Eric Kabera of the Rwanda Cinema Center

ERIC KABERA is the Chairperson of the Rwandan Film Festival, renowned producer of ‘100 Days’, forefather of the Rwanda Cinema Center and many young film makers in Rwanda attribute their success to him. The reason being: ‘His work has yielded fruits’.

Since the inception of Rwanda Cinema Center in 2001, Kabera has trained people on how to produce films for a period of three years. His hard work later materialized with the introduction of the Rwanda Film Festival which was officially launched in 2005.

Kabera said: “I had watched several movies produced in Rwanda by foreigners and the idea of the local people producing their own movies clicked in my mind thus leading to the formation of the Rwanda Film Center.”

“Like any humble beginnings, the organisation (Rwanda Cinema Center) was started within my house but later with the help of different parties like; Ministry of Sports and Culture, SIDA, NPA and several others, it become productive.”

“It was the passion and desire to give something to the countrymen that drove me into starting the center.”

During this year’s 6th Edition of the Rwanda Film Festival, amazing short movies and comedies produced by locally upcoming movie directors and producers portray the fabulous work conducted at the Rwanda Cinema Center.

‘Africa Celebrated’ is this year’s theme according to Kabera, ‘one can celebrate even their challenges’.

He has produced over ten independent movies and his favorite is ‘Ingali lwa Alphose’ (Alphose’s bicycle). ‘Africa United’ is Kabera’s upcoming adventure movie yet to be released in September this year.

Born on July 5th, 1970 in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo to Mr. Pheneas Kabera and Mrs. Immaculate Niyonambaje, Eric Kabera is one of the last siblings in the Kabera family.

He attended primary school at Primarie Karisimbi, Keshero Secondary School, Goma Institute of Education where he attained a Diploma in Education and Child Psychology.

After dropping out of a Law School (Institute of Faculty of Law in Goma) he came to Rwanda in 1994 and worked as a Freelance Journalist for several Media Houses such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Writers Agency.

“I extensively worked with several foreign Media Houses after the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, the Writers Agency  in 1997 offered a special course in London regarding Media broadcast, writing International News which I participated in and attained a certificate,” Kabera explained.

“ I embarked on making documentary films and in 1998 I teamed up with Nik Huges of Vivid Features and made the first Genocide film ‘100 Days’ which I produced,” he said.

In 2000 Kabera went to Hollywood for a special training in Post Production, Directing and Editing with top Hollywood Producers and Directors.

“Although the course was expensive since it cost $250 per class and they were ten of them, I came back with the idea of strengthening the film industry in Rwanda hence the beginning of the long journey,” the enthusiastic Kabera explained.

Besides being a movie maker, Eric Kabera is a family man—he is married to Alice Migonne Kabera and they are blessed with three lovely children; a boy and two girls, Emika, Erica and Celeb respectively.

With the spirit of Eric Kabera, many are tutored and daily Rwanda’s Film Industry is heading towards a brighter future.

Source: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14358&article=4039&week=29

Once again, the Open Air Foundation of Open Air Cinema is teaming up with nonprofits to help change the world through the medium of outdoor cinema. Stuart Farmer, the founder and owner of Open Air Cinema, has headed to Kenya to hand-deliver an OAC outdoor movie system that will be used with the nonprofit programs of Kampala 2 Cape Town. K2CT is providing community outdoor screenings using Open Air Cinema equipment of the 2010 World Cup in Gisenyi Rwanda, Kampala Uganda, Oyugis Kenya and Mongu Zambia. The live World Cup screenings provide an excellent opportunity for K2CT to gather local communities in Africa and provide them with educational experiences, all of which will further the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals of ending poverty and hunger, providing universal education to all, the promotion of gender equality and child and maternal health, the combat of HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability, and the development of a global partnership for development.

From the K2CT blog: “K2CT is a technology savvy group, we searched long and hard for a technical solution to screening matches. With Open Air Cinema and their amazing inflatable screen we have selected a partner to help bring the World Cup to rural communities in Africa. Our attraction to Open Air Cinema was that they are already realizing the potential for more than just World Cup screenings to educate and inspire many.”

The Open Air Foundation is thrilled to be a part of such a historic global event, and we’ll be keeping you posted on the screenings and activities as the World Cup 2010 commences. Only two more days left until World Cup 2010!

In a recent issue of the Italian magazine, D la Repubblica delle Donne, Open Air Cinema’s inflatable movie screens were featured in a special African spread. Open Air Cinema’s past work bringing outdoor movies to refugee camps in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda caught the magazine’s eye. As mentioned in the article, Open Air Cinema’s inflatable screens will be used in Rwanda’s Outdoor Film Festival, “Hillywood”. In rural regions of Africa, where a whole village shares one old TV, movies and Public Service media are rare. Open Air Cinema traveled to Africa to bring film entertainment and also educational media to these rural areas. You can read the blog post about Open Air Cinema’s outdoor movies in Africa here. The following is the article from the Italian magazine, D la Repubblica delle Donne.

Dopo i pop up store, i pop up cinema. La compagnia americana Open Air Cinema fornisce tutto l’occorrente nella formula dei “CineBox”: uno schermo gonfiabile da dodici metri, generatori, proiettori digitali, lettori dvd, altoparlanti e custodie per il trasporto. “E dal momento che possono essere installati ovunque, perché non cominciare dalle zone più remote dell’Africa, con l’aiuto delle Ong, per unire l’intrattenimento all’informazione su temi come l’Aids o i diritti delle donne”, ha pensato il presidente Stuart Farmer. “Già usati nei campi profughi di Kenya, Tanzania e Uganda, gli schermi gonfiabili saranno installati a giugno a “Hillywood”, il festival di cinema itinerante del Ruanda (openaircinema.us).

Photo of Outdoor Movies in Africa from Insert

After the pop up store, the movies pop up. The American company Open Air Cinema provides everything you need in the form of the  “CineBox”: an inflatable screen twelve meters in dimension, generators, digital projectors, DVD players, speakers and boxes for transport. “And since they can be installed anywhere, we can take them to the most remote areas of Africa, with the help of NGOs; joining entertainment with information on topics such as AIDS or the rights of women,” he thought President Stuart Farmer. “Already in use in the refugee camps of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, inflatable screens will be installed in June at “Hillywood”, the film festival touring Rwanda (openaircinema.us).

Source: “Life e Tendenze” by Stefania Medetti -D la Repubblica della Donne. Read full (Italian) article at: http://dweb.repubblica.it/dweb/2009/02/21/lifeetendenze/lifeetendenze/058lab63458.html.

In Africa, movies can be more than a night out; they can be a step up. Making and watching films can change lives and empower individuals with information and ideas.

Outdoor cinema is an ideal medium for people in many parts of Africa and is growing in its use.

To show a film, they don’t have to own the land or build a building-the screens can be set up in an open field.

A provider of large inflatable movie screens, Open Air Cinema is making it possible to provide this medium for NGOs and small business owners in Africa at a discounted rate.

With the inflatable screens, projectors, speakers, sound equipment and generators everything is completely transportable.

For example, in Rwanda, Open Air Cinema has partnered with the Rwanda Cinema Center which has a program to showcase the talent of the brilliant local filmmakers at several locations across the country.

Meanwhile, Open Air Cinema, the world leader in outdoor cinema equipment, is announcing a humanitarian effort that includes a subsidized program to provide Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and small business owners in Africa with its inflatable movie screens to show films in an outdoor environment.

The Open Air Cinema CineBox product comes equipped with everything needed to offer NGOs a portable, durable solution to distribute information, education and entertainment via outdoor movie screens.

The systems are simple enough to set up and use for small events with a few people, yet large enough to easily accommodate gatherings of several thousand people.

“With the infrastructure challenges that are common throughout Africa, we are offering NGOs an effective and enticing new medium to deliver critical information and needed entertainment,” said Stuart Farmer, president of Open Air Cinema.

“Our inflatable movie screens and systems can be made available anywhere, even in the bush, so NGOs can now deliver consistent messages-through training films about AIDS awareness or women’s rights or an entertaining movie to help elevate the morale of those in the audience.”

Inflatable movie screens from Open Air Cinema have been used by the United Nations and FilmAid in refugee camps in Kenya and Tanzania.

The screens are also used for “Hillywood,” the traveling Rwandan film festival. Movies featuring filmmakers from Rwanda and other African states are shown on the inflatable screens in seven locations over seven days.

Up to 10,000 people attend each showing. Each community has the opportunity to feature their own stories, in their own voice.

“We take our film festival to remote areas of Rwanda to bring the magic of cinema to a people who desperately need it,” said Eric Kabera, founder of the Rwanda Cinema Center.

“Many people in this region have never seen a film, and we are working to educate and inspire them and open their eyes to the world of achievable possibilities.”

“Outdoor cinema is an ideal medium for many parts of Africa,” Farmer said.

“To show a film, you don’t have to own the land, it can be in an open field.

“Everything can fit in a Land Rover including the screen, projector, speakers, a sound mixer and a generator for remote outdoor viewing.”

The Open Air Cinema subsidized program is for use by NGOs and other organizations that desire to use the cinema equipment for humanitarian efforts in Africa.

The program includes detailed training, technical support and reduced pricing for participating organizations.

To apply for the program and for more information, visit www.openaircinema.us/humanitarian.htm

Please see previous post for more info: Eric Kabera, CEO of the Rwanda Cinema Center, is currently touring the US to meet with important partners and friends of RCC. These entries were taken from the RCC blog, which can be found at http://rwandacinemacenter.wordpress.com/

I am glad to let you know that on Monday, 22nd, the events that were scheduled went very well!

We met the 4 scholastic kids from Rwanda, the Minister of Culture Joseph Habineza, Jennifer, Dante and Nadine the kid’s chaperon at the Marriott Markis on Broadway for breakfast. This was the start of the day!

As we talked, I introduced myself to Dante who had not yet gotten the video we made of the kids in Rwanda! To our relief, the video only came in by mid morning. It will be edited and presented at the Gorillas summit on Friday.

Off we went for our first meeting at the Essex hotel. We were introduced to Craig Hacktoff, Jennifer and Tom the father of the famous baby tigers! (For those who do not know this extraordinary story, check the web: baby tigers adopted by two dogs!) We all know cats and dogs do not mix, but this is an incredible story that can give the rest of mankind a lesson: We can mix and tender for one another as long as we give that bit of love and care we all have! Or so goes Tom’s story…

About ten of us crowded the room where Tom freed the 3 baby tigers from their cage! We were allowed to touch them, give them milk and experience the bond the tigers had with the dogs. What a treat! Photos were taken and the kids from Rwanda had a blast! This was an incredible encounter!

After the interaction with the tigers, our group went for lunch and had to prepare for our next meeting and encounter! Guess what, the Scholastic Kids of Rwanda met their counterparts from the USA to sign a declaration protecting mountain gorillas in the presence of the 42nd President of the most powerful nation on earth! Former President Bill Clinton!

Sweating, as we were about 9 people crammed in a small room,we waited to be ushered into the room where we would shake the hands with Clinton. But shaking hands was not part of my agenda. The Rwanda Cinema Centre and I had been among the team that facilitated the program of the Scholastic Kids,so not only did I have the responsibility of following the kids and be part of the delegation but to also record their special moments (with Jennifer Brunetti’s camera). In the end I think my presence with all these cameras was too noticeable so our friends from the Clinton Global Initiative kindly suggested that we do not video record the event but only have pictures of the former president taken. So like many photographers on TV and movies, I decided not to line up and shake hands with Clinton but rather walked behind him flashing away!

Minister Joe had a chat with Former President Clinton, and it was fun to see the kids from Rwanda have an interaction with him too and even ask questions! As some of you may recall, I have filmed Bill Clinton before for one of my haunting documentary films on the survivors’ account of the 1994 Genocide. The footage of Clinton is featured in a sequence of an under toned Mea Culpa! A very strong sequence.

Clinton is such an amazing orateur! He spoke with the kids on conservation and even on the current McCain and Obama campaign! It was interesting, one of the Scholastic kids from American came forward and to ask questions but forgot the content, a bit intimidated he had to go back. Clinton was kind enough walk up to the kid and request that he ask the question again. “How bad or good is this campaign compared to the others?” the boy finally asked. This ended up being one of the best questions from the kids.

More photos were taken to the point we had to use a second camera. (Peter from the BBC had given me his camera to take pictures of him with Bill Clinton!) It was fun and I was glad that I did not only get to meet Clinton again, but that I took so many pictures that some of his security guys whispered to me that it is enough! “Your flash is too strong,” they had told me.

Finally, the Scholastic Kids and I went to another event. Back to back, from one President to another. This time it was the President of the Republic of Rwanda in an event organized by the Macy’s Stores. Macy’s sells the famous Peace Baskets of Rwanda. These are known to be the best baskets, better than what Japan, China and other places that are putting out on the market. Cecile Kayirebwa (famous Rwandan singer) performed at the event, speeches were made by the CEO of Macy’s followed by President Kagame… it was a great event!

Again, I was flashing away. Upon reaching my President and shaking his hand, he recognizing me and quietly asked how I was, to which I replied, “I am fine your Excellency.”

Having an interaction with 3 baby tigers in a New York Hotel with dogs taking care of them, meeting two Presidents in a day, watching an Opera in an open space on Broadway, what else can excite kids of 11 and 12 years old? In a nutshell, this was too much for them! They were soon worn out! However it was all worth it as they were given five MacBook laptops by Craig Hacktoff the co-founder of Tribeca Film Festival. Nadine, their chaperon got one too! A very welcomed ‘goodnight kiss’ for the kid’s last evening.

This entry was taken from the official blog of the Rwanda Cinema Center and its CEO, Eric Kabera. For more information check out http://rwandacinemacenter.wordpress.com

CEO and founder of the Rwanda Cinema Center, Eric Kabera, will be touring the US from September to November this year.

Eric’s main aim on this tour will be to meet with potential partners and supporters of RCC and reinforce their relationship with the TRIBECA Film Institute.

RCC along with the TRIBECA Film Institute are working to create an exchange program which will enable Film students from Rwanda to visit the US and get a first hand experience the US film industry. Film students from the US will get the same opportunity in Rwanda.

Eric will be visiting universities that have shown an interest in RCC and Rwandan films namely; the University of Southern California (USC) and some universities in Michigan. He will be meeting up with groups from Hollywood to further develop our relationship and will be talking especially to comedy writer Edward Greenberg.

This tour will also serve to present our achievements and prospects to the interested parties. Our progress on the independent movies theatre will especially be presented to Philip and Monica Rosenthal, who helped materialize it from a simple idea.In addition, Eric will be meeting with the manufacturers of inflatable screens in Utah to discuss and further explore the use of this technology.

Upon the success of Eric’s tour to the US, RCC hopes to officially launch film classes at the first film institute in Rwanda (Rwanda Film Institute) by next year. We hope to have updated a yearly calendar and to have recruited mentors to kick-start this phenomenon.

Finally we hope to have introduced, to potential producers, our first comedy feature called CBB (formerly under the title ‘Dodou Goes to the World Cup‘).

If any of this has inspired or even made you a tiny bit curious, please get in touch by leaving a comment on Eric’s blog (http://rwandacinemacenter.wordpress.com/) or by contacting Eric himself at erickabera@yahoo.com

If you are a producer and are interested in film from Rwanda, Eric would be over the hills if you were to contact him or better yet meet up with him on tour.

Here are some dates and locations for those interested:
New York (20th – 28th September, 22nd and 27th October,7th – 8th November)
Michigan (28th September – 3rd October)
Los Angeles (4th – 11th and 14th – 22nd October)
Utah (11th – 14th October)
Boston (22nd – 26th October)
Atlanta (27th – 31st October)
Washington (1st – 6th October)

The Rwanda Cinema Center

The Rwanda Cinema Center was created to facilitate film and video production; to deliver informative, entertaining, and educational content; and to explore a wide spectrum of issues and raise awareness on local and global development agendas, community outreaches, and socio-cultural, political and economic development. Film is one of the most popular forms of entertainment, but it also represents an industry that is growing- thus creating trades, foreign investments and job opportunities. Rwanda is now a country on the move and their cultural diversity and creative energy is finding the space to flourish.

In addition, Rwanda Cinema Center is putting up Rwanda’s first independent movie theater. This will be the scene of workforce training and include a sound stage that can be used by public and private entities. The main hall will be built to the same standards used for Los Angeles and Hollywood facilities. There, filming of major motion pictures, television documentaries, commercials and independent films will take place. It is hoped the complex will meet every aspect of a production company’s needs. This investment will mean more jobs and opportunities for the Rwandan people, and will facilitate the growth of Rwandan cinema.

On May 10, 2008, Pangea Day venues in Cairo, Dharamsala, Jerusalem, Kigali, London, New York City, Ramallah and Rio de Janeiro will be linked to produce a 4-hour program of powerful films, visionary speakers, and uplifting music. More importantly, the world will be watching as the program will be broadcast live through the Internet, television, digital cinemas, and mobile phones.

An Open Air Cinema screen was used in Kigali, Rwanda during the Pangea Day event. Thousands of participants in Rwanda were able to join in Pangea Day celebrations through the use of an Open Air Cinema inflatable movie screen.

“Movies alone can’t change the world, but the people who watch them can,” says event organizer Jehane Noujaim. “If you had the world’s attention for five minutes, what story would you tell?” At these screenings, Pangea provided people immediate, practical opportunities to put their inspiration to work through diverse organizations working to solve the challenges that — sooner or later — touch everyone on the planet.

So there is no cinema in your neighborhood? No cinema in your city? Not even a cinema in your country? Well, that didn’t stop a group of young Rwandan filmmakers from screening their films in nearly every corner of their country.

With an inflatable movie screen from Open Air Cinema thousands of Rwandans have been able to enjoy a special new brand of cinema: Rwandan cinema. A wave of Rwandan films have been circling the world since Eric Kabera (a Rwandan native) produced a film entitled 100 days, a story about the years of genocide that plagued Rwanda. That film heavily influenced a number of other movies including the award-winning Hotel Rwanda. Rwandan cinema has been highly acclaimed in film festivals as prestigious as the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. But international success was not enough for Kabera, who felt that these films would have a much greater impact in rural Rwandan villages. Kabera immediately set up the Rwandan Film Center in the capital of Kigali as a space for young Rwandans to learn the skills needed to produce movies, films and documentaries about relating to Rwandan culture and history. Armed with a large inflatable movie screen from Open Air Cinema, the Rwandan Film Center has roamed through the hills of Rwanda screening hundreds of films and movies, both foreign and domestic.

The lack of movie theaters in Rwanda has not at all hindered the growth of Rwandan cinema, with a portable compact cinema system, anybody anywhere can now enjoy the wonders of film!

Outdoor movies and inflatable movie screens have been appearing in locations all around the world. Over time we will be adding links to articles about outdoor movies and open air cinema events. These articles are listed according to the country where the inflatable movie screen has been set up or the country where the outdoor movie event takes place.

A

• Abkhazia – Republic of Abkhazia
• Afghanistan – Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
• Akrotiri and Dhekelia – Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK overseas territory)
• Åland – Åland Islands (Autonomous province of Finland)
• Albania – Republic of Albania
• Algeria – People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
• American Samoa – Territory of American Samoa (US territory)
• Andorra – Principality of Andorra
• Angola – Republic of Angola
• Anguilla (UK overseas territory)
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina – Argentine Republic
• Armenia – Republic of Armenia
• Aruba (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
• Ascension Island (Dependency of the UK overseas territory of Saint Helena)
• Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
• Austria – Republic of Austria
• Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan

B

• Bahamas, The – Commonwealth of The Bahamas
• Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain
• Bangladesh – People’s Republic of Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus – Republic of Belarus
• Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium
• Belize
• Benin – Republic of Benin
• Bermuda (UK overseas territory)
• Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan
• Bolivia – Republic of Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana – Republic of Botswana
• Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil
• Brunei – Negara Brunei Darussalam
• Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria
• Burkina Faso
• Burma – Union of Myanmar
• Burundi – Republic of Burundi

C

• Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia
• Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon
• Canada
• Cape Verde – Republic of Cape Verde
• Cayman Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Central African Republic
• Chad – Republic of Chad
• Chile – Republic of Chile
• China – People’s Republic of China
• For “China, Republic of”, see Taiwan
• Christmas Island – Territory of Christmas Island (Australian overseas territory)
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands – Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australian overseas territory)
• Colombia – Republic of Colombia
• Comoros – Union of the Comoros
• Congo – Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Congo – Republic of the Congo
• Cook Islands (Associated state of New Zealand)
• Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica
• Côte d’Ivoire – Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
• Croatia – Republic of Croatia
• Cuba – Republic of Cuba
• Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus
• Czech Republic

D

• Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark
• For “Dhekelia”, see Akrotiri and Dhekelia
• Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti
• Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica
• Dominican Republic

E

• East Timor – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
• Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador
• Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt
• El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea – State of Eritrea
• Estonia – Republic of Estonia
• Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

F

• Falkland Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Faroe Islands (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark)
• Fiji – Republic of the Fiji Islands
• Finland – Republic of Finland
• France – French Republic
• French Polynesia (French overseas collectivity)

G

• Gabon – Gabonese Republic
• Gambia, The – Republic of The Gambia
• Georgia
• Germany – Federal Republic of Germany
• Ghana – Republic of Ghana
• Gibraltar (UK overseas territory)
• Greece – Hellenic Republic
• Greenland (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark)
• Grenada
• Guam – Territory of Guam (US organized territory)
• Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala
• Guernsey – Bailiwick of Guernsey (British Crown dependency)
• Guinea – Republic of Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana

H

• Haiti – Republic of Haiti
• Honduras – Republic of Honduras
• Hong Kong – Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (Area of special sovereignty)
• Hungary – Republic of Hungary

I

• Iceland – Republic of Iceland
• India – Republic of India
• Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia
• Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran
• Iraq – Republic of Iraq
• Ireland – Ireland
• Isle of Man (British Crown dependency)
• Israel – State of Israel
• Italy – Italian Republic
• For “Ivory Coast”, see Côte d’Ivoire

J

• Jamaica
• Japan
• Jersey – Bailiwick of Jersey (British Crown dependency)
• Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

K

• Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan
• Kenya – Republic of Kenya
• Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati
• Korea, North – Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
• Korea, South – Republic of Korea
• Kosovo – Republic of Kosovo
• Kuwait – State of Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic

L

• Laos – Lao People’s Democratic Republic
• Latvia – Republic of Latvia
• Lebanon – Republic of Lebanon
• Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho
• Liberia – Republic of Liberia
• Libya – Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
• Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein
• Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania
• Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

M

• Macao – Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (Area of special sovereignty)
• Macedonia – Republic of Macedonia
• Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar
• Malawi – Republic of Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives – Republic of Maldives
• Mali – Republic of Mali
• Malta – Republic of Malta
• Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania
• Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius
• Mayotte – Departmental Collectivity of Mayotte (French overseas collectivity)
• Mexico – United Mexican States
• Micronesia – Federated States of Micronesia
• Moldova – Republic of Moldova
• Monaco – Principality of Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Montserrat (UK overseas territory)
• Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco
• Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique
• For “Myanmar”, see Burma

N

• Nagorno-Karabakh – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh)
• Namibia – Republic of Namibia
• Nauru – Republic of Nauru
• Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
• Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands
• Netherlands Antilles (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
• New Caledonia – Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies (French community sui generis)
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua
• Niger – Republic of Niger
• Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria
• Niue (Associated state of New Zealand)
• Norfolk Island – Territory of Norfolk Island (Australian overseas territory)
• Northern Cyprus – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
• Northern Mariana Islands – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US commonwealth)
• For “North Korea”, see Korea, North
• Norway – Kingdom of Norway

O

• Oman – Sultanate of Oman

P

• Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• Palau – Republic of Palau
• Palestine – Palestinian Territories
• Panama – Republic of Panama
• Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay
• For “People’s Republic of China”, see China
• Peru – Republic of Peru
• Philippines – Republic of the Philippines
• Pitcairn Islands – Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Poland – Republic of Poland
• Portugal – Portuguese Republic
• For “Pridnestrovie”, see Transnistria
• Puerto Rico – Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (US commonwealth)

Q

• Qatar – State of Qatar

R

• Romania
• Russia – Russian Federation
• Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda

S

• Saint Barthélemy – Collectivity of Saint Barthélemy (French overseas collectivity)
• Saint Helena (UK overseas territory)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Martin – Collectivity of Saint Martin (French overseas collectivity)
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon – Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (French overseas collectivity)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa – Independent State of Samoa
• San Marino – Most Serene Republic of San Marino
• São Tomé and Príncipe – Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
• Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Senegal – Republic of Senegal
• Serbia – Republic of Serbia
• Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles
• Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone
• Singapore – Republic of Singapore
• Slovakia – Slovak Republic
• Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia – Somali Republic
• Somaliland – Republic of Somaliland
• South Africa – Republic of South Africa
• For “South Korea”, see Korea, South
• South Ossetia – Republic of South Ossetia
• Spain – Kingdom of Spain
• Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
• Sudan – Republic of the Sudan
• Suriname – Republic of Suriname
• Svalbard (Territory of Norway)
• Swaziland – Kingdom of Swaziland
• Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden
• Switzerland – Swiss Confederation
• Syria – Syrian Arab Republic

T

• Taiwan – Republic of China
• Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan
• Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania
• Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand
• For “Timor-Leste”, see East Timor
• Togo – Togolese Republic
• Tokelau (Overseas territory of New Zealand)
• Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga
• Transnistria – Transnistrian Moldovan Republic
• Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
• Tristan da Cunha (Dependency of the UK overseas territory of Saint Helena)
• Tunisia – Tunisian Republic
• Turkey – Republic of Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Turks and Caicos Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Tuvalu

U

• Uganda – Republic of Uganda
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• United States – United States of America
• Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay
• Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan

V

• Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu
• Vatican City – State of the Vatican City
• Venezuela – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
• Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Vietnam
• Virgin Islands, British – British Virgin Islands (UK overseas territory)
• Virgin Islands, United States – United States Virgin Islands (US organized territory)

W

• Wallis and Futuna – Territory of Wallis and Futuna Islands (French overseas collectivity)
• Western Sahara – Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Y

• Yemen – Republic of Yemen

Z

• For “Zaire”, see Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Zambia – Republic of Zambia
• Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe