akagera National Park in conjunction with the Rwanda Office for Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN).

The partnership will also see the re-development of the Gorilla Nest Lodge in the breath taking Volcanoes National Park. The giant UAE investment group will set up a creative five-star tented camp in Kinigi, northwestern Rwanda.

The Dubai World will also fully take over the $7.2million (Rwf3.99) Nyungwe Eco-lodge that is being constructed by ORTPN. The Arab group is to also build a new upscale 150-room hotel at the up market Kigali Golf Course in Nyarutarama. It will also re-develop the 18 hole golf course and the golf and country club as well as building town houses and villas.

The Rwanda tourism fraternity lay the foundation stone at Gisakura site, where the first high-end Eco-lodge in Nyungwe Park will be constructed.

The National Park’s tourism office said that 25 units are to be constructed to end the major accommodation challenges that heve been faced by Nyungwe primate park since its declaration in 2005.

While making a presentation on the concept of the Eco-lodge, the architect, Rihal Sandeep, said the form of the building model will resemble ‘nests suspended in trees’ with awesome views of the forest and tea fields. He says the building will host a presidential suite, luxury villas, a forest, tea villas, tree houses and a nature centre.

Other facilities will include; a library and view tower, reception, kitchen, dining, fitness centre, and quarters for staff.

“The construction of the eco-lodge is timely as it will address the accommodation problem in Nyungwe. It will be an important milestone in our efforts towards improving the tourism experience in all our national parks while increasing tourists’ length of stay as they discover Nyungwe’s awesome treasures”, said Hon. Protais Mitali, the current Minister of Tourism.

He says the eco-lodge will facilitate the tourists to complete the primates discovery circuit after having visited the gorillas in Volcanoes Park and other tourism sites in the country.

The eco-lodge will uplift the status of the entire region and has already provided employment to 318 residents of Nyamasheke.

Most of the material used in construction and the interior accessories will be locally sourced, thus benefiting neighbouring communities including artists and weavers whose work will be showcased in the eco-lodge. Upon completion, residents are also expected to provide food sources to the eco-lodge.

Paul Kagame, the president of the Democratic Republic of Rwanda has arrived in Rome for a two-day visit. During his stay in Rome, he will be given the ‘Abolitionist of the Year 2007’ award from Cain, an organisation operating to end the death penalty worldwide.

The President is will receive the award at an event supposed to take place on Thursday. Kagame is also scheduled to meet the president of the Italian senate, and other Italian government officials. Rwanda removed death penalty law last month.

The East African Development Bank (EADB) has started talks with Burundi and Rwanda in a move intended at wooing them to join the EADB as member states.

Even though these two countries have not yet made any official application in order to be incorporated as member states, the bank is at present studying requirements that would see these states included as members.

The chairman of the EADB governing council, Dr. Ezra Suruma who is also Uganda’s minister for finance, planning and economic development alleged that capitalisation of the bank had considerably amplified that there was need to, through overtures to Rwanda and Burundi to join as members.

“We have reviewed the progress in operation and profitability and we are opening our membership reach by inviting our brothers Rwanda and Burundi to join us,” he said.

Dr. Suruma made this communication at a Nairobi hotel last week during the closure of a two day EADB general council meeting, and hinted that the bank was studying the principle and provision of the charter to allow the new members to join.

“We are following the procedure in the EAC and the charter of the bank to include these two countries as members,” said Dr. Suruma.

At the same time the bank approved US$30 million (Ksh2.01billion) for the funding of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in venture capital for the promotion of SMEs within the East African Community (EAC).

He said the considerable capitalisation of the bank enabled it to venture into other income generating activities such as housing and construction which will start by the end of year.

The meeting was attended by Kenya’s minister for finance Mr. Amos Kimunya, Tanzania’s deputy minister for finance Mr. Abdisalaam Khatiba and EADB’s director general Mr. Godfrey Tumusiime.