The Prime Minister met President of Rwanda Paul Kagame in Paris. 

The Prime Minister congratulated the President on his recent re-election and remarked he was looking forward to working closely with him across a range of shared priorities. 

He praised the President’s leadership on climate change, with the two leaders agreeing that further action is necessary to make sure we are all meeting our climate obligations. They agreed to keep in close contact on this. 

They discussed their shared commitment to continue working together on solutions to tackle illegal migration. They agreed that it is a pressing global challenge, and breaking the business model of criminal gangs who profit from people’s suffering must be the priority.

The President and the Prime Minister reflected on the strength of the relationship between Rwanda and the UK, and both agreed this spirit of close cooperation should continue.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street.

Commendable water and soil conservation activities aimed at environmental restoration are being conducted in the Central Region. Mr. Kesete Gebregergis, head of water and soil conservation, stated that the program primarily focuses on constructing terraces on agricultural land.

He indicated that over 2,220 hectares of terraces have been constructed in the first half of 2024, representing a more than 60% increase compared to 2023. Mr. Kesete further noted that the plan to construct 250 hectares of terraces by the community and members of the Defense Forces has been fully completed.

Additionally, 1,300 hectares of terraces have been renovated, and 51,000 cubic meters of water diversion schemes have been constructed.

In the Central Region, over 1,500 hectares of irrigation farming are being developed from 133 big and small dams.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

In its 3rd commencement, Orotta College of Medicine and Health Science has conferred Post Graduate, Doctor of Medicine, First Degree, and Diploma qualifications to 275 graduates yesterday.

The graduates include 12.7% in degree programs and 87.3% in diploma programs, with 47.6% of the graduating students being female. Prof. Yemane Seium, Dean of the College, stated that Orotta College of Medicine and Health Science, as an institute of higher learning, strives to provide quality medical education, standard patient care, and medical research. He emphasized that the college ensures its education programs include content that is aligned with current global developments, focusing on primary health care and addressing community needs. According to Prof. Yemane, the graduates include 22 with a Degree of Doctor of Medicine, 9 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, 4 specializing in Pediatrics and Child Health, and 1 specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In the diploma program, the graduates include 20 in Medical Laboratory Technology, 20 in Pharmacy Technician, 120 in Comprehensive Nursing, 30 in Dental Technology, 17 in Radiology Technology, and 25 in Environmental Health Technology.

Prof. Yemane also urged the graduates to serve and improve the quality of life and health of their communities with compassion, honesty, and integrity.

In her keynote address, Ms. Amina Nurhussein, Minister of Health, noted the significant investment the Government of Eritrea is making to provide equitable education opportunities to its citizens, which is yielding encouraging results. She called on the graduates to apply their knowledge practically and serve their people with utmost dedication and diligence. The representative of the graduates, commending the educational opportunities provided, expressed their conviction to meet the expectations of the people and the government that supported their education.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

The Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation has announced that the village of “Shama” in Menoufia Governorate has been awarded the “Tarsheed” certification for Green Rural Communities. This certification is part of the “Green Village” initiative within the national project for the development of rural Egypt, “Hayah Karima,” which aims to upgrade the “Haya Karima” villages to meet the latest global environmental standards set by the World Green Building Council.

H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, emphasized the Government of Egypt’s commitment to integrating environmental considerations into developmental plans through various initiatives and programs. These include the Environmental Sustainability Standards Guide, the “Green Village” initiative, and Egypt’s country platform for the “NWFE” program.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat further noted that the “Green Village” initiative serves as a model of successful partnership with civil society organizations and private sector institutions. This aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 17, “Partnerships for the Goals.” H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat highlighted that the initiative focuses on upgrading one village in each governorate of the first phase to serve as a model to be replicated across other villages in the “Hayah Karima” project, thus reinforcing the localization of the SDGs in rural Egyptian communities.

The “Tarsheed” certification for Green Rural Communities is recognized as one of the top 10 global certifications for its adherence to “net-zero emissions” standards. It is also the first internationally accredited certification awarded to existing, highly needy villages.

Key factors contributing to a village’s qualification for the “Tarsheed” certification include achieving all sustainable development goals, comprehensive service provision, efficient management of drinking water and irrigation, provision of green spaces and public gardens, environmental awareness, energy conservation and emissions reduction, treatment and recycling of wastewater, and waste recycling and economic value creation.

It is noteworthy that 30 developmental projects are currently underway in the village of “Shama” as part of the “Hayah Karima” initiative. These projects include a government services complex, an agricultural services complex, the establishment and development of several schools with 182 classrooms to reduce class density, and ongoing expansion of a wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters per day and a drinking water purification plant with a capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per day.

In a recent extensive meeting with new governors and their deputies, held at the Ministry of Local Development, H.E. Minister Al-Mashat reviewed various initiatives being implemented by the ministry across the governorates of the country. Additionally, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat presented the framework for governance of investment spending for the current fiscal year 2024/2025, which aims to create opportunities for the private sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning and Economic Development – Egypt.