New Artel rebrands New Artel, a government Information Communication Technology (ICT) company unveiled its new brand and logo aimed at improving on its efficiency. The company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Francis Karemera, said that the new look comes will offer more contribution to the country’s Vision 2020 for economic development through ICT. Under the new face, it takes about 24 hours to get connected after applying for bandwidth, since the company operates with field offices in all provinces countrywide using both radio and satellite transmissions. Other new services introduced include the use of Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial (DVB-T) connection, which is the modern standard for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television. This transmits compressed digital audio, video and other data in a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) transport stream, using COFDM modulation. The company also established Virtue Private Network (VPN) that uses a public telecommunication infrastructure, with a footprint covering three-quarters of Africa. This allows corporate entities to keep in touch with remote branches and strategic posts. Well as connectivity from New Artel to the database servers are provided via terrestrial Fiber Optic network or a radio link. These applications among others are expected to increase the Internet bandwidth that can bridge the digital divide across the country. No aid rationing effects on national budget Fears of the national budgetary constraint resulting from the suspension of budgetary support to Rwanda by two European nations have been dispelled by a top government official. Sweden and Netherlands last year called-off a combined financial budget support of about USD 22m (Rwf12.3 b) following a United Nations (UN) Group of Experts’ report. John Rwangombwa, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning said that government and its development partners are in talks to resolve expected impacted. He also the Secretary to the Treasury said that there was no impact experienced from this action since it was withheld towards the end of last year, supposed to finance the 2008 budget. Better still, there was a tremendous performance on the revenue side during the course of 2008, exceeding targets way above what we had targeted. Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) collected up to Rwf338.8b, which was 20.4 percent higher than the Rwf281.4b target last year. This was said to have covered the loss of the disbursement expected from the donors. EAC talks resume in Kenya The East African Community (EAC) Common Market negotiations to guarantee the free movement of goods, services, capital and people by 2010, resumed Monday in Kisumu, Kenya. The High Level Task Force (HLTF) seventh round talks to end on 6th February, seek to synchronise institutional reforms, intellectual property rights, and trade in services. According to Rwanda’s Chief Negotiator, Prudence Sebahizi, the country was represented by 25 members from the relevant institutions and ministries. Sebahizi also doubles as the Executive Secretary of the country’s Regional Integration Committee (RIC). The talks started with a two day workshop on institutional reforms under the guidance of consultants. Rwanda was represented by Babajide Sodipo, a Trade Analyst with the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Sodipo is also part of Rwanda’s negotiating team for the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with EU. BRALIRWA introduces ‘sugar free’ Coca Cola Rwanda’s only beverage and brewery company, BRALIRWA launched a Coca Cola ‘sugar free’ brand that is also commonly known as ‘Coke Zero.’ The product brand owned by the United States based Coca-Cola Company, comes to Rwanda at a time when many consumers are yearning for products with less sugar due to health concerns. It is basically a soft drink with real coke taste, with no sugar. According to BRALIRWA officials ‘Coke Zero’ can now be found in many of Kigali’s supermarkets including SIMBA and NAKUMATT in the city and at Kisementi in one of the city’s suburbs. The company’s Communications Executive, Anita Mugwaneza said that Coca cola regular, Fanta Orange, and the Sprite 33cl cans at a recommended retail price of Rfw 450 per can were also introduced besides Coke Zero. Coca cola zero is available in the modern black 33cl cans at recommended price of Rfw 500 per can. Ocir-Cafe to distribute a million coffee seedlings The Rwanda Coffee Development Authority (Ocir-Cafe) plans to distribute one million coffee seedlings this year. These will be an addition to the four million seedlings distributed last year. This is intended to stimulated coffee production and revenues in the coming years as the country targets to earn up to USD 120 million receipts by 2011. It will be generated from 35,000 to 40,000 tonnes of coffee. According to the Ocir-Café Director General, Alex Kanyankole, the seedlings are tolerant to major coffee diseases such as coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease and have high yields. They were supplied by the National Agricultural Research Institute (ISAR) for multiplication and dissemination to rural coffee farmers. Each district will also have a coffee task force to increase production amongst over 55,000 across the country on about 33,000 hectares of land, with each farmer owning 170 coffee trees. Last year’s distribution exercise is expected to end within next month having started it towards the end of 2008. With the expected increase in production, Ocir-Cafe has also sought for more markets in Asia to supplement the market in Europe, Middle-East and the United States. The coffee board also plans to setup a roasting plant with an initial processing capacity of 2,000 tonnes, to boost the quality of exported produce. A higher local consumption of coffee has also been targeted to cater for the projected production. Ends
