Unvaccinated Eritrea Cyclists Excluded from Tour of Rwanda
The Eritrea cycling team has been excluded from the Tour of Rwanda race because its members have not been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Eritrea, a country in the Horn of Africa region, is the only one of the African Union’s 55 member states that’s yet to vaccinate any of its population.
Rwanda Cycling Federation president Abdallah Murenzi said it was “a requirement” for next month’s race that all competitors are fully vaccinated.
“The cyclists from Eritrea said they cannot meet this condition,” Murenzi said.
Five cyclists from Eritrea were expected to compete. Eritrean cyclists won the race in 2019 and 2020.
Rwanda has strict rules in place to fight the pandemic. Authorities have ordered public sector workers to get vaccinated or resign from their jobs and the government said last week that people must be fully vaccinated to access public spaces and attend public events.
Cycling is highly popular in Rwanda and it has been chosen to host the 2025 Road World Championships, the first African nation to be awarded the event.
Read MoreBest 5 Things to Do in Rwanda
There are several unique tourism activities to do in Rwanda; this country is long past its war torn days and now it’s one of safest countries visited in Africa. You will feel the real true African country with lots of unique attractions which have attracted many safari tours to Rwanda. This country is extremely small and there is one unique thing about this small country, this is gorilla trekking which is done in volcanoes National park and it has raised increased revenues for the country.
Kigali City Tour
There is the Kigali city which is in the heart of Rwanda, this gorgeous city with great weather can get you taste the history here through visiting the genocide memorials and here you will learn about the turbulent past of this country. You will also have a chance to visit the different local markets which are found in the city as well as the art facts and the craft shops which are found within the city. These have also attracted many safaris to Rwanda.
Gorilla Trekking
Thinking about Rwanda makes you come close to the mountain gorillas and these can be spotted in volcanoes National park which is found some few kilometers from Kigali city. You will enjoy a very unique experience taking Rwanda Gorilla adventure, take this advantage and experience the largest group of gorillas when you come for a safari . Gorilla trekking can also be carried out in Uganda and the Democratic Republic Congo.
Game Drives
Rwanda has also got three national parks and these include; Akagera National park, Nyungwe National park and Volcanoes National park, there are many animal species which can be spotted in these national parks and some of these include; the chimpanzees, bird species, elephants, lions, leopards, and the monkeys.
Holiday at Lake Kivu
Lake Kivu also makes a border between Rwanda and Congo and it’s a great region where the tourists are safe to visit and swim, you will also visit the safari cities like Kibuye and Gisenyi near DR Congo border.
The other attractions which are found in Rwanda include; city tours, cultures, bird species and many wild animal species. The Butare is a cultural hub for the country and was once the most important city before 1965. You will also visit the great national museum which will help you explore the great history of Rwanda.
Read MoreHow Can Rwanda Afford to Sponsor Arsenal?
In 2018, Visit Rwanda, which is an extension of the Rwandan Tourist Board, signed a $39million USD deal with Arsenal Football Club to become a shirt sleeve sponsor for 3 years.
The partnership caused significant controversy. Critics argued that it was immoral for Rwanda to spend money on sponsoring football teams, while it takes foreign aid to help fund its schools, hospitals and infrastructure. So why did the government choose to spend its money in this way?
While it is a somewhat novel way of spending, the partnership constitutes a significant investment in Rwandan tourism. Increasing awareness and visibility through marketing a is one of the most important ways to develop the tourism industry. The sponsorship, therefore, is part of a wider effort to boost the value of the tourism industry in Rwanda.
By all accounts, it seems that the investment has worked. According to Rwandan Development Board CEO Clare Akamanzi, revenue increased by 17% overall after just one year of sponsoring Arsenal. There has been a 22% rise in European visitors, and the United Kingdom has gone from the fifth biggest market to the second biggest market for tourism to Rwanda.
Responding to critics, Akamanzi said: “Anyone who criticises our deal with Arsenal on account of Rwanda being poor or an aid recipient, either wishes for Rwanda to be perpetually so, or doesn’t understand that in any business marketing costs are a key component of a company’s expenditures”.
It is clear therefore, that while there are critics, the strategy is targeted at increasing prosperity in Rwanda. Visit Rwanda has also secured a deal with Paris Saint Germain more recently as a tourism partner, in a 3-year deal valued around $9 million USD.
Read MoreRwanda to be First African Host of Cycling Road World Champs
Cycling’s 2025 road world championships were awarded to Rwanda on Friday in a first hosting by an African country.
The capital city Kigali “will provide a magnificent backdrop” for the weeklong championships which were first held in 1921, International Cycling Union president David Lappartient said.
It’s the latest international sports project for Rwanda and long-time leader Paul Kagame which have faced criticism for repressive policies and human rights abuses.
Kagame hosted FIFA president Gianni Infantino this year to open a regional development office for soccer’s world body in Kigali.
Rwanda recently renewed a $13 million annual shirt sleeve sponsorship of English Premier League club Arsenal through 2025, and Kagame criticized the team on Twitter after losing the season-opening game.
The Rwandan president was in Belgium on Thursday to meet Lappartient ahead of the hosting decision being made on the sidelines of the road worlds.
The 2025 worlds in Kigali are also scheduled to be the venue for the UCI’s four-yearly elections.
Lappartient was re-elected unopposed Friday for a second term.
Read MoreIs Rwandan Coffee Sustainable?
Rwanda is famous for its coffee, which is largely produced by small-scale sustainable coffee farming.Rwandan coffee has developed a reputation for its high quality, attracting coffee roasters around the world.
While the first coffee plants reached Rwanda relatively late in the 20th century, it was only in the last two decades that Rwanda experienced a “coffee renaissance”. Today, Rwanda is one of the top thirty largest coffee-growing countries. Sustainability lies at the heart of the Rwandan coffee industry, and local non-profit organisations like Sustainable Growers Rwanda provide training to female coffee farmers and their families, helping them improve the sustainability and economic viability of their plantations.
Coffee beans grow at between 5000 and 6000 feet above sea level, making Rwandan brew famous for its rich, deep finish.
Read MoreWhat is the Kigali Financial Centre?
Kigali International Financial Centre, abbreviated as the KIFC, is an initiative which has the objective of making Rwanda a preferred financial jurisdiction for investments into Africa. It also hopes to provide a fresh element to the domestic industry within the African nation.
Whilst the name may lead you to think it is a physical place, this is, in fact, not the case. The Technical Advisor of Rwanda Finance Limited has explained that the KIFC is, in fact, a concentration of financial services, striving to be a catalyst for the country’s development.
The mission has been defined as “connect the Rwanda financial ecosystem to domestic and international business” and “be a catalyst of a safe, compliant and pro-business financial environment in Rwanda”.
It will provide a number of benefits, including an economic trickle-down in the creation of alternatives for mobilizing capital rather than focusing purely on traditional avenues.
Like in other countries that have developed IFCs such as Singapore, it will also lead to an increase in the quality of jobs and specialized skills development, as well as additional tax revenues for the government.
During the virtual signing of the partnership, Rwanda Finance’s CEO, Nick Barigye, said: “This partnership is a major milestone for our nascent International Financial Centre. It will ensure that we have an optimal legal, regulatory and institutional framework that is in line with international norms and standards.”
Read MoreHow much Economic Inequality is there in Rwanda?
Rwanda has higher levels of inequality than many of its neighbours, but these disparities are decreasing.
The Rwandan Gini coefficient – the most prominent indicator of economic inequality – is 43.70 (as of 2016). This is significantly below the global average, which is somewhere between 60 and 65. However, Rwanda’s inequality rate is high for the region, and is more economically unequal than its regional partners Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi.
There is a consensus that the rate of inequality is gradually being reduced. While some uncertainties remain, given the lack of extensive economic data, there is a broad consensus that Rwandan inequality rates are falling. Indeed, its current Gini coefficient is a significant reduction from its peak of 52 in 2005.
World-leading developmental economist Paul Collier has said that such a reduction is ‘deeply impressive’, given that it has taken place alongside rapid GDP growth and poverty decreases.
Read MoreWhat are the most Important Sectors of Rwandan Economy?
Rwanda has a diverse and thriving domestic economy which is open to the world.
The primary sector is still the most crucial part of the Rwandan economy. According to KPMG, over three quarters of the population relies on agriculture as their main source of income. While Rwandan coffee is famed around the world, farmers also produce tea, bananas, beans, sorghum and potatoes, among other crops. Natural resources including gold, tin and tantalum have also seen significant investment in recent years.
Outside of the primary sector, the Rwandan economy has undergone a strong period of diversification in the secondary and tertiary sectors. In particular, energy, construction, hospitality and financial services have been growth leaders.
Rwanda’s main imports are electrical equipment, machinery, vehicles and cereals. The country’s most prolific exports are tea and coffee, fuels, minerals and gold.
Read MoreDid Rwanda really Ban Plastics
While plastics are not banned per se, the country introduced a ban on plastic bags.
Since 2008, it is illegal to import, produce, use or sell plastic bags in Rwanda, and penalties are imposed for those who violate the law. Plastic smugglers can receive up to six months in jail.
The law has been adopted to decrease litter and landfilling and to protect the environment, helping Rwanda to become the cleanest country in Africa.
While the law and its strict enforcement has not been welcomed by all business owners, the government did introduce tax incentives and recycling contracts to help businesses manage the transition.
Read MoreHow Rwanda has Addressed Gender-based Discrimination in Cycling?
The Rwandan government has developed policies against discrimination in sports.
Cycling is a hugely popular sport in Rwanda and is playing an important role in reuniting the country. President Kagame has even considered making cycling a national sport.
However, in December 2019, the former coach of Rwanda’s national cycling team, Jonathan Boyer, accused the Rwanda Cycling Federation president, Aimable Bayingana, of corruption and ignoring sexual misconduct against female riders.
Three days after the open letter was published, Bayingana stood down as president, along with the executive members of the Rwandan Cycling Federation.
Following the scandal, the Rwandan Investigation Bureau put the case “under investigation”. The government also took action. Shema Maboko, Permanent Secretary at the sports ministry, commented that: “We are aware that sexual assault and corruption happens, and it is our prerogative to fight it. We are strong on it. We have been using the national policies against sexual exploitation.”
The Rwandan Sports Ministry has promised to impose a new policy against sexual abuse, which will govern all sports activities in the country as part of Rwanda’s broader policy on correcting gender-based corruption.
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