Minister denies overspending on defence

Rwandan Minister for Finance and Economic Planning Donat Kaberuka on Saturday said his government had not "excessively spent" on defence, Rwandan radio reported. Kaberuka was speaking to the press after a two-week discussion between his government and the IMF on the country's economic

reform programme. "On this issue of defence spending, I want to make it very clear that the government of Rwanda has not excessively spent on defence, given the security challenges it faced," he said. "The resources we are committing to security, in our judgement, are still within reasonable margins... the idea that you can reduce defence spending and, therefore, have more development is not always true, and is unlikely to be true in the case of Rwanda", said Kaberuka. "There is even the threat that if we are not spending the minimum as we have done on defence, then development would have been compromised."

Kigali twinned with Sud-Kivu

The eastern province of Sud-Kivu has been twinned with Kigali Prefecture in Rwanda in what has been described by both signing parties as a measure to improve economic, socio-cultural, political and security cooperation, but reported by Congolese television as an annexation of the province by Rwanda. The twinning protocol was signed in Kigali last week by Norbert Basengezi Katintima, governor of Sud-Kivu, and the prefect of Kigali, Marc Kabandana, to facilitate exchange on economic and commercial matters; transport and communication; socio-cultural issues; agriculture, livestock, fisheries, conservation and tourism; town planning; and political and security concerns, the rebel-controlled Radio Bukavu reported.

Government denies planning fresh Kisangani attack

The government has rejected as "pure lies" claims by RCD-Kisangani leader Ernest Wamba dia Wamba that 3,000 RPA (Rwandese Patriotic Army) soldiers were planning a renewed attack in Kisangani on the Ugandan army (Uganda People's Defence Forces and Wamba's faction of the RCD, and that fresh attacks were expected any time. ''Our troops are at standstill waiting for the outcome of the joint investigation commission set up at Mweya", by Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and Rwandan Vice President Paul Kagame, Rwanda News Agency quoted government spokesman Lt-Col Wilson Rutayisire as saying.

ICTR finalises deal for Benin to jail genocide convicts

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has finalised and signed an agreement with Benin for it to provide prison facilities for people convicted of crimes relating to the 1994 genocide, making Benin the second country after Mali to accept Rwandan genocide convicts.