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31 January 2023
UN Resident Coordinator Pays a Courtesy Call on the First Lady of Rwanda: Exploring Strategic Partnership Opportunities between the UN and Imbuto Foundation
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30 January 2023
CAPACITY BOOST FOR BEEKEEPERS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND STANDARD OF THEIR PRODUCTS
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Speech
27 January 2023
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Rwanda
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Rwanda:
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22 December 2022
TIME-SAVING EFFICIENT KITS TO REDUCE DOMESTIC CARE WORK FOR RURAL WOMEN
According to a recent baseline study by UN Women Rwanda on unpaid care work in eight districts, on average women work for around 4.1 hours per day compared to men who on average do approximately 1.7 hours on unpaid care and domestic work, particularly those in areas with limited access to regular basic services such as energy, water, and sanitation. To reduce the care demands on women, UN Women through the UN Women’s 3R (Recognize, Reduce, and Redistribute) project on unpaid care work in partnership with Rwanda Development Organisation (RDO), and Institut Africain pour le Development Economique et Social (INADES), distributed energy-efficient kits to over 300 households in Musanze District and 472 households in Rubavu district. This is meant to empower women by removing impediments to their economic empowerment. The kits included improved cooking stoves known as Save80, which saves up to 80% more energy than the normal charcoal stoves using small wood sticks as fuel for cooking. It will save cooking time for women who were already spending countless hours on household chores.
Other kits include heat retention cookers, sprayers, watertanks, harvesting crates, and tri-motor cycles. Beneficiaries of the energy-saving kits include those living with disabilities in vegetable production in Rubavu district, of which, 80% are women in cross-border trade. Marie Louise Mukamanzi, a mother of seven, was very happy to receive the energy-efficient stove which includes a heat retention flask known as a ‘wonderbox’ that keeps the food warm for her children when they return from school. “I am happy to receive the stove because it will reduce my time to warm food and the long hours I spend looking for firewood and cooking,” said Mukamanzi. UN Women Country Representative, Ms. Jennet Kem appreciated UN partners and the Government of Rwanda for their unwavering support. “We hope the kits will be used to improve your wellbeing. I encourage you to work together, save, invest, and do awareness raising to encourage other community members to join cooperatives for collective gains,” said Ms. Kem.
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22 December 2022
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY BASED RESPONSES TO HIV SERVICES FOR KEY AND VULNERABLE POPULATION
In collaboration with the GoR and UNAIDS, Ihorere Munyarwanda Organisation (IMRO-Rwanda), a local NGO has reached and linked key populations (KPs) namely; Female Sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with other men (MSM), their children and clients, with health facilities in Kigali (Gasabo, Kicukiro, Nyarugenge), Muhanga, Ruhango, Nyamasheke and Rubavu Districts in Rwanda. So far, 115,000 KPs and young people in the 7 Districts have been reached since 2018. They have been reached through awareness campaigns, linked to VCT, enrolled onto Anti-Retroviral Treatment and screened for STIs and treatment. In the same period, 360,000 condoms and lubricants have been distributed to KPs and their clients. Also, 12,000 (7,591 FSWs, 1,001 clients of FSWs 3,000 children born to FSWs and 407 MSM) have been reached through peer education and services related to gender-based violence, stigma and discrimination. They have also benefitted from HIV prevention programs in line with the National strategic plan on HIV/AIDS. Both FSWs, children born to FSWs and MSMs and their clients were referred to 26 health Facilities to access health and HIV services through peer education programs, 320 beneficiaries from most vulnerable poor families were supported to access community health-based insurance to reduce financial barriers to adequate health care and services.
In addition, 360 FSWs were eligible and enrolled for PReP and 800 FSWs as well as 18 MSMs were vaccinated for Hepatitis. 9 SGBV cases in Rubavu, Muhanga, Ruhango & Nyamasheke Districts were also referred to Isange One Stop Centers under the IMRO program. In Rusizi, Musanze, Nyarugenge, Muhanga and Rubavu 2,459 pregnant FSWs were supported to acces SRH/Family Planning, PMTCT services. They were also given hygiene and SRHR commodities. The support also reached local law enforcement authorities and health care providers, who learned about the comprehensive advocacy for the rights of KPs. 275 women and youth in Gasabo, Nyarugenge and Rubavu Districts were equipped and supported with Life Skills and 675 KPs (75 MSM and 600 FSWs) were supported with Economic Empowerment through the Group Saving and Loan Association (GSLA) Program. All these interventions contribute to reducing their vulnerability to HIV and increases their power of negotiation for protected Sex. Such deliberate interventions are vital to continue advocating for a conducive and enabling environment to equitable and high quality health access to HIV services for Key and Vulnerable Population in Rwanda.
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22 December 2022
BUILDING ASSETS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY IN RWANDA
As part of a holistic package of support under the United Nations Joint Programme on Social Protection, WFP together with GoR supported the construction of terraces on 25 hectares of land in Nyamagabe and Rutsiro districts. The two districts are prone to regular landslides and soil erosion, which has often discouraged smallholder farmers from cultivating the land, resulting in a worsening household poverty and food insecurity. After the terrace construction, the communities attested to increased harvests, which has in turn boosted their economic empowerment.
“Potato harvests on the terraced land increased enormously. From less than 200kgs to 21 metric tonnes per hectare. We are now gaining so much from our produce; our livelihoods have improved as a result”. Said Consolette Ahwishyize. Consolette, a 45-year-old mother of 5,
in Gitwe village of Rutsiro district is one of the farmers that was always in distress, during rainy seasons, as the running water used to wash away the topsoil, crops, and fertilizer.
She commends the terraces for conserving the soil, preventing erosion and increasing the productivity of the land. The program also provided agriculture inputs, including pesticides, lime to improve soil fertility, and hybrid potato seeds worth nearly RWF 68 million. The support has not only remedied challenges farmers faced, rather also enabled the farmers to respond to the increasing food demand in the area and beyond. Today, the farmers have embraced modern techniques of farming and they are employing fellow community members on their farm lands, from which the positive ripple effects are felt especially among the vulnerable households. The Joint Programme in line with the country’s efforts for integrated social protection to end poverty in all its forms while ensuring no one is left behind. It is implemented by the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the local governments in Rutsiro, Nyamagabe, Karongi, Kirehe and Burera districts.
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Story
03 February 2023
UN Resident Coordinator Pays a Courtesy Call on the First Lady of Rwanda: Exploring Strategic Partnership Opportunities between the UN and Imbuto Foundation
On Monday 30th January 2023, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo paid a courtesy call to the First Lady of Rwanda, Her Excellency Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, who is also the Chairperson of Imbuto Foundation.
The meeting provided an important platform for discussion on areas of mutual interest, collaboration and partnership between the UN and Imbuto Foundation (IF) -- particularly with regards to quality education, health, and empowerment programmes especially for women and children.
“…the goals of Imbuto and UN are well aligned; the UN and the Foundation [are] natural partners in the efforts of poverty reduction for the people of Rwanda.” First Lady of Rwanda, H.E. Jeannette Kagame
Joint efforts on the SDGs
The First Lady of Rwanda echoed her appreciation for the UN’s continued commitment to the people of Rwanda. She lauded the UN for its support to the Government of Rwanda in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and highlighted the importance of continuing to work together to ensure sustainable development in the country.
Her Excellency also expressed her appreciation for the UN’s continued support to the Government of Rwanda in its efforts to achieve gender equality and equity, and further reiterated her commitment to the empowerment of women and youth and highlighted the various initiatives undertaken by Imbuto Foundation.
On his part, the UN Resident Coordinator commended the Government of Rwanda for its commitment to the SDGs and expressed his appreciation for the leadership of the First Lady in championing various social and economic initiatives in the country and beyond.
Existing challenges that need collective interventions
Rwanda has made significant strides in economic and social development. However, there are existing challenges that need to be tackled through collective interventions. Some of these include stunting among children in several districts, high cases of teen pregnancies, limited early childhood development centres and some challenges that hit hardest women in the rural setting.
There are a number of interventions that have already been implemented and are on-going by Government, civil society organisations, community-based organizations among many other development partners to address some of these issues. However, there is still much more work that needs to be done to ensure that all Rwandans, regardless of gender, age, or background, have the opportunity to lead fulfilling and prosperous lives.
UN and IF future collaborations
Drawing on lessons learnt from past experiences and the partnerships with different UN agencies, the Resident Coordinator and the First Lady reinforced a direction for an integrated and collective approach that identifies interlinkages of sectors in the Imbuto Foundation and UN Rwanda collaboration. They also underscored the need to adopt innovative ideas as well as share knowledge and best practices in order to maximize the impact of their joint programmes.
“Your Excellency, we look forward to working with Imbuto Foundation. We [at the UN] are committed to reposition ourselves to ensure impactful results through our joint initiatives, for the benefit of the most vulnerable leaving no one behind.” UN Rwanda Resident Coordinator, Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo.
The visit concluded with an agreement for Heads of UN Agencies to meet with the Foundation in the near future to discuss further details of the integrated approach and financing to programming as well as the complementariness of different stakeholders.
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30 January 2023
CAPACITY BOOST FOR BEEKEEPERS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND STANDARD OF THEIR PRODUCTS
Bee keeping is an important economic activity, that is not only a source of income but also plays a big role in biodiversity and crop yield improvement from pollination of plants, trees, fruits, and crops. However, its productivity needs to be enhanced.
As a remedy, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Rwanda Agricultural and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) and Rwanda Standards Board conducted a series of training for 100 beekeepers.
Trainers focused on key areas of intervention in the entire beekeeping value chain with the aim of meeting national and international quality and safety requirements and standards for honey and other bee products.
The topics ranged from traceability in the beekeeping value chain to the equipment, and machinery used in the beekeeping value chain, the safety of bees, avoiding pests that affect bees, and how to increase, both the quality and quantity of bee products to satisfy market demand.
Celestin Munyankindi is one of the beekeepers from Gicumbi Beekeepers Cooperative (GIBCO) that gained from the training, and he testifies how it has helped him address issues he faced and how the capacity boost has improved his production.
“The training has helped me to improve ways of producing honey from the point of where bees collect honey ingredients to the final product which is honey. The trainers taught us how to take care of the bees and their surroundings and how to improve the quality and standard of products for them to be competitive both on the local and international markets.” Munyankindi Said.
This initiative aims to improve and move the sector from traditional to modern beekeeping practices by ensuring that beekeepers are well equipped with the latest technology and modern beekeeping equipment that will facilitate them to improve the quantity and quality of honey acceptable at the local and international market.
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Story
24 January 2023
60 YEARS OF RWANDA IN THE UN: CELEBRATING THE JOURNEY, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Rwanda was officially admitted as a member into the United Nations (UN) in 1962. Since then, the Government of Rwanda (GoR) has partnered with the UN across diverse fields contributing to Rwanda’s development goals - through interventions and joint programmes that have contributed to the social, political, and economic transformation of the country over the past six decades.
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Rwanda’s membership into the United Nations, the GoR through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the UN system hosted a high-level event, under the theme, “Partnering for a Better, Shared Future for All.” The event was attended by UN representatives, government officials, diplomatic corps, CSOs, and private sector, and showcased a photo gallery allowing attendees to appreciate historical and current collaborative development work of the GoR and the UN to address challenges in the areas of socio-economic development, gender equality, peacekeeping, and climate change.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta
commended the UN for its support to the country and for spearheading multilateralism and global cooperation. He reiterated Rwanda’s commitment to the partnership in addressing common challenges in diverse areas.
On his part, the Resident Coordinator (RC) to UN Rwanda, Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo
extended the UN’s sincere appreciation to the Government and the people of Rwanda for the support and continued commitment to work closely for the benefit of the people – leaving no one behind. He reaffirmed the UN's collective commitment and pledged cooperation and support in all forms to address shared objectives grounded on the UN Charter.
The event was a testament to the success of Rwanda’s partnership with the UN, and the positive impact the cooperation has contributed. Here are some of the key achievements that were highlighted:
Enhanced opportunities for women and girls and continuing to remove barriers to their progress, thus contributing to gender parity.
Improved health outcomes for the citizens through universal health coverage and the COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery efforts taken in collaboration by the UN and the GoR.
Better agronomic practices, better access to seeds and better access to the technology that is needed to adapt agriculture to climate change, while growing more nutritious and abundant food supplies supported jointly by UN and GoR through programming and policy.
The strong partnership that exists between the GoR and UN has also been catalytic in promoting opportunities and jobs for young people through initiatives that include: The Generation Unlimited, iaccelarator, YouthConnekt, ConnectedGirls.
As the UN continues to support the GoR in its efforts to achieve the SDGs, the partnership will continue to have a positive impact on the country’s progress and development.
More about the event here
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24 January 2023
16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM: A CALL TO TACKLE GBV FROM THE ROOT CAUSES
"Ending violence against women and girls can be achieved through partnerships and advocacy, coupled with coordinated action or services across different sectors such as justice, health, and education among others.”
Reiterated by Jennet Kem, UN Women's Country Representative in Rwanda during the launch of the 16 days of activism against Gender-Based violence (GBV) campaign in Rwanda.
The campaign, which started on November 25, coincided with the day the world observes the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG). It is at a time when the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion indicated that the past 5 years have seen a significant increase in gender and domestic- related violence.
Under the theme “UNITE. Build a Violence-free Society”, the campaign aimed to mobilize more people to show solidarity and support to end VAWG at a time when the world at large is facing pushback against women’s rights. During the launch, 107 couples from Kagano, Kanjongo and Bushekeri Sectors in Nyamasheke district legalized their marriages aimed to build trust between couples and reduce family conflicts including violence.
Also, as part of the campaign, residents of Kigali were joined by the UN team, government officials, private sector, and civil society representatives in the car free day sports activities, painting the streets of the city orange in solidarity of ending GBV.
A consultative and policy dialogue on GBV Prevention and Response in Rwanda: From Policy to Practice was also organized to share experiences, good practices but also challenges and recommendations for policy and decision makers.
These were not just events to check the box, rather platforms to re-ignite a shared mission among grassroots activists, women human rights defenders, survivor advocates and individuals. The objective is to continue to push forward to end violence against women and girls, tackling it from small communities and families to schools, religious settings, and digital platforms. As emphasized by Prof. Jeannette Bayisenge, Rwanda’s Minister of Gender and Family promotion,
“It is also a good time to think about the measures put in place to prevent, and to help the victims get full help and also to think about new measures that will help us find a lasting solution to eradicate violence, especially against women and girls.”
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Story
24 January 2023
COP 27: UN SHARES RWANDA’S CLIMATE ACTION VISION
The Government of Rwanda and its citizens have stayed committed to a green economy and have continuously taken up several climate actions to tackle the effects of climate change, including landslides, floods, and droughts.
The country has banned plastic bags, embarked on massive reforestation and tree-planting drive, put measures to protect and restore degraded ecosystems such as wetlands, lakes, and natural forests, established smart cities and put the environment and climate change at the heart of national development.
The country is also intentional at positioning itself for green investment opportunities. This was evident at 2022’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) that took place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
With the support of the UN, Rwanda with its greenest pavilion, Rwanda used the platform to promote itself as an ideal destination for green investment and highlighted the country’s track record in delivering climate action and vision for a carbon neutral future by 2050.
At COP27, the Government launched the Green Investment Facility (GIF) known as "Ireme", which mobilised USD 104 million as a capital fund to implement green and climateresilient projects. Whilst Euro 46 million was raised for National Determined Contributions (NDCs) partnership. The country also launched its Sustainable Finance Roadmap, the NDCs Facility and the Future of Carbon Markets in Rwanda.
All these are positive steps, as just like many developing countries, Rwanda requires external financing to meet the challenges posed by the climate crisis and a direct and urgent response to address loss and damage. Rwanda has an ambitious plan to reduce emissions by 38% by 2030 and its through partnerships with national and international entities that it hopes to achieve this goal.
“Rwanda is like a laboratory of ideas in Africa, and the UN system is very excited to work with the Government and its citizens, including the youth. I would tell potential investors to come to Rwanda. It is your prototype ground. You come here, you test, and you see it works well and you can scale up.”
Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo in an interview with UN's Africa Renewal.
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Press Release
20 January 2023
WFP welcomes funding from the United States to support refugees in Rwanda
“This contribution from the United States comes at a time when we need it most. With the recent arrival of over 100 new refugees every day from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and rising costs of food, energy and transport, refugees are now, more than ever in need of assistance to enable them to progress towards self-reliance,” says Ahmareen Karim, WFP’s Acting Country Director in Rwanda.
WFP uses cash transfers to empower people with choice to address their essential needs in local markets, while also helping to boost local economies.
Despite this generous funding, WFP is still not able to provide full rations to meet the minimum food requirements for refugees in Rwanda. WFP, in partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, introduced a needs-based targeting approach in May 2021 – a system under which refugees are given food rations according to their levels of vulnerability.
Due to funding shortfalls, the most vulnerable refugees currently receive 92 percent of a full ration and those deemed moderately vulnerable receive 46 percent of a full ration. This ensures that the most vulnerable refugees are prioritized for food assistance while the least vulnerable refugees are supported to become more self-reliant.
This contribution is in addition to US$9.5 million received from the United States in 2022 in support of WFP’s refugee operations in Rwanda.
# # #
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. Follow us on Twitter @WFP_Africa
WFP uses cash transfers to empower people with choice to address their essential needs in local markets, while also helping to boost local economies.
Despite this generous funding, WFP is still not able to provide full rations to meet the minimum food requirements for refugees in Rwanda. WFP, in partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, introduced a needs-based targeting approach in May 2021 – a system under which refugees are given food rations according to their levels of vulnerability.
Due to funding shortfalls, the most vulnerable refugees currently receive 92 percent of a full ration and those deemed moderately vulnerable receive 46 percent of a full ration. This ensures that the most vulnerable refugees are prioritized for food assistance while the least vulnerable refugees are supported to become more self-reliant.
This contribution is in addition to US$9.5 million received from the United States in 2022 in support of WFP’s refugee operations in Rwanda.
# # #
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. Follow us on Twitter @WFP_Africa
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Press Release
08 December 2022
Government and One UN Rwanda assess implementation and impact of joint work on Rwanda’s development agenda
The meeting was hosted by the chair, Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and co-chair, Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo, the UN Resident Coordinator to Rwanda. They were joined by colleagues in Government, the UN, diplomatic corps, development partners, CSOs and private sector representatives.
The Joint Steering Committee aims to provide strategic direction and oversight of the UNSDCF for its alignment, with national, regional and international development processes, mechanisms and goals such as Vision 2050, National Strategy for Transformation; and links with other processes, such as the Voluntary National Reviews and the Universal Periodic Review. The platform also serves as an accountability mechanism of the Cooperation Framework in the delivery of a collective system support to the 2030 Agenda.
The UNSDCF is a seven-year plan that outlines how the UN supports Rwanda’s development agenda from 2018 to 2024. It is delivered by the United Nations system, with all agencies working together under the umbrella of ‘One UN’. It is mapped on to the three Strategic Priority Areas that constitute the Government’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST1).
Through 14 joint programmes on cross border trade and social cohesion, social protection, health care, youth, HIV, gender equality and empowerment of rural women, nutrition, COVID-19 response and recovery, climate resilience, data, Integrated National Financing Framework, food security, disability, diversity and inclusion and sustainable cities, thousands of communities are reached, systems are strengthened, capacities are built and people’s lives are transformed.
Minister Ndagijimana acknowledged the many years of joint work between Rwanda and the UN, and emphasized the importance of strong collaboration and partnership, which is crucial to ensuring that the country builds back better from COVID-19 pandemic, and stays on track to the ambitious goals set out by Vision 2050 and the National Strategy for Transformation.
“Today we have an opportunity to review, assess and re-commit ourselves to act together to support Rwanda’s development. As we continue to deal with spill-over effects of COVID-19, and other global challenges such as inflation and food security, we are committed more than ever to achieve NST1 targets and we will count on UN’s collaboration in this Journey, “Minister Ndagijimana said.
Mr. Ozonnia commended the GoR for its strong leadership throughout the response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and reiterated the UN’s commitment to working closely on Rwanda’s continued development.
“I congratulate the Government of Rwanda (GoR) for its strong leadership and commitment to supporting Rwanda’s socio-economic recovery and development efforts and for our strong partnership in our development work. The UN in Rwanda takes pride in being a partner of choice for the Government and the people of Rwanda as the country continues to build on its remarkable success story and ensuring the well-being of its people embedded in the spirit of “Leaving no one behind”. Mr. Ozonnia said.
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Press Release
08 December 2022
United Nations Rwanda and Veteran Clubs World Championship (VCWC), united for the success of VCWC Rwanda2024.
VCWC Rwanda2024 is an event that will bring together over 150 football legends to Rwanda, to take part in a tournament and series of forums aimed at using the influence of sports as a driver of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.
On the heels of the LEGENDS IN RWANDA international kickoff that will take place in Doha (Qatar) on the 16th of December 2022, VCWC will undertake a series of national and international events in 12 cities around the world with the football legends culminating in the big jamboree in Kigali. This tour will engage with key stakeholders from the Governments, UN, Development Partners,Private Sectors, and civil society Organisations to ensure active and effective participation at the 2024 rendezvous.
INFONLINE/UNRCO
0786976708
Immy.mulekatete@undp.org
https://rwanda.un.org/
INFONLINE/VCWC
(+250) 790336142
info@vcwc2024.com
www.vcwc2024.com
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Press Release
20 October 2022
Rwanda marks 60th anniversary of membership in the United Nations
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Vincent Biruta said:
“We commend the UN for its support to our country and for spearheading multilateralism efforts and global cooperation. Rwanda remains committed to our partnership in addressing common challenges in diverse areas including socio-economic development, gender equality, peacekeeping, refugees’ rights protection, climate change, and much more. The world needs consistent and effective collaboration among countries, and Rwanda will always play its role.”
The UN Resident Coordinator Ozonnia Matthew Ojielo said:
“The UN extends its sincere appreciation to the Government and the people of Rwanda for the support and continued commitment to work closely for the benefit of the people of this country – leaving no one behind. We reaffirm the UN's collective commitment and pledge cooperation and support in all forms to address shared objectives grounded on the UN Charter.” Rwanda is one of the biggest contributors to the UN peacekeeping missions with over 5,000 military and police personnel deployed in different countries. Rwanda is also among the African countries that achieved Millennium Development Goals and is on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. — END — Note to the Editors:
Rwanda was admitted as a member to the UN on 18 September 1962, following the adoption of security council resolution A_RES_1748(XVII) in July of the same year. Since then, the Government of Rwanda has partnered with the UN across a broad range of thematic areas in order to pursue its sustainable development goals: from agriculture to youth employment, numerous activities have contributed to the social, political, and economic transformation of Rwanda in the last 60 years.
“We commend the UN for its support to our country and for spearheading multilateralism efforts and global cooperation. Rwanda remains committed to our partnership in addressing common challenges in diverse areas including socio-economic development, gender equality, peacekeeping, refugees’ rights protection, climate change, and much more. The world needs consistent and effective collaboration among countries, and Rwanda will always play its role.”
The UN Resident Coordinator Ozonnia Matthew Ojielo said:
“The UN extends its sincere appreciation to the Government and the people of Rwanda for the support and continued commitment to work closely for the benefit of the people of this country – leaving no one behind. We reaffirm the UN's collective commitment and pledge cooperation and support in all forms to address shared objectives grounded on the UN Charter.” Rwanda is one of the biggest contributors to the UN peacekeeping missions with over 5,000 military and police personnel deployed in different countries. Rwanda is also among the African countries that achieved Millennium Development Goals and is on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. — END — Note to the Editors:
Rwanda was admitted as a member to the UN on 18 September 1962, following the adoption of security council resolution A_RES_1748(XVII) in July of the same year. Since then, the Government of Rwanda has partnered with the UN across a broad range of thematic areas in order to pursue its sustainable development goals: from agriculture to youth employment, numerous activities have contributed to the social, political, and economic transformation of Rwanda in the last 60 years.
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Press Release
25 July 2022
Breakthrough agreement in Istanbul
For months, the Secretary-General has been underlining the importance of facilitating full access to world markets for Ukraine’s food stocks and Russian food and fertilizers.
He travelled to Moscow and Kyiv in April to propose a plan to reach that objective.
Ukraine and the Russian Federation are breadbaskets of the world, producing almost one-third of the world’s wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil. Russia is also a top global exporter of fertilizers and the raw materials for its production.
Today in Istanbul, senior representatives from Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and Türkiye gathered to sign an initiative which establishes a mechanism for the safe transportation of grain, related foodstuffs and fertilizer from Ukrainian ports to global markets.
The United Nations, represented by the Secretary-General, signed the Initiative as a witness. The purpose of the Initiative is to contribute to the prevention of global hunger, to reduce and address global food insecurity, and to ensure the safety and security of merchant ships entering or departing Ukrainian ports.
In the Initiative, the Parties recognized the role of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in securing the discussions for this Initiative. They went on to request his further assistance in its implementation, in the furtherance of the humanitarian mission of the United Nations, subject to its authorities and mandates.
To facilitate the implementation of their Initiative, the Parties agreed to set up a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul, under the auspices of the United Nations, comprised of representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Türkiye and the United Nations.
The JCC will enable the safe transportation, by merchant ships, of commercial foodstuffs and fertilizer from three key Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea: Odesa, Chornomorsk, Yuzhny.
The new Centre will:
Monitor the movement of commercial vessels to ensure compliance with the Initiative;
Focus on export of bulk commercial grain and related food commodities only;
Ensure the on-site control and monitoring of cargo from Ukrainian ports; and
Report on shipments facilitated through the Initiative.
The new Centre will not:
Facilitate the export of food from countries other than Ukraine; and
Facilitate exports of containers and non-food items not included under the provisions outlined in the Initiative.
An agreement was also reached with the Russian Federation on the scope of engagement of the United Nations to facilitate the unimpeded exports to world markets of Russian food and fertilizer – including the raw materials required to produce fertilizers. This agreement is based on the principle that measures imposed on the Russian Federation do not apply to these products.
Simultaneously, the Russian Federation has committed to facilitate the unimpeded export of food, sunflower oil and fertilizers from Ukrainian controlled Black Sea ports.
Agreements to facilitate unrestricted access to exports of Ukraine food from the Black Sea along with exports of food and fertilizer from the Russian Federation matter on many levels.
To calm commodity markets, lower prices and provide critical relief to the most vulnerable people and countries getting hammered by an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis.
To the numerous countries in the developing world that rely on wheat and other grain imports to feed their people.
And to assist in reversing the turmoil in the global fertilizer market that is now threatening next season’s crops – including rice, the most widely consumed staple in the world.
The comprehensive agreements secured today in Istanbul are a big step forward in tackling the global food crisis now gripping the world.
They will provide much-needed relief to the most vulnerable people and countries.
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03 November 2022
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