Every May 31, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and partners mark World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), highlighting the risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. The Ministry of Health through Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) is organising this year's celebration under the theme, 'Tobacco a Threat to Health, Environment and Development' which will take place at Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali. According to WHO, about 6 million people die from tobacco use every year. 

The third Transform Africa Summit Transform Africa Summit opens today today at the Kigali Convection Centre, attracting about 3,000 delegates. [...] This year's summit's focus is on 'smart cities' with an aim to ensure African capitals embrace technology to effectively deliver services.

Tourism is a key foreign exchange earner in East Africa. Rwanda, which is still heavily dependent on foreign aid after the 1994 genocide tore the nation apart, has been seeking to boost the sector. Tourism generated $404 million from 1.3 visitors in 2016, and revenues are expected to climb 14 percent to 460 million in 2017.

Scottish police officers are to take their expertise on tackling violence against women and children into the scene of one of the world’s most brutal civil wars of recent times. Police Scotland will team up with the United Nations-backed specialists on gender-based violence and child abuse in the Rwandan capital of Kigali to develop policing techniques and better protect victims. 

Since economic and social settings of sub-Sahara African countries are to a large extent similar, the findings from Rwanda will undoubtedly inform policy making in most other countries. The objective is to influence the laws, policies and programmes that can address the historically disadvantaged situation of rural women much more effectively.