Women diplomats

"Have I not told you that the white men are as thick as the blades of grass' I have been to the lodge of the Great Father. I know what I say! Now break up your council of war. Leave here - and I will make you a great feast."

"Shame on you, cowards to come here, five thousand of you, to slaughter a half-dozen white men. And you come here for what reason? You have been killing their cattle right along, day after day, and not one of them has said anything to you about the loss - and then when you shoot one of your own people, you come here to kill a white man for it ... You are not brave to come here to kill a half-dozen white men!"

"This man belongs to me now! You cannot touch him!"

"As Mrs. Galpin stood in the midst of that immense crowd of blood-thirsty Indians, and argued and pleaded for lives of the white men, regardless of her own perilous position, it was the grandest spectacle I ever saw, or ever expect to see taking all the circumstances into account."

"Interesting persons who occupied cabins were Mrs. Charles E. Galpin and her daughter, Miss Lou Galpin [sic], the former being the wife of Maj. Galpin, the famous trader ... Mrs. Galpin was a woman of unusual mental capacity, who was well known throughout the Dakota country, and her daughter had been well educated in St. Louis. They were just returning to Grand River Agency from Chicago, where they had been procuring a wedding trousseau for Miss Lou, who was soon to be married to Capt. Harmon."

"An Indian woman, names Mrs. Galpin, is also with the [1872 Sioux delegation to Washington D.C.]; she has been a great friend of the whites and has more influences with the hostile Indians than most of the chiefs"

"I consider her a very meritorious person and trust that she will remain unmolested in her laudable efforts to educate her children. Mrs. Galpin is the bright particular star of the Sioux Nation, and I honor her for her former deeds and for her present unexceptionable conduct."

"Mrs. Galpin ... is one of the finest women in the world ... She speaks no English, only her native Sioux. She is a friend of her own race and also of the whites. Her friendship is not proved by words but by deeds."

"We want Palauans to come back and stay in their own home. We will lose our country (if Palauans keep migrating out of the country). It will affect and change everything in Palau. No more Palauans means there is no culture in Palau. This country will be taken over. Before it is too late, they (government) must make some change."

"Today, I announce that following a thorough, independent and objective assessment of all reliable information available to my Office, the preliminary examination into the Situation in Palestine has concluded with the determination that all the statutory criteria under the Rome Statute for the opening of an investigation have been met. I am satisfied that there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation into the situation in Palestine... In brief, I am satisfied that (i) war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip ("Gaza")...; (ii) potential cases arising from the situation would be admissible; and (iii) there are no substantial reasons to believe that an investigation would not serve the interests of justice."

"I, along with my Office, execute our mandate under the Rome Statute with utmost independence, objectivity, fairness and professional integrity. We will continue to meet our responsibilities as required by the Rome Statute without fear or favor."

"The Prosecution has carefully considered the observations of the participants and remains of the view that the court has jurisdiction over the Occupied Palestinian Territory."

"The Prosecutor is satisfied that there is a reasonable basis to initiate an investigation into the situation in Palestine under article 53(1) of the Rome Statute, and that the scope of the Court’s territorial jurisdiction comprises the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza (“Occupied Palestinian Territory”). The Prosecutor nonetheless requested the Pre-Trial Chamber to confirm the scope of the Court’s territorial jurisdiction in Palestine, under article 19(3).1 Such a ruling will presumptively resolve this question for the purpose of the Court’s future proceedings—according to the principle of res judicata, subject to articles 19(2) and (4)—and place the conduct of further proceedings by the Court on the soundest legal foundation. 2. As the Prosecution recalled, this course of action was taken, exceptionally, in light of the uniquely complex legal and factual issues associated with the Occupied Palestinian Territory and contrary views expressed."

"3. By seizing the Pre-Trial Chamber of this matter, under article 19(3), the Prosecution sought a forum in which the legal representatives of victims, the referring State (Palestine), Israel, and other States and interested parties could assist in the proper determination of the presented question. The Prosecution expresses its appreciation to the Chamber for convening such a process,5 and to the numerous legal representatives of victims,6 States Parties, intergovernmental organisations, and amici curiae, who have answered this call.... Given this inclusive approach—aiming to ensure, through a fair and transparent process, that the Court reaches a proper determination of jurisdiction, and where the Prosecution itself acknowledged the need to ventilate and resolve the divergence of legal opinions by bringing this matter on its own volition to the Chamber—the adversarial tone of a small minority of participants would seem to be misplaced. The Prosecution approached this situation with the independence and impartiality required by article 42 of the Statute, as it always does."

"The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said last month that there was a “reasonable basis” to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank. She also asked the court to determine whether she has territorial jurisdiction before proceeding with the case. Her request to the court, which exceeded the 30-page limit, was accompanied by a request to extend the page limit to 110 pages, citing “the unique and complex factual and legal circumstances in this situation.” ... According to Haaretz, the ruling means a decision on Bensouda pushing ahead with the case will be delayed by several months. International law expert Nick Kaufman wrote.. that the decision was a “slap in the face” of Bensouda"

"Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, has said the court has no jurisdiction and accused Bensouda of being driven by anti-Semitism... There was no immediate reaction from Bensouda. But she recently told The Times of Israel that accusing her of anti-Semitism was “particularly regrettable” and “without merit... I, along with my Office, execute our mandate under the Rome Statute with utmost independence, objectivity, fairness and professional integrity. We will continue to meet our responsibilities as required by the Rome Statute without fear or favor,” she said,"

"Bensouda (the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor since June 2012) found the alleged crimes by the CIA and U.S. military “were not the abuses of a few isolated individuals,” but were “part of approved interrogation techniques in an attempt to extract ‘actionable intelligence’ from detainees.” ... The Pretrial Chamber agreed with Bensouda that there were reasonable grounds to believe that, pursuant to a U.S. policy, members of the CIA had committed war crimes. They included torture and cruel treatment, and outrages upon personal dignity, as well as rape and other forms of sexual violence against those held in detention facilities in the territory of States Parties to the Rome Statute, including Afghanistan, Poland, Romania and Lithuania. Bensouda interviewed thousands of victims during her preliminary examination. About 100 of them joined her appeal of the Pretrial Chamber’s ruling. Victims and their lawyers hailed the Appeals Chamber’s decision and expressed hope that those responsible will finally be held accountable."

"The US has revoked the visa of the international criminal court’s chief prosecutor in response to her intention to investigate potential war crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan. A statement from the office of Fatou Bensouda, a Gambian national, said she would continue to pursue her duties for the court, in The Hague, “without fear or favour” and that she would continue to travel to the US. She has not been restricted from visiting the UN headquarters in New York. The US state department does not provide details of individual visa cases but made clear it was implementing the threat last month from the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, to impose restrictions on any ICC staff who investigated US or allied personnel. The move marked a hardening of America’s policy of non-cooperation with the ICC, and a downgrading of the role of multilateralism."

"Bensouda’s office said she had an “independent and impartial mandate” under Rome Statute governing the ICC. “The prosecutor and her office will continue to undertake that statutory duty with utmost commitment and professionalism, without fear or favour,” it added. Bensouda makes regular trips to the UN in New York, where she gives briefings to the security council. The UN office is seen as covered by a form of diplomatic immunity... Bensouda asked ICC judges in November 2017 for authorisation to open an investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan by the Taliban, Afghan government forces and international forces, including US troops. The investigation is also expected to examine CIA activity in detention centres in Afghanistan. The court has not yet decided whether to launch a full-blown investigation that would cover events after 2002."

"The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Thursday reiterated her position that Palestine is a state for the purposes of transferring criminal jurisdiction over its territory to The Hague. Dismissing the legal opinions of several states and dozens of international law scholars, Fatou Bensouda’s view, laid out in great detail in a 60-page document, could pave the way for an investigation of alleged war crimes committed in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. “The Prosecution has carefully considered the observations of the participants and remains of the view that the Court has jurisdiction over the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” she wrote."

"On December 20, concluding a five-year preliminary examination of the “situation in Palestine,” Bensouda said she has “reasonable basis to believe that war crimes were committed” in those regions by both the Israel Defense Forces and Hamas and other “Palestinian armed groups." At the time, she said that she herself believes the court indeed has jurisdiction to investigate possible war crimes in the regions, but, due to the controversial nature of the case, asked for a definitive ruling on the matter from a pre-trial chamber. Member states and independent experts were invited to weigh on the matter as well. “Such a wide variety of perspectives will afford considerable legitimacy to the Court’s ultimate decision,” Bensouda wrote. In the document she published Thursday, Bensouda reiterated that her position is not about the question of Palestinian statehood per se, but rather about whether the “State of Palestine,” which is a member of the ICC, can convey criminal jurisdiction to the court. In her view, Palestine indeed fulfills all required criteria to do that."

"Palestine is a state and the International Criminal Court has jurisdiction involving its cases, the ICC prosecutor ruled Thursday, which could pave the way for a war crimes investigation against Israel. A three-judge panel of the ICC Pretrial Chamber must now affirm the decision by Fatou Bensouda. Israel has been accused of committing war crimes in the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip... Under Bensouda’s 60-page decision, the ICC may exercise its jurisdiction in “territory” that “comprises the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza.”"

"On Friday The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) welcomed the news that the International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda reiterated her position that Palestine is a state for the purposes of transferring criminal jurisdiction over its territory to The Hague, Wafa News Agency reported. Bensouda confirmed her position that the ICC has jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem."

"Bensouda... concluded there was “reason to believe” that crimes were “committed in the furtherance of a policy or policies … which would support US objectives in the conflict of Afghanistan.” Bensouda requested that the ICC’s Pretrial Chamber approve an investigation into these allegations. The Trump administration threatened to deny visas to ICC judges and prosecutors and warned it would retaliate with sanctions if the court opened an investigation. On April 5, 2019, the U.S. government revoked Bensouda’s visa to travel to the United States. A week later, on April 12, 2019, the Pretrial Chamber apparently succumbed to U.S. pressure and declined to authorize Bensouda’s investigation. Although agreeing with Bensouda that there were reasonable grounds to believe that CIA members had committed war crimes, the Pretrial Chamber denied her request for an investigation... But in a landmark decision, on March 5, 2020, the Appeals Chamber overruled the Pretrial Chamber’s determination and authorized Bensouda to initiate an investigation....."

"When I signed the Paris Agreement, I was extremely moved, thinking of my compatriots, comrades, friends in both the South and the North, thinking of those who have fallen and can no longer know. This momentous event brought tears to my eyes. That is probably the most profound memory in my diplomatic life."

"The military-political struggle on the battlefield creates a favorable environment for the diplomatic struggle, the international political-diplomatic struggle in coordination with the domestic political-military struggle, combines the strength of the strength of the nation with the strength of the times, increasing the fighting strength of our army and people."

"We resolutely defend the country's sovereignty, but advocate the settlement of territorial disputes by peaceful means."

"When I realized that it was something I had to do, for the country, for myself, nothing I did when I was young, I don't continue to do now. I am still as enthusiastic as when I joined the resistance against the French. Of course, my enthusiasm now is for another purpose. Having been independent and unified, I hope the people will be happier and the society will be better."

"I have not made any mistakes. The path I'm on is absolutely right, there are just some things I could have done better to contribute to the common work."

"We had hope that the struggle on all the three fronts, the diplomatic front, the political front and the military front, would help us reach our goal."

"On March 8 on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Hon. Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, MP & Vice-Secretary of PGA’s National Group in Zimbabwe, moved a motion on the Unlawful Practice of Child Marriage, which was seconded by the Chair of the group, Hon. Jessie Majome, MP, to celebrate the recent landmark judgment of the Constitutional Court clarifying and emphasizing the constitutional ban on child marriages."

"Misihairabwi-Mushonga was only ever loyal to one constituency: women and girls"

"I haven’t had a full night’s sleep since my interview with Star FM. I’ve received numerous abusive messages; while I initially dismissed them as political banter, I’m now genuinely concerned for my safety. I’m taking two actions: posting the numbers of those contacting me on my page and reporting this to the police, both here and in South Africa, as some of the numbers are South African.""

"Thankfully, I’ll be in South Africa soon and will meet with authorities there. If I had any doubts that some claiming to be democrats are simply replicating Zanu PF tactics, the threats and cyberbullying I’ve faced over the past 48 hours have erased them. It’s truly disappointing and sad to realize that people I’ve trusted for over two decades are turning out to be the very things they oppose."

"For all the differences I may have had with some people in the party, this is one party that allowed me as a person to grow in many areas of what has become my political experience"

"The fact remains that during both the Inclusive Government negotiations and the Constitution making process, the MDC remained the only party that deployed a woman to the table"

"In fact it was only the MDC that had a woman as its chief negotiator. I will remain grateful for that opportunity"

"I was able to bring issues I felt were at the heart of the women I represented, was able to speak on the issues of Matebelaland without being apologetic, and in all this, at no point did the party seek to restrain or censor me, for that I remain indebted"

"I have always believed that submitting to a party means submitting to being deployed where the party feels you are best suited"

"There are many people who have capacity and perhaps better energy to take on the Parliamentary role and it is important that they too are supported and encouraged to move forward. I, therefore, hold no grudge against the party for choosing to move forward without me"

"If any, I should take including how they see me playing that role. I will remain an activist on women’s issues and remain convinced that the issue of marginalisation of Matabeleland should take center stage in the national discourse"

"If I don’t go back into the House I do hope that the women who go in will build on the little steps we have climbed and just remember, if you need tips we will be there, and don’t mind the bullies; it gets better"

"In the distant past, in India as in many other countries, all recognized branches of learning had had a religious and philosophic bias. Education was not merely a means for earning a living or an instrument for the acquisition of wealth. It was an initiation into the life of spirit, a training of the human soul in the pursuit of truth and the practice of virtue."

"My ministry is aware of the multiple challenges faced by women, which seriously impede their progress in life."

"Empowering women would result in improving the lives of many households in the country and ultimately deal with pockets of poverty."

"It's about time that each and every health minister looks at sustainability as part of the modelling of any approach or any initiative."

"It's very important that we don't withhold aid from people that it matters most to."

"Sustainable development is not an option; it is an imperative."

"We cannot afford to exclude half of humanity from the solutions that will shape our future."

"Leaving no one behind means reaching the furthest behind first."

"Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They are the partners of today."

"Until everyone gets the vaccine, we will all be at risk, and we will not be able to take the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to where they ought to be by 2030."

"For many, the health pandemic has been a tragedy, particularly in developed countries, but for developing countries it has a socio-economic impact that will take so much longer to recover from."

"Innovative instruments including blended finance can all play an important role, but we need to massively scale-up that delivery."

"We must design a future that is shaped by women and girls that realizes their right and aspirations to a world where equality is reality."

"We are better investing now because we just won’t be able to afford it later."

"For the first time we’re not putting a band-aid on the problem, we’re looking at the root causes."

"I think early childcare is not in a classroom, but very much in Africa today, it needs to start with adult literacy and mothers because as African women, and in our cultures"

"To begin to build the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy, by putting the digital in front so that we’re not waiting until oh, Africa is ready, or Africa has the resources right at the beginning."

"You’re not just looking at capacities and skills to connect to the outside world without understanding anything about who you are, and the part that you play in your own ecosystem."

"We learn to have pride and independence of one’s being, how that contributes from the inside out."

"And there has to be a huge amount of courage that what you’re doing is shaping the future. I mean, concretely, shaping that future for your people with what you know is the right thing."

"As human beings, what we look to is what they stood for."

"And I think that we have to think and listen to what the leader is saying and doing, rather than judge what’s in the closet."

"First of all, I think Africa is trying to make those strides that are necessary to achieving SDG 5 (Gender Equality). But the approach to development in Africa has always been ad hoc, and I think we have been pitting some of our greatest challenges against each other in terms of making choices. For example, we will say, Well we have to make a choice between a woman and health. Or a woman and an education budget. And I think this is where we have got it wrong. The fact is that women are an integral part of any investment, be it in health, in education, in agriculture, etc. Africa needs to recognise that our human resources are the biggest asset base that we have, and to ignore investing in 50% of it, is just foolhardy and affects results, as well as the rights that women have in their lives."

"We definitely need more women in decision-making and particularly in parliaments. For example in the DRC, they have a constitution that acknowledges parity, but they need the law to effect that. And in addition to the law, they also need to make investments in women, their education, their ability to actually participate in diplomacy and therefore, in the decision-making that goes along. In addition, there are a number of investments that need to be made in line with the laws aimed at empowering women."

"In Nigeria, it is quite shocking to see the low levels of women in parliament – both in the Senate and the House. And that we actually have men actively opposing efforts to reduce their capacity. I think here, Nigeria needs to change its strategy and it needs to start on the local level of the parties. Again, I see the great capacity of women in Nigeria to participate, so I don’t think that’s our challenge. Our challenge is the construct and what the male community puts into it."

"I think we must stop stereotyping some of these issues. The truth of the matter is that there is an evolution of society. At one point, you have one breadwinner, at another point you have more than one breadwinner and a different kind of context and environment. How do we empower everyone to have a role and a place in the home, in the workplace and in society? I think if we do that, we will balance the decisions that we take and we will not be shut out of it."

"I think men have to recognise that in every home, the woman has a right to participate in the economy and has the abilities to contribute to that. But that should not be done to the detriment of the home, and it should be a shared responsibility."

"When we are talking about women in politics, what we need to see is opening up those opportunities at all levels and institutions and that, I don’t think is happening. Men aren’t just going to step aside."

"However, gender parity is at the top of the agenda in the United Nations and everybody buys into gender parity in terms of aspiration. But the realities of how you move men out of positions in order to make room for women to get gender parity is a tough discourse and it has to start at the entry point – into parliament, into jobs, into institutions."

"And what the SDGs tell us is: Let’s take a step back and let’s ask people to set the foundations on which we are building sustainable development. Let’s get them right; let’s take the time to do that and not be in a hurry to fail."

"Most certainly, these are challenging times. But I think the ownership and the process that we started to get in this incredibly ambitious framework took into account context and recognised the different complexities of our world today. And also, the context of political upheavals, of conflict, of migration, and of terrorism. It really did take everything into account."

"I think it’s a real struggle and the response that we are seeing right now is how countries are grappling with what they are going to do about the current order. Let me just underscore here that we are in transition time with the SDGs. As we have always said, it would take a couple of years to transition from the MDGs to the SDGs."

"Yes. In the context of many of our countries that are experiencing different types of conflict and humanitarian challenges, it’s difficult to address some of these goals."

"The UN’s approach to that, as the secretary general firmly puts it in his vision, is: We have got to look at how we prevent conflicts and once we come out of them, how do we sustain the peace and development. And in the middle of this, we are saying that the SDGs are the frameworks that we need to invest in. There are therefore no quick wins in this discussion. If we are to have sustainable development, we cannot put a band-aid on things. And if you don’t address the root causes, we are never going to have sustainable development. Therefore, we have to go back to the drawing board and we have to be courageous about it; and the UN has to come together and be much more responsive in the way in which it supports countries, in order to move them forward."

"I think in the short term, as you will have seen in the last six months, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations have defined their frameworks for peace and security. Again, this is to bring more coordination and coherence, a more efficient way of looking at the results, and get them around the continent. What is important here is to align the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’s Agenda 2030. So, in the short term, we are getting the partnership frameworks right especially on roles and responsibilities."

"But while you are right that we don’t see as many conflicts as before, we do, however, in those pockets, see much more larger scale conflicts, which have larger regional implications. I therefore think it’s much more challenging because they are bringing cross-border issues. Here again, the mechanisms are around putting mediation into place, ensuring that there is a plan straddling the peace process with development. And clearly addressing the fact that when we talk about the humanitarian development nexus, in theory, we have so many red lines. But in practice and on the ground, people are dealing with this in the same context and trying to move the humanitarian crisis to reintegration on a development trajectory that achieves the SDGs. So, it is difficult."

"We don’t often look at the fact that root causes can require to be addressed over the long-term. We have to have a balance on what we do in the short term; what can we do in the long-term, and there are some of those low-hanging fruit that give a sense of the possibilities of achieving the longterm objective. But people often want to have things done yesterday."

"The UNGA theme, tried first of all, put the emphasis on the need to bring the resources and the political commitment. We are going to discuss the problems we have and addressing their root causes, but at the same time, we have to find the resources and financing to put into development and unless we ratchet that up, then we will be losing the gains of peace as quickly as we are putting our resources at the problem."

"First of all, I think that any population should be seen from the perspective of being an asset to a country and we need to make the investment to make sure there is quality and that everyone has equal opportunity. Today we have populations growing without the ability to service them and therefore, women and children take the brunt of this and are suffering. We have to go back to those policies and see why that is happening. In many cases, it’s because we don’t have the choices around population issues to make those decisions and I think that’s what we should be given, the free choice to make the decisions we need to, to have a healthy family."

"Depending on the context of my means, this may be two children or six children. I think that the bigger, inestimable problem, is the ability to make sure that we can provide for those that come into the world. So, on the population issue, I think there are many dimensions to it and health and life is a very big one."

"I think both in the global community and in Africa, we have the right rhetoric, we have the correct framework. But it’s when that rubber hits the road that action comes into play. I think in the case of the AU, what we have seen the African leadership do in the last few months is to, first of all, get behind the reforms that are needed and make them happen, and ask and take the tough questions on how to reform an institution to take responsibility for the decisions that happen to get the results, both in terms of the AU’s Agenda 2063 and Silencing the Guns. We have also seen that they made progress in taking responsibility towards financing the AU itself. These are all works in progress at different stages but I believe the leadership right now is incredibly serious about it and we are redefining our relationship with Africa on the basis of respect and solidarity, as the [UN] secretary general says."

"I do think that we have an opportunity now. What we have to do is to make sure we get behind the leadership. Let me just say that on both Agenda 2063 and the SDGs, Africa is the only region that has a common position – a 10-year plan."

"We also have a lady who is heading up the Economic Commission for Africa, Vera Songwe, and I think that this is amazing because she’s going to bring a different kind of vision to supporting Africa’s agenda; making sure that we integrate the economy; women’s issues, youth issues, technology, across some of the promises that have been made by African leaders. So, in short, I would say the rubber is about to hit the road and what we need to see is that rhetoric and those frameworks are turned into action."

"The response to that is so complicated; it’s not a neat number, it’s not a neat set of targets. I think that, first, we should acknowledge that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were a really good effort. It was the first time the world came together to set a number of integrated issues together. We might not have achieved all of them everywhere but we knew that it did work and therefore, what we did was take it a step further."

"The MDGs are still unfinished business but what this new framework has done is provide, first of all, the recognition of building on the MDGs with a little bit more ambition. But to do so, we do have to look at strong governments and institutions. We need strong partnerships and the funding that comes with that. What we have is a response that is still valid, even more today because of the kind of political turmoil we see ourselves in."

"Regarding gender-based violence, I believe as a human family, the first thing we have to do is draw up our sphere of tolerance. And then to look at what we need to put in place to ensure that tolerance becomes a sustainable part of our community. In Nigeria, for instance, gender-based violence takes many different forms depending on cultural practices. And there’s been a lot of work that the United Nations has done to overcome some of them. But new incidences are being seen, as we face the complexities of some of the conflicts we have in the northeast, for instance, with Boko Haram kidnappings, the rapes and the sex for food. These are unacceptable but again, you have some gains in other parts of the country where we have greatly reduced some of [the harmful] cultural practices."

"And in the DRC, where Goma was once known as the rape capital of the world, they have made strides and put in place people who are responsible for trying to reverse the tide. Working with UN Women and our special representative on sexual violence in conflict, we have seen a huge reduction, although not enough, because we said zero tolerance. However, we need to scale this up and share the best practice."

"Wow. We have so many young women and people around the world and around Africa that I come across and I also look up to them. A New African Woman is strong and is at the top of her game in informing and shaping the future of Africa on every level: economically, politically, environmentally, because we are there in all these fields. It is also about African women’s rights and aspirations. African women are closing the gap between the realities of today and our aspirations for tomorrow."

"I think it starts first of all for from where we create access to education, and the curriculum that we put in place for it. And we talk about the scientific basis that we find we must have in early childcare. I think early childcare is not in a classroom, but very much in Africa today, it needs to start with adult literacy and mothers because as African women, and in our cultures – our children are with us until they’re three, attached at the hip, if you would."

"So I think that we need to find creative ways of bringing education into the home, and not taking kids to institutions at that early age. So early childhood education, for me, is one transformation that happens together with a mother [for] that bonding in the community, where we say that Africa is brought up by a village and not by a couple of people. So, really bringing that community learning into early child care."

"Then, building on that, the primary and secondary education that we need. One that really looks at that intrinsic value of education to a person, a person’s identity from their cultures, their religion, the good practices – so we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater – we’re always referring to harmful cultural practices, and we never look at it from the positive side."

"And that we move on from things that we did not know were so harmful because they were so cultural, or so male-vested. And we need to move on. But there are some good things there."

"Our ambition is for each child, as a global citizen, and not just an African citizen, but to bring that whole technology and learning into an environment."

"What I’m trying to say is that as we learn to have pride and independence of one’s being, how that contributes from the inside out. So you’re not just looking at capacities and skills to connect to the outside world without understanding anything about who you are, and the part that you play in your own ecosystem."

"I do this because I was part of an education system that did this, although I have to say that we had a broader education. But as years have gone on, that curriculum has become loaded. It has lost its core. And I think people are struggling with who they are, and who they are is such a contradiction to people who want us to join this global family."

"And I think that we are richer for it if we identify with what we really are. The question of diversity for me is far deeper than the narrow, silo approach that we are seeing on diversity now."

"The diversity piece has lost its meaning, because we’ve sort of pigeonholed different parts of our society that are different, and will choose to live differently. And what we need to see is healthy respect, and that these are the threads of our human fabric."

"And as such, each thread matters, each thread makes the fabric stronger, not weaker. So the less threads we have, that we leave behind, the weaker that fabric. And I think if you say that to people, then they see themselves in the fabric. It’s not you against us."

"And that’s what really draws me to the Arch [Desmond Tutu]. Because I think he really taught us how to respect what’s behind our skin. It’s us, it’s human beings. And as you’re born, you’re incredibly free of everything, and depending where you land, is what shapes you."

"I think essentially, we’ve got to have a few conversations with ourselves. And there has to be a huge amount of courage that what you’re doing is shaping the future. I mean, concretely, shaping that future for your people with what you know is the right thing."

"And this is our leaders, and I’m saying leaders at different levels, because the leaders that we point to and look to as inspirations and heroes, they’re all gone now. And I don’t know who we point to, to replace them. Because today, we’re so critical of the person, we’re so judgmental of the person, and we miss the message that that person carries."

"I think people like the Arch and Madiba [Nelson Mandela] always recognized their failings. And so people didn’t have a chance to throw any stones at them. What came out was ‘okay, I’m not perfect, I’m not God, but these are the things that I believe in, these are the things that I will fight for’. So as human beings, what we look to is what they stood for. And I’m not sure today that we give so much grace to leaders. And I think that we have to think and listen to what the leader is saying and doing, rather than judge what’s in the closet."

"Everybody’s got a closet, and some worse than others. But if that person takes a good message that does no harm, that brings people together, that forwards Africa, we need to find that community."

"We have a responsibility as followers to get behind them to do the right thing. So conversation, really serious conversation. Whether it happens in the African Union [AU], and I have to tell you that in the AU, when leaders try to get together to have a closed-door meeting, the international community wants to be in on it."

"Even I, as an African, say to people, ‘oo, I’m the United Nations’. That’s their conversation they need to have. I can have a private one as well, as a brother or sister conversation to them. But in this piece here, give them space, because every one of them has baggage, and that baggage is colonial. And many of them are tied to it inextricably, and it’s hard."

"So what common ground can they come together on to move us forward? And I think that the fact that we’re seeing no solidarity with Africa right now has actually empowered a conversation. I think the United Nations has been helpful for a sanguine Economic Commission for Africa that did a lot of work with the Minister of Finance. So they were able to take the issues in an international arena and argue them, and it’s quite difficult for our people to do that because essentially, they’re in their own bubble, fighting the day-to-day challenges of broken democracies and an incredibly different set of difficult situations, conflict, etc."

"I think we’ve been told what to do and what’s good for us. And we have to come back and determine what is good for us. That’s why I said for education, it’s really important we think about that. And we think about what skills are going to put a kid, from when they get into school for 15 years, to the workplace? Is it the skills of tomorrow?""

"Then you hear what’s going on in South Africa with AI, and you’re thinking, ‘okay, what is the transition going to look like? How do we build that capacity? How do we look at the financial architecture, which was really built for another era, and not for our development – [what about] access courses or even profiting from the natural resources that we have, so that we can build?’ And so it’s going to be complex, because we are many, and our issues are very complex."

"We need to think, ‘what is the low hanging fruit for a politician that is bound by a four or five-year cycle of democracy and elective office, to one that is longer?’ Longer term means you need institutional memory; that means that the services the institutions need to be able to carry us through these different cycles of elections."

"The policy somersaults that we are feeling right now, I guess they feel them in the United Kingdom, they feel them in countries in Europe now that are going so far right from being so far left. So, it’s important, and then I think that, the more we educate people, the better constituencies we have for engaging. You can’t engage with one person, one vote, when there is quite frankly, a lack of education as to understanding why the vote, and what’s my vote worth? Is it $5? Or is it educational reform, and health services, and things that are my rights, that’s what my vote is. So it’s a little bit of a journey, as you know, the long road to freedom – the road is still being tracked."

"There are so many. Climate for me is the biggest challenge that we have, and opportunity. So when a farmer says to me that this is not about a flood, or temperatures, it’s about I wake up in the morning and my crop is gone because of a dust storm, and that dust storm has come because of drought, and my farm is gone, my livelihood is gone."

"And then the livelihoods of all these Maasai women and men that I met, their livelihoods, their cattle have died. You see the carcasses on the road. And we don’t want to talk about that much. But that’s assets that have just been taken away. And so when Kenya is dealing with that, they’re saying, ‘okay, right now, the private sector is coming in, and we’re asking them to put a fund together, so they buy the cattle before they die’. So there are resources for that community, for the hard times, and they can replenish stock. Then we have put things together that will help us to build back with a level of resilience."

"Those are real stories. They are real situations that have to sometimes find their way into the media, into the headlines. Not so much the misery of it, but the way that we can prevent it and then link that to the 1.5 degrees."

"I think there’s a disconnect between science, the 1.5 degrees and the reality on the ground. We need to link it, we need to say a third of Pakistan is underwater, because we’ve just had floods that are melting glaciers, and we can tie that to China, and it’s industrial pollution. We can do all this. So how do you tell the story?"

"I listened to an elder just three days ago, and his eyesight had gone. And all he said was ‘we’re very grateful for what you’ve been able to give us here, but there’s a lot of people you can’t see that haven’t been able to get to this’. And the first thing he said was women and people with disabilities. And it just made me think, ‘wow, this person right now is not talking about can we have more for me and my tribe’, which is what generally gets into a story, he’s been very specific about the people that are being left behind, that we don’t see."

"I think he’s given me fodder for my advocacy. Because when I go back into those sterile rooms, that somehow craft language that I don’t understand, and many people don’t understand, we can break it down. And this is where I think the partnership with the media is so important. This is a new partnership that we need to have."

"Believing that I have the expertise, experience, skills and competencies to move the Commonwealth secretariat to the next level, I seek your support and endorsement at the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit to serve as the next secretary general”"

"The reason we have this candidature is because I believe that I am a visionary, strategic, innovative and transformative leader with a track record of successful public service, proven commitment and integrity. I have insights in government and private organisations at the national, regional and international levels"

"We cannot realize our potential as a country, without an environment that enables us to optimize on opportunities around us"

"The past eight years of conflict in Ukraine have already inflicted profound and lasting harm to children. With the escalation of the conflict, the immediate and very real threat to Ukraine’s 7.5 million children has grown. Homes, schools, orphanages, and hospitals have all come under attack. Civilian infrastructure like water and sanitation facilities have been hit, leaving millions without access to safe water. For many, life has moved underground as families seek safety in shelters, subways, or basements, often for hours on end. Women are giving birth in makeshift maternity wards with limited medical supplies. Most stores are closed, making it hard for people to buy essential items, including basic necessities for children like diapers and medication. And even if stores were open, millions of people are too afraid to venture outside for food or water because of continuous shelling and shooting. The intensification of the armed conflict is posing severe human costs, which are increasing exponentially by the day."

"As the fighting has now reached densely populated areas and across the country, we expect child casualties to increase. We also expect the displacement crisis to continue growing rapidly. As of yesterday, UNHCR was reporting an excess of 1.7 million refugees fleeing to hosting countries. Half of the people on the move are children. UNICEF is working closely with UNHCR to reach them with protection and assistance in receiving countries."

"It is important to preserve the cultural practices of our Bolivian people because they enrich the national identity. My commitment, as a woman in pollera, is to continue fighting for a country united in diversity."

"It is women's time. We are the ones who take the reins of this country."

"Today Bolivians are more united than ever."

"Those days I was persecuted and in hiding. The masistas wanted to hang me;... my children were scattered. Weeks before, we were at the barricades, rain or shine,... praying in El Alto;... we could no longer resist so much abuse, the mockery of the sovereign vote of the people... That is why we have begun to organize ourselves ... against that regime, to return democracy to our children..."

"In the mine, our parents told us women: "You have to learn to cook because you have to have a husband. You don't have to study, you don't have to give your opinion". I have lived those times, and I have rebelled."

"[I want to remembered] as an Aymara woman, from El Alto, and humble. But a leader should never say "me, me, me", but rather the bases have to decide who to remember and who to forget."

"...he who does nothing fears nothing. I have no reason to hide, why hide?"

"Anti-French sentiment, increasingly visible in Africa, is a sign of the times."

"Last month Rwanda Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Louise Mushikiwabo spoke at the Wilson Center on a wide-ranging set of issues, from the country’s development successes to the prominent role women have played in post-genocide society."

"Ladies and gentlemen, let’s continue to feel empowered to become active participants in the political and economic transformation of our countries in particular, and the continent in general."

"Let me again put it this way: I don’t know anybody who betrays a country that gets rewarded,"

"I think that sentiment of ambition and moving forward has to do with the thirst to live to the fullest."

"As long as countries wave chequebooks over our heads, we can never be equal."

"Rwanda is in the unique position of having temporary stewardship of arguably both the most influential English and French speaking organization in the world."

"Use our intelligence to manage that of artificial intelligence- President Kagame."

"Rwanda Has Had to Make Extremely Difficult Choices."

"she said Choices were made because there was no alternative and because the country had to move on and move forward… We were basically a broken nation."

"Unfortunately most westerners form their opinions of Africa based on the reporting and news in their own countries"

"I think more and more Africa is waking up the fact that you can only be limited by your ideas not by the size of your country or by the level of."

"When you choose to be a dog, you die like a dog."

"When we say that life is full of surprises, it is real."

"Our choice is not to have politicians fight – our choice is to keep going."

"The French language has no complex when compared to English, But the world today is such that it is beneficial to those who speak French to speak other languages, We go much further with more languages, We are more fortunate in employment and training with more languages."

"English is today the language of Silicon Valley, of technology, of research, of social networks."

"Human rights are not reserved for some countries and not for others. These are aspirations that everyone has. There are always improvements to be made in rights and freedoms."

"Rebuilding Rwanda One Policy at a Time."

"As we all know, implementing good governance principles is not simply about designing good institutional and policy reforms for our systems, but more importantly the capacity to assess and evaluate our performance for continuous improvement."

"The most important thing for us is that this region can find peace."

"create, innovate and do business in French."

"My presence at the Senate will further promote APGA ideology and acceptance of the Igbo nation by other states of the country."

"Thirty years ago this day, 4th Dec. 1988, I ventured in trepidation onto the grand stage of the National Theatre, Lagos, as a contestant in the MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN NIGERIA PAGEANT by Silverbird Productions. By the grace of God I won the contest. I was then a law undergraduate at the University of Nigeria. The rest, as they say, is history."

"Ojukwu’s personality transcends a political party. He means much more to the Igbo nation. He is the son of the ‘Rising Sun’."

"12 years in wait, 7 years after our wedding and 3 children later, the father of the bride said ‘Yes’!. Enugu was shut down by a mammoth crowd as people from far and wide, distinguished personalities from all over the country as well as all the governors of the south Eastern States stormed the legendary ‘Okwor’s Fortress’, the ancient stone palace of the late High Chief Gabriel Okwor Onoh, Father of Chief C.C. Onoh, to witness this significant event. It was nothing short of a carnival!"

"It is most unfortunate that Obiano decided to remove the picture of Ojukwu on APGA uniforms and replace same with his picture, just to drive home his statement that he would no longer tie the fate and fortunes of APGA to the memory of a dead man, obviously in reference to my husband."

"APGA is now like a secret cult, and this has reduced our once vibrant party to a shadow of its former self."

"Kanu’s release will further buttress President Buhari’s commitment to healing the wounds of marginalization felt by the Igbo nation."

"We must unite to achieve our common goal. I know you are concerned about what is happening at home. We, as an ethnic group, have been denied the presidency of Nigeria for so long. However, we cannot make progress by becoming internally divided, with some of our major stakeholders working against our collective interests. But we must not box ourselves into a corner. We must continue to build pragmatic partnerships and anchor our aspirations on strategic engagements, alliances, and negotiations which, while tapping into our collective goodwill and progressive agenda, will advance our political interests."

"Our own Barrister Bianca Ojukwu is one of our brightest and best in Igboland. She is our priceless jewel of inestimable value. A classical and celebrated beauty in her own class. She is a scholar in the best tradition. She is well brought Child, former Ambassador to Spain, former Miss Nigeria, daughter of a former Governor of the old Anambra State, Chief CC Onoh, wife of Ikemba Nnewi, former President of Biafra, a well-respected scholar, soldier of soldiers, IKEMBA Nnewi, Dikedioramma of Igboland, Onuo Onaa of Igboland. Bianca is a big fish, a jewel of inestimable value in Nnewi where I come from. Her husband Ikemba Nnewi was a lion and Hon Bianca is a lioness. Please know this and have inner peace."

"Our development strategy has so far mainly been focused on targeting SMEs even if they are riskier than any other type of customers. However, over the past few years, in collaboration with the World Council of Credit Unions, we have developed new methods for risk evaluation that enable the banks to estimate the repayment capacity of those SME through an exhaustive analysis of their accounts."

"There was an issue of potential exporters who complained about lack of easy access to loans and the high interest rates charged by banks."

"It’s the role of the commission to investigate all government bodies that ideal in business related activities so that public funds are not misappropriated."

"The loans were issued at an interest rate between 8 -13 percent basing on the risks encountered in each sector."

"The Agriculture Guarantee Fund has so far issued Rwf 3.5 million. Though this fund supports agro-based proposals, it straps a 30 percent security on short term and 50 percent on long term loans"

"We Need a Strong Internet in Our Daily Life."

"The efficient measures are needed to address internet usage gap in Africa."

"We are certain that improving broadband services in Rwanda will be a critical enabler of the social-economic development we seek, and that this progressive policy will directly contribute to the achievement of our national strategic goals."

"It is very important for us to learn from each other's best practices, to understand which threats are lurking, but also to understand how we can join expertise, resources and efforts to really combat the cybersecurity threats."

"In terms of challenges, you have different maturity levels in the digital landscape. Finding a one-size-fits-all set of strategies that will close the gap in different parts of the world may be quite a challenge."

"When you look at our national AI policy, you realise that 70 per cent of the policy is focused on skills. That was very intentional because we knew that, without the right skills, we would never be able to support the industry and its associated changes. https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/11805/news/technology/ai-has-potential-to-create-jobs-with-higher-economic-value-says-ict-minister (24th October 2023)"

"There is lack of data in the country which makes it hard to have impactful decision making. We need to open up this to spur innovation towards development through impactful solutions and innovation. This initiative will enable us to host critical data for development however data protection will be very important especially with the new law on personal data protection"

"Commenting on the official launch, H.E. Paula Ingabire says “CcHUB’s expansion into Kigali, marked with the launch of the Design Lab today, is an exciting landmark for Rwanda’s burgeoning tech community. Rwanda is keen on collaborating with world-class partners to establish ourselves as a leading destination that nurtures innovation-driven enterprises.”"

"Rwanda aims to harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, agriculture, and public services, Minister of ICT and Innovation."

"We will not be able to build homegrown solutions that respond to local challenges if we don't have a talented AI ecosystem, people that understand how to build these models, people that are able to leverage these tools and are out there to create the solutions."

"We’re excited about this partnership with the Gates Foundation around the AI Scaling Hub, designed to be a platform where we can scale AI solutions — starting with three sectors: health care, agriculture, and education."

"I think what I enjoy the most about tech is the cross-cutting, enabling role that it plays. In the early days, technology was viewed in isolation, as a standalone field."

"The technological advancements over the last few years have been quite impressive, and that’s really opened my eyes to the importance of building strong teams and systems."

"The most important thing is to find the right partnerships, and work together in finding solutions to these challenges."

"If we are really going to be as inclusive as we say we want to be with our strategies and policies, and the way we implement them, then we must make sure that our programmes are intentionally and deliberately designed that way."

"It’s important to us that the tools being developed in and for Rwanda must be designed by diverse teams to ensure that the solutions are a good fit for all target groups."

"Every company hopes that each individual can become a client."

"You cannot assume that the challenges are the same across the population."

"Women typically struggle to balance their careers and families, leading to a lot of them giving up their professional lives to take care of their families."

"Thinking about my professional career, I would say I’m lucky to have identified people who not only inspired me, but were willing to tell me the truth, and nudge me in the right direction."

"We need to start with the basics in making sure that everyone can access and benefit from these exciting promises that come with technology, but we also need to do this in a safe manner."

"So much is happening at once, and there’s a tendency to ‘float’ if you don’t reflect on your learnings; the ability to be able to transfer lessons to your next opportunity is key."

"Claiming your place is about being open to change and providing people with options for solving problems."

"If we want girls and women to build unicorns, they have to be able to build products that are global in nature."

"To all the young girls out there, having role models and access to opportunities is great, but will make no difference if you don’t believe in yourself."

"We want to be able to lead the way. We can't just put on a hat of regulations and policymaking. We also want to be able to experiment with the potential of AI across different fields of the public sector"

"AI can help transform the East African nation’s economy. By her department’s calculations, AI could contribute “at least 6%” to Rwanda’s GDP, Ingabire said at the World Economic Forum in January"

"This is not something we’re building just for the government,It’s for the private sector, academia, and entrepreneurs who can turn skills into thriving businesses.Our metrics will not be how many people we train. Our metrics will be how the industry is growing, and how resilient our systems are, it’s not just about defence. We are creating jobs, we are creating services, we are creating startups."

"I'm going to ask for some kind of provisional authorization to start bringing together the founding members of the party"

"Genocide ideology which helped in preparation and execution of the 1994 Genocide and which is still used by those who denial the Genocide should be uprooted in the Rwandan society."

"What I saw in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi gave me the basis and the power to greatly advocate, help people and to comfort them so that they can lead a better life. I’m a professional psychologist."

"We have cooperatives formed by the women aimed at eradicating poverty in the communities. There are several Avega Agahozo offices in most of the districts in the country. We have a total of 25,000 widows and orphans but 19,000 of them are active members."

"It’s the vision and mission of Avega Agahozo to comfort and support and uplift the widows and orphans of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. We do this with determination and unexplainable desire. This is visible in our activities at community level and at national level thus be part in nations building."

"As a child, I always wanted to be a social worker so that I can help people in their day to day activities. I achieved that because I studied psychology and I’m helping people in different ways. But the one dream I didn’t achieve, which I treasured most, was having a very big family with very many children. My husband was killed when we were just newlyweds."

"As I see you are ready to strengthen the content of your request we also found it reasonable."

"When there is a problem of poor hygiene that is attributed to us women, when children who have a poor education are attributed to us women, no Inkotanyi woman should accept that someone in the society is sick of amavunja or that the children continue to be sick of kwashiorkor""

"If you could find a kilo of sugar, soap, and so on, gives to her or him (survivors of genocide), and talk to him or her, he/she would be really happy."

"she is bringing vast experience in empowering women through initiation of income generating activities, gender related policy elaboration on issues such as gender-based violence, early childhood development, and sexual, adolescent and reproductive health."

"At the time, our laws denied women any inheritance, and they could not access credit because they had no collateral. This had to change,""

"As soon as the District leadership identifies where the additional health posts will be built, we will start the construction and we hope to deliver them before the end of the year."

"There are equipment that were brought in by donors and those that were procured by the ministry, but without carrying out a need assessment."

"We have a medical and equipment management system, which we urge all health facilities to use in order to inform us about which resources they have and their date of manufacture, so that we can arrange distribution of those that are needed."

"There are a lot rumours on social media mainly from people outside the country; avoid such. I also urge the youth whose parents participated in the Genocide and are still held captive of the bad past we went through to challenge them using available information."

"Although the Government of Rwanda's plan to settle the population in the villages has helped to speed up development and improve the quality of life of the residents in general, one of the villages has problems including buildings that deteriorate quickly, pollution, residents who do not take good care of their houses, etc. That is why the Senate appointed this commission to investigate, where corrections are needed early."

"It is true he passed on. He was on the way to Kibuye [Rutsiro] on a work related trip ."

"I am one of those pure Hutus they used to talk about ."

"I counted 26 international awards bestowed upon Paul Kagame, but the list is not exhaustive because there is much more ."

"There are still a few existing errors in the way people are dismissed from their jobs. Some human resource managers do not follow the legal frameworks to terminate people. We have received several complaints in the past, some of which are genuine. These errors have to be rectified ."

"We promise that we shall not disappoint you; we shall work hard to be the RPF engine so as to also make our party the country’s engine."

"We sometimes see RPF members with ineffective performance. You have to know that our political party should always be branded with good reputation."

"There are so-called foreign investors who come here and even borrow money from our banks and eventually take off without doing anything. What strategy is there to follow up on such fraudsters."

"Should there be a case where people are interested in paying for homes earlier, an account will be opened and the money will be used as collateral to indicate to banks that there is demand but that money cannot be withdrawn. Should the project fail, those who failed would be refunded to those who paid. This does not change how banks do their business of studying projects before investing in them."

"Until now, there are divergent views about family planning [contraceptives] in the community ."

"The family law was passed by the outgoing parliament and we will ensure we follow up so that it is implemented to ensure that families live in harmony ."

"We have to make sure we play role in monitoring government programs that help the country’s people become self-reliant starting from the youth ."

"We met frustrated technicians who had sent reports warning that the plant wouldn’t be functional but were ignored ."

"Those who wronged us will envy our progress. Ndi Umunyarwanda has not just started. It began when Rwandans launched the liberation struggle and there after built a non-ethnic country ."

"She said that " the effective management of higher education institutions is one of the pillars that will ensure the quality of graduates.""

"Elle a dit que « la gestion efficace des établissements d'enseignement supérieur est l'un des piliers durable qui assurera la qualité des diplômés dans l' avenir""

"Mukankomeje told us that she will access and find solutions for issues inside secondary schools and universities; analyze the high education policy- and evaluate measures used in permitting schools to operate."

"Don’t spend nights in clubs, spend it in libraries. It is an amazing opportunity you have got. The cooperation between Rwanda and China can talk more, it is one of the best bilateral relations. Building the capacity of our people is the best you can do as a government and people. Learn skills and come back to serve the country. Some of you are on study leave, get skills and come back to work for your communities ."

"These guidelines are designed to enhance the overall student experience, streamline administrative processes, and ensure the smooth integration of international students into Rwanda's academic and social environment. They have been thoroughly validated by the vice chancellors of all higher learning institutions (HLIs) reflecting a unified commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive academic atmosphere for students from diverse backgrounds ."

"We expect that those private higher learning institutions fulfil the entry requirements for new students. The policy is clear about this: "to enter in higher education a student has to have at least two principal passes in the core subject". The inspection has revealed that there are students who do not have them ."

"We delayed to provide the recruitment report to the Commission as requested by the law, and we are asking forgiveness for that ."

"students from the two local institutions did not complete academic internships which are a necessity to join the job market."

"A dedicated team will handle students' concerns during this period. It is important for students to refer to the selection criteria available on the HEC website for more information ."

"Rwanda Liberation Day is observed because it marks the end of a period under a tyrannical government, and the beginning of freedom from oppression. It represents the end of a dictatorship and the start of democracy."

"What happened in my country should never happen in any country in the world ."

"The liberation marked a new era of good governance, unity, and reconciliation, as well as nation-building ."

"With Nepal and Rwanda being located in Asia and Africa, respectively, and really far from one another, this Bilateral Air Services Agreement that we have just signed has created a basis upon which airlines of the two countries are able to operate air transport services, which is the fastest mode of transport, that can facilitate the movement of our people, cargo and mail, in the context of strengthening business bonds ."

"India is the second largest foreign investor in Rwanda. Our bilateral relations are excellent, with over 4,000 Indians living in Rwanda and over 350 Rwandan students pursuing higher education in India."

"On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Rwanda and on my own behalf, allow me to congratulate Mr. Rudra immensely, for this honour and privilege and assure him my full support in his new role ."

"She commended the existing peaceful climate in Rwanda, the readiness of big conference-infrastructure, the good level of confirmations of participation on all levels of CHOGM 2022 including its forums and side events, and the overall Commonwealth support to the meeting."

"She said that Kagame is different from other presidents whom, after elections, do not talk to the poor anymore but to the rich only."

"I am concerned, our political party attended all negotiations that intended to bring peace and rule of law in Rwanda since 1991 together with RPF."

"When we are campaigning, we just present our manifestos; it should not in anyway be interpreted as confrotation between parties ."

"We worked with RPF Inkotanyi in the Presidential campaign last year because we believed in their political programme. We therefore want to vote for them in the parliamentary election to see through that programme ."

"Our line is clear. We want a society that is free of political malaise ."

"Democracy coupled with good governance leads a country to sustainable development."

"Our party is guided by such principles. Our followers and other Rwandans should follow suit."

"The ideas (from Leader) were needed as a contribution towards strengthening the country’s democratic process."

"Democratic principles are universal but every country applies them in its historical, cultural, and developmental context. We want to hear from you on what you think about how democracy, based on various concepts, is exercised in Rwanda. Building democracy is a continuous process."

"There are discussions at the regional level, I think that the time will come when the borders will not be important and the people will live in peace and security, so don't give up, we are trying to help those who have returned, but there are also Rwandans who are there and we must ensure that their lives are in good condition."

"She said that the ministry should be given sufficient time to carry out its responsibilities."

"If the ministry voices a concern that the two month-period will not be enough for it to have made the orders, then it needs more time to be able to accomplish the task."

"We will act like PAC (Public Accounts Committee) for public servants because we saw that this report contains a lot,” she said yesterday as the MPs embarked on analysing the PSC report."

"We will ask both institutions in question and MINIJUST (Ministry of Justice) to explain how the mistakes happened."

"We will call for the law about recovery of lost public funds to be enforced so that these resources can be recovered."

"Why are we seeking more funds. Is it because there are more cases of Covid or it was poor planning. We would also like to know the percentage in implementation and how far with the vaccine plant"

"Among the funding gaps that were identified, how many have been fixed in this budget revision."

"I am very privileged to be the Spokesperson of this important institution, I promise to work tireselly to develop our Forum and promote good governance ."

"I’ve been working with the Forum since its creation. I know where the loopholes are. So, I will try to work hard so as to maintain the good image of the forum ."

"There are some areas which still have no water nor electricity. This will be my priority if I am elected ."

"why Rwanda has taken over 69 years to adopt the bill and see benefits in this statute ."

"We are planning to sensitise the citizens about our forum, because most of them do not know the role it plays ."

"We don’t report enough about health issues. There is need for going to the entire population asking them about their health and general wellbeing."

"But with your contribution, we can together help reduce child mortality rate, maternal death rate and increase general awareness on health status"

"Being awarded was more of a push and we want to tell you we got the message clearly. We want to challenge our youth that we are not too young to take responsibility. The country is ours; we got back home when some had lost their lives (to liberate the country) but we are going to work hard with great spirit for this country,”"

"Get ready for the new wave of partnerships, and this means new awards are coming your way if you continue working hard"

"The Kiira Motors project is the brainchild of university research, which has been the model for innovations and economic growth in the developed countries. This project will impact the economic reforms that are currently being undertaken in the respective East African partner states."

"Find your identity, your true self and live your mission … Your power is your radical self. Find it."

"We have our own voices. We just need you to listen."

"As young people, you do not need permission to participate. You must occupy your space because there is no governance without citizen engagement and youth-led accountability."

"We cannot shrink the future of Africa in accepting its reality."

"We clearly live in an era where we have the most unequal societies of all time. The rich are becoming richer, the poor are becoming poorer."

"When injustice is perceived, young people look upon violent groups as legitimate fighters, not perpetrators of violence."

"Africa has the wealth to invest and the clearest path to reducing inequality is investing in African youth, our most important asset."

"It is my duty to make sure that young people hold governments accountable for the implementation of the frameworks they signed up for."

"I will always push for progressive, more inclusive and more empowered positions for young people across Africa."

"Maybe you're this or maybe you’re that. I lead with, “You’re African first."

"Consultations were then made by different delegations to discuss the issue. The comment, in Arabic, was made during talks with the Egyptian team."

"In my honest opinion, young people don't need advice, just opportunities. They need space, access to funding and freedom to choose their own career paths."

"I laud the commitment of all Zimbabweans to ensuring that Election Day proceeded largely peacefully and urge all political parties and their supporters to honour this pledge in the coming days and to use available legal means for conflict resolution."

"My job description is simple: to build a world where every girl & boy has the tools & support to make their dreams a reality."

"We must design a future that is shaped by women and girls that realizes their rights and aspirations to a world where equality is a reality."

"Strive for peace among people and nations in the face of adversity."

"Don’t let anyone question your right to pursue justice for people and planet."

"We need to use our words for love, peace, and dialogue, creating a world of respect and dignity."

"You need a different skill set that looks at taking advantage of opportunities that are much more of an entrepreneurial skill that you can add as you address many of the market opportunities."

"Ireland and the Holy See are both firm believers in the need for effective multilateral cooperation among nations to face global challenges. We are believers in a peaceful rules-based world and in the power of dialogue. Our long-standing relationship takes in many global issues of mutual interest, including human rights, sustainable development, eradicating hunger, climate change, disarmament, migration and human trafficking, freedom of religion or belief, and peaceful resolution of conflicts."

"We represent the face of our country and it is extremely important that we represent the diversity of it, too. Women enable us to reach parts of society around the world that are not always accessible to men,"

"Creative strategy is what you bring to the table. It is what you believe, what you bring and mix together, what you present or what you would like to achieve for every aspect of business or of life. Diplomacy, I would say, is very important. Again, it's not just important in work, not just as a career, but also in every aspect of professional dealings and especially in family. I think we underrate that. There, too, I think my mantra in all facets of my career was "creative" diplomacy."

"We consider it vital that Sri Lanka associates itself with the changes taking place in Latin America and with the architects of those changes. At a crucial time in the history of my country, where perspectives for peace and justice have been made possible by a political will to restore sovereignty and to defend our country from external intervention."

"The quality and sustainability of a vocation rests not solely on the Pope's shoulders, but rather those of the entire community. We must encourage our priests and strongly support the work that they do, pray for more vocations as a community, and speak about vocations in schools and our homes so that it comes to the fore of our minds."

"This is a time when the institutional church at every level is badly in need of lay assistance. Go into it with your eyes open, but also, go into it with the recognition that the church has a special need right now, and that laypeople can enable the clergy to do what they were called to do, what they were trained to do and what they can do best. We can take some of that burden off of the clergy."

"Women’s issues can no longer be dismissed by the governments of the world, and it would not have happened without the Decade.”"

"Turn yourself into a pro by recommitting daily to your lifelong goals and aspirations. Act towards your vision not later or tomorrow but now."

"Ugandans should be hopeful. Life is about being hopeful. That skepticism and noise is not good"

"If you hear people like Buganda speaking with a loud voice, it is not because they are tribal. It is because this is at their door step"

"My polling agents from Bugema, Nakaloke, and Bukasakya and Bungokho-Mutoto sub counties were beaten by the supporters of Nakayenze and my declaration forms destroyed. I can’t accept the results and we are going to Courts of Law to challenge this because I believe that I won the race but the Electoral Commission declared a wrong person"

"The solution will come with Africans themselves."

"Respect for the dignity of the human being is really the key, to resolving financial and economic crisis, and to give hope to millions of youth who find themselves a bit in a desperate situation in many countries."

"Good offices are very important, it's the work behind the scenes, it's the mediator, it's the credible guarantor."

"Society makes you feel useless as a woman and soon you also start believing that you indeed are useless because of not bearing children."

"There are many other important duties a woman can perform in this life."

"This degree is a tribute to the Girl Child, not only in Uganda but the whole of Africa."

"Men have to share with us the family roles and we women have to share with them the public role in society and of course, in the Church."

"“The crisis could have been resolved if Dbeibah had addressed the Libyan people directly with the truth,”"

"“There were many sensitive strategic and security issues, that matter to Libya’s safety and stability, that were discussed with the Israeli side, without going into details,”"

"“This is diplomatic work,”"

"“I lead Libyan diplomacy, and it is therefore my job to meet all foreign ministers. My job is to sit with those I agree and disagree with. My meeting does not mean my agreement with the policies of any party, but it is my duty as a diplomat looking after her country’s interests first and foremost.”"

"“presented what we were worried about, our reservations, and the ideas that we tried to discuss with the Israeli side.”"

"Mangoush said that the informal, secret meeting was planned by both the Israeli government and Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh."

"Mangoush insisted that her meeting was part of her job as a diplomat."

"Mangoush said she was not involved in the process, explaining she only played her part as a foreign minister to send her government’s message."

"She did, however, mention that the topics included Libya’s security in the Mediterranean Sea and the preservation of its water, oil and energy resources."

"It requires an all hands-on deck approach to accomplish the shift into a sustainable island state and encouraged everyone to use “our vibe” as Caribbean people to “leverage what we have to offer to take our place on the global stage."

"This is the time for the Caribbean to rise; to rise and be a global leader. This is the time for the people of the region to show the world the gift with which we have been endowed, our intellect, our capacity, our creative genius, the warmth, and kindness, and make no mistake, it is not an accident that the Caribbean is one of the greatest tourism destinations in the world."

"The first thing that would help to define St. Kitts and Nevis as a sustainable island state is the recognition that you must be part and are a part of something great. Something that is bigger than yourselves. A momentum that is driving you, that is driving a country, that is driving a region."

"We’ve done lots of work working closely with government on CIPREG projects. We are about to break ground on the hospital project and with other projects there’s been some challenges in delivering them. But the way that’s progressed and the additional funding that we’ve got which is non ODA is a really positive sign.”"

"It is just amazing that we are at the stage to have a successful evaluation. We’ve got a bit of work to do, but for a small territory with a small number of people, the amount of work that we galvanised together and pulling in the new legislation – it was a partnership with government to get all of that in place. In terms of lasting impact for Montserrat, I think things like the CFATF make a big difference.”"

"I’ve been a real champion of mental health and safeguarding and I know it’s a difficult conversation to have and it’s very hard for people, but I’m really proud of the work that my team, all of the ministries and the police have done together."

"There’s a real partnership approach and a real respect for the work that gets done here with the team in finance – how they manage the funding and the projects and programmes, and there’s a recognition for how hard it is to get those things done."

"Montserrat is the gift that keeps on giving. Whenever new team members joined and they would say ‘I didn’t finish my work.’ I would say you’re never going to finish your work"