Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

Rwandans will today join the British community in the country to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in an event which will also highlight the warm relations that exist between the two countries.Senior government officials and local business leaders will attend a reception in honour of the Queen’s reign at the British High Commission in Kigali. Members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Rwanda will also be present.“The Queen’s glorious 60 years on the throne is an important achievement attained by our friends from the United Kingdom and we want to be part of such a landmark,” Ben Rutsinga, the Director for Europe and Americas Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation told The New Times yesterday.Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on 21 April 1926, Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the 54-nation Commonwealth club, which Rwanda joined in November 2009.It is understood that the UK played a major role in Rwanda’s admission, becoming only the second country with no colonial links with the UK to join the grouping. President Paul Kagame is among the world leaders who sent congratulatory messages to the Queen for the Diamond Jubilee.Queen Elizabeth II is also recognised as Queen of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada and Papua New Guinea. Other countries for which she’s the Head of State are the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. In the Diamond Jubilee year, the Queen celebrates 60 years as head of the Commonwealth.“Rwanda shares a unique and genuine friendship with the UK, which was actually the first country to channel its financial support to Rwanda directly through the national budget,” said Rutsinga. “Equally important is the special relationship that exists between the Conservative Party (which is led by Prime Minister David Cameron) which has been very crucial to our national development”.A few years ago, the Conservative Party began Project Umubano, a social project that promotes health, education, sports and business in Rwanda.Tony Blair, a former British Prime Minister, is on President Paul Kagame’s Presidential Advisory Council (PAC). Queen Elizabeth’s reign of six decades is the second longest for a British monarch; only Queen Victoria has reigned longer – 63 years.The UK provides £55 million in form of aid to Rwanda annually, two thirds of which is channelled through the national budget.The British High Commissioner to Rwanda, Benedict Llewellyn-Jones, told The New Times yesterday that the UK is committed to providing steadfast support to Rwanda’s development agenda.“Both the UK and the Rwandan government have a shared commitment to the country’s development vision, as well as accelerate the process of democratisation and media reforms. Rwanda has been a good and candid partner to the UK and we will always be willing to support the projects designed by government (of Rwanda),” Llewellyn-Jones said.“I wish all the British people working in Rwanda a fruitful and inspiring time, while we are celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of our Queen.”The United Kingdom capped a four-day public celebration of the Diamond Jubilee yesterday, which the queen described as a “humbling experience” in a recorded message broadcast across the UK and Commonwealth.“It has touched me deeply to see so many thousands of families, neighbours and friends celebrating together in such a happy atmosphere,” she said.“But Prince Philip and I want to take this opportunity to offer our special thanks and appreciation to all those who have had a hand in organising these Jubilee celebrations.”She said she hoped the memories “of all this year’s happy events will brighten our lives for many years to come”.The Queen was also expected to continue to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee later at a lunch with Commonwealth leaders, including prime ministers and governors general. Her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, is still in hospital where he is being treated for a bladder infection. Yesterday, the Queen paid a visit to the ailing Prince Philip, who turns 91 on Sunday, at London’s King Edward VII hospital.On Tuesday, the Queen attended a thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral where Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams paid tribute to her “lifelong dedication”.

National

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee