Photo via Gulf Times

HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received at the Amiri Diwan office on Monday morning the credentials of seven new ambassadors to the State of Qatar.

HH the Amir received the credentials of HE Ambassador of the Republic of El Salvador Milton Alcides Magana Herrera, HE Ambassador of the Republic of Burundi Isidore Ntirampeba and HE Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. Mahadhi Juma Maalim.

HH the Amir also received the credentials of HE Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt Amr Kamal El-Din El-Sherbiny, HE Ambassador of Japan Satoshi Maeda, HE Ambassador of Cooperative Republic of Guyana Safraz Ahmed Shaddoud, and HE Ambassador of Republic of Armenia Armen Sargsyan.

HH the Amir welcomed the new ambassadors and wished them success in their duties and for the relations between the State of Qatar and their countries further development and growth.

For their part, Their Excellencies the Ambassadors conveyed to HH the Amir the greetings of their countries' leaders and their wishes of further progress and prosperity to the Qatari people.

Their Excellencies the Ambassadors were accorded earlier official reception ceremony upon their arrival at the Amiri Diwan. - Gulf Times

On November 12, 2021, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Rwanda.

Xi Jinping pointed out that since the founding of the diplomatic ties between China and Rwanda half a century ago, the two countries have witnessed sound and steady development of bilateral relations, and the traditional friendship has grown even stronger as time goes by. In recent years, bilateral friendly cooperation has maintained good momentum for development, and exchanges in various fields have been deepened, which has improved the well-being of the people of both countries. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Rwanda have helped each other and worked together to fight the virus, demonstrating the brotherhood of sharing weal and woe.

Xi Jinping stressed, I attach great importance to the development of China-Rwanda relations. I am willing to work with you to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and the new session of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) as an opportunity to deepen political mutual trust, strengthen cooperation in Belt and Road construction and other fields, and push for continuous development of bilateral friendly cooperative relations, so as to create benefits for both countries and peoples.

Kagame said in his message that since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the friendship between the two sides has been continuously strengthened, and the friendly cooperative relations continuously deepened. That is deeply rooted in the common principles of mutual respect, solidarity and mutual help as well as mutual benefit upheld by both sides. China has provided support to Rwanda through various platforms, including the FOCAC and the Belt and Road Initiative, and played an important and positive role in Rwanda's national transformation. Rwanda will continue to firmly expand and strengthen bilateral friendly cooperation in various fields. - Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America

Sickle cell activist, Lukia Mulumba has become the first known Ugandan-born female to attain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force. 

Mulumba, the president and co-founder of Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation (USCRF) received the pips at the Travis Air Force Base in California in the United States on Sunday last week.

Speaking to The East African Diaspora Media Watch, an online news organization that has an interest in East Africans living in the diaspora, Mulumba, who emigrated to the US in 1995, said that she is humbled that she has achieved such an unprecedented success.

“I’m greatly humbled and honoured by this promotion. This is a recognition and endorsement of my Air Force story, years of hard work, leadership and professionalism by my superiors. To me, this sounds unbelievable and a humbling experience for a woman of color like me. I’m so grateful. The rank is timely,” Mulumba said. “Although the promotion is coming with more challenging responsibilities, I’m ready for them.”

Mulumba boasts of a number of military trainings. She has a master’s degree in air command obtained from the Maxwell Air Force Command and Staff College Alabama. She also trained as a battlefield trauma nurse officer from the University of Maryland. She also has training in nuclear, biological, chemical, radiological warfare and terrorism response. 

Away from the military training, Mulumba, a mother of three children and wife to Abdallah Mulumba also has a doctorate in nursing from the University of Alabama Birmingham. She also has a master’s degree in nursing from Stony Brook University New York and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Catholic University of America.  

Before leaving for the United States, Mulumba who was born at Kiti in Kasangati town council, Wakiso district, had formal education at Namugongo Girls School for primary and Ndejje Secondary School. - URN/The Observer