Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

The event was attended by several ministers and officials from both the UAE and South Sudan, and international organizations.

The opening of the hospital – under the supervision of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council – underscores the UAE’s humanitarian commitment to developing and supporting communities in need and those facing challenges in accessing essential services, especially urgent healthcare and proper treatment, which is a fundamental requirement for all segments of society, including men, women, and children.

This is particularly significant in light of ongoing health challenges, such as the spread of malaria caused by insufficient medical services and inadequate access to medication. As a result, Madhol Field Hospital will play a key role in improving the quality of healthcare in South Sudan.

During his speech at the hospital’s inauguration, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, affirmed that the development and charity projects implemented by the UAE are a fundamental aspect of the country’s commitment to supporting communities in need. The UAE’s initiatives are carried out in close collaboration with the relevant international organisations, focusing on international priority projects such as education and healthcare.

“The inauguration of Madhol Field Hospital embodies the legacy of generosity and giving established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and also reflects the visionary leadership focusing on development and solidarity of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, in addressing healthcare challenges and providing sustainable solutions to struggling regions with significant shortages in access to essential healthcare services,” he stated.

“The UAE is dedicated to empowering communities through humanitarian and development projects, as well as individuals through skills development.Today, as we celebrate with South Sudan and reap the benefits of our strong bilateral relations and deep-rooted values, we announce the inauguration of Madhol Field Hospital, which has a 100-bed capacity, and several specialized clinics to treat approximately two million people from the host community, South Sudanese returning from Sudan, and Sudanese refugees in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state,” Sheikh Shakhboot added.

He emphasized that this hospital is the third healthcare facility built by the UAE to provide medical services to Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries. The facility follows the successful establishment of two field hospitals in Amdjarass and Abéché, Chad.

“Since its founding, humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians, particularly the sick, children, the elderly, and women, have served as the foundation of the UAE’s policy.

“In this regard, the UAE has been resolute in its position in relation to the crisis in Sudan since April 2023. The country’s primary focus remains on addressing the catastrophic humanitarian situation, and adopting an approach prioritising civilians’ requirements and fulfilling their needs,” Sheikh Shakhboot remarked.

Furthermore, Sheikh Shakhboot underscored the UAE’s steadfast and unwavering commitment to support all efforts to address this catastrophic crisis, and to work alongside regional and international partners to ensure stability and peace for the Sudanese people, reflecting the core values ​​of humanitarian solidarity deeply rooted in the UAE’s leadership and people.

He continued, “The UAE announced an additional USD 200 million of aid during the High-Level Humanitarian Conference for the People of Sudan, held in Addis Ababa. The conference, the first to be held for Sudan this year, will serve as a catalyst for future conferences that are scheduled to assist the people of Sudan. The additional aid reflects the UAE’s unwavering and continuous support for the Sudanese people.

“Since the onset of the crisis, the UAE has provided more than US$600 million to support a humanitarian response. Moreover, the UAE has provided US$3.5 billion of humanitarian aid over the past 10 years to the people of Sudan, affirming the country’s unwavering commitment to support people in need during crises.”

For his part, Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Deputy Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, underlined that the bilateral relations between the two countries are entering new levels of cooperation across various fields and sectors. The healthcare sector is regarded as a global priority that aligns with Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on promoting good health and well-being.

This is achieved through the establishment of medical infrastructure, including public hospitals and specialized centers, and the development of health systems – all aimed at capacity building and development, and addressing future challenges, such as the spread of diseases and epidemics. Madhol Field Hospital will aim to provide essential medical services and treatments to various segments in the Madhol region and surrounding areas.

For his part, Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for South Sudan, said, “We express our appreciation to the UAE for its leading international humanitarian efforts in enhancing the healthcare sector in Africa, through several projects and initiatives. These include the construction of hospitals to meet the needs of millions and improve various healthcare services. The opening of Madhol Field Hospital today stands as one of the UAE’s projects aimed at serving people from various surrounding regions, including refugees.”

For his part, Simon Uber Mawut, Governor of Northern Bahr el Ghazal thanked the UAE for constructing Madhol Field Hospital, which will aim to address health challenges in the region.

“Today is a historic day for the residents of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state and the entire region,” he noted.

Minister Nduhungirehe made this statement on Monday, March 10, 2025, during discussions with Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

He stressed that the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC was not initiated by Rwanda, nor would Rwanda take responsibility for Congo’s governance and security failures.

“I pointed out that the ongoing conflict in the DRC was not started by Rwanda, and we will not accept to bear the burden of the DRC’s governance and security failures,” Nduhungirehe stated in a message shared on X.

Since the M23 rebel group resumed fighting in late 2021, the Congolese government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting the group, which claims to be fighting for the rights of Congolese Rwandophones, particularly Tutsis, who have been persecuted.

Rwanda, however, maintains that it has no involvement with M23 and insists that the crisis is an internal Congolese matter that should be resolved through dialogue to ensure the safe return of Congolese refugees who have spent years in exile across the region.

During the Brussels meeting, Minister Nduhungirehe expressed Rwanda’s growing concerns over its own security, which he said the international community has consistently ignored.

“Rwanda’s national security concerns have long been ignored or dismissed, despite the existential threat from the DRC-based/supported FDLR genocidal militia and hostile military forces allied with the Congolese army that were active in our border area,” he said.

The minister further criticized the bias against Rwanda in the Congo conflict, warning that such an approach undermines the African-led mediation process, to which Rwanda is fully committed.

His remarks came just hours after Kaja Kallas called for M23 to respect Congo’s territorial integrity and withdraw from the areas it controls, urging both Rwanda and the DRC to engage in talks.

However, Kallas’ comments were met with widespread criticism, with many pointing out that calling for M23’s withdrawal failed to acknowledge that the areas it occupies are home to Congolese communities who have long faced persecution.

Since resuming its military campaign, M23 has seized large territories in eastern DRC, including Goma, the de facto capital of North Kivu, and Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.

Despite M23 expressing willingness for dialogue, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi has rejected negotiations, insisting that there will be no talks with the group.

In response to the threat, the Federal Air Transport Agency implemented temporary flight restrictions at two major airports in Moscow.

Both Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports were affected by the safety measures aimed at protecting civil aviation.

The restrictions were enforced at 04:24 Moscow time (01:24 GMT) at Zhukovsky and at 04:40 Moscow time (01:40 GMT) at Domodedovo, with both airports temporarily halting aircraft arrivals and departures.

A total of 36 people were rescued following the incident, with one crew member taken to the hospital, stated Matthew Atkinson, Divisional Commander of the Coastguard.

The collision occurred near the coastal city of Hull and involved the U.S.-registered oil tanker Stena Immaculate and the Portuguese-flagged container ship Solong.

Efforts to assess the environmental impact of the incident are ongoing, with reports confirming that jet fuel has leaked into the sea.

Several crew members reportedly abandoned ship following the collision, and both vessels were said to have been on fire, according to a statement by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

The Stena Immaculate, which had come from the Greek port of Agioi Theodoroi, was anchored just outside Hull at the time of the collision. Meanwhile, the Solong had been on its way from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The incident occurred around 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday in Kigarama Sector, Mburabuturo Village, after Siborurema broke into a home and stole valuables, including cash, two smartphones, a laptop, shoes, trousers, and a shirt.

The homeowner, who lives alone, noticed the intruder and immediately alerted the neighborhood security patrol, which then contacted the police.

According to Rwanda National Police (RNP) Spokesperson ACP Boniface Rutikanga, officers and security personnel arrived at the scene, prompting Siborurema to flee toward a nearby swamp.

“The community patrol agents had called officers from Kigarama Police Station, and together they pursued the suspect. Upon reaching the swamp, he dropped the stolen items, grabbed a machete, and attempted to attack one of the patrol agents. A police officer then shot him, resulting in his death,” said ACP Rutikanga.

Authorities confirmed that Siborurema was a repeat offender with a long history of theft-related arrests dating back to 2016.

Between May 2017 and March 2018, he spent nine months in prison for theft. In 2018, he was arrested again, served a short prison sentence, and was later sent to the Iwawa Rehabilitation Center, where he spent a year.

Following his release, he was arrested again for theft and imprisoned in Mageragere Prison from June 2020 to June 2022. However, after his release, he resumed criminal activities and was sent back to Iwawa.

Siborurema was among those recently discharged from Iwawa on March 7, 2025, after undergoing rehabilitation for theft and drug abuse.

ACP Rutikanga urged individuals returning from rehabilitation at Iwawa to take advantage of the skills and opportunities provided to them.

“Iwawa is designed to help individuals reform and reintegrate into society as productive members. Those who return to criminal activities will not be tolerated,” he emphasized.

The stolen items, including the laptop, smartphones, shoes, and clothing, were recovered and will be returned to their rightful owner.

The Presidential Communications Office confirmed that Interpol in Manila received an official copy of the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) earlier that morning.

“Upon his arrival, the prosecutor general served the ICC notification for an arrest warrant to the former president for the crime of crime against humanity,” the government said in a statement.

“He’s now in the custody of authorities,” it said.

The charge of crimes against humanity stems from Duterte’s harsh anti-drug campaign. During his presidency from 2016 to 2022, the controversial “war on drugs” led to thousands of deaths, including those of children, with the arrest warrant stating that suspects were denied due process under the law.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) welcomed Duterte’s arrest, calling it “a crucial step toward accountability in the Philippines.”

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019, during Duterte’s administration.

As president, Duterte spearheaded a controversial “war on drugs,” which garnered significant attention both locally and internationally.

According to media reports, the capture of Nyabiondo came after intense fighting with the APCLS militia, which is aligned with the DRC government forces. The clashes began on the morning of March 9, 2025.

Kipanda Biiri, a local leader from the Osso-Banyungu Sector where Nyabiondo is located, told Reuters, that M23 took Nyabiondo at around 3 p.m. after the fighting.

Many residents of Nyabiondo fled the violence, seeking refuge in safer areas in the western part of the province, including Kashebere.

Nyabiondo, located at the entrance of the Walikale Territory, is a strategic area and has been a stronghold for armed groups allied with the DRC government, including NDC-R led by Guidon Shimiray Mwissa.

In recent weeks, countries such as Canada, Belgium, and Germany have imposed sanctions on Rwanda, accusing it of supporting the M23 rebel group and fueling insecurity in eastern DRC. Rwanda refutes the claims, and instead blame DRC for collaboration with FDLR terrorist group to threaten the country’s security. These countries claim that Rwanda is exploiting the conflict for access to the DRC’s mineral wealth.

In a message shared on Monday, March 10, 2025, Amb. Rwamucyo pointed out that despite its vast natural resources, the DRC remains one of the poorest countries in the world.

“DR Congo is a development paradox. Although it boasts being endowed with vast natural resources, it is the poorest nation on earth. The UN Human Development Index [HDI] ranks DRC 180th out of the 193 countries listed,” he posted on X.

Amb. Rwamucyo argued that the real beneficiaries of the DRC’s mineral wealth are foreign interests and corrupt Congolese officials.

“Talk of who exploits DRC’s mineral wealth: The corrupt GoDRC and powerful political elites have for decades mortgaged the country’s mineral resources to any powerful exploiter who will line their pockets. Perpetuating the narrative that illegal exploitation of mineral resources is the root cause of conflict in DRC is cynical, hypocritical and disingenuous. The painful fact is that this narrative is perpetuated by corrupt DRC officials and the very culprit exploiters,” he stated.

He emphasized that blaming Rwanda for the DRC’s problems is a distraction from the real issue—endemic corruption and bad governance.

According to him, Rwanda’s main security concern is the DRC’s preservation and support to the genocidal FDLR which is responsible for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and is a security threat to Rwanda; and the ethnic cleansing and persecution of Congolese Tutsi.

Amb. Rwamucyo also highlighted that major western european actors deliberately perpetuate the narrative of illegal exploitation of mineral resources to cover-up their brute and greedy decades of exploitation of DRC.

“Kamituga is a large gold mining town. Gold was first discovered in the 1920s. These are the cheapest to mine high quality alluvial gold deposits in Lualaba, Mobale, Kahushimira, Kamakundu, and Idoka rivers. Belgium Company Miniere des Grands Lacs Africain (MGL) – Greatlakes Mining Company owned and started commercial mining of Gold in Kamituga in the 1930s until 1997,” he explained.

“That is 67 years of plundering cheap high quality gold with no benefits to congolese citizens. In 1997, MGL sold the Gold mine concession to Banro, a Canadian company. Banro owns the mines to this day. Belgians still maintain a key stake,” added Amb. Rwamucyo.

Despite its mineral wealth, Kamituga remains underdeveloped, with its residents living in extreme poverty and lacking basic infrastructure such as roads.

Amb. Rwamucyo argued that Western nations do not support the DRC out of goodwill, democracy, or human rights concerns but rather to protect their economic interests in the region.

“When Belgium and Canada and their neo-colonial european allies, who are at the historical root of this conflict, side with DRC, ganging against Rwanda and refuse to condemn DRC’s ethnic cleansing and persecution of Congolese; they are consumed by protection of brute and greedy national mining and economic interests in places like desolate and sleepy Kamituga and the rest of DRC. It is an action aimed at appeasing desperate DRC elites. This is not about values of good governance, democracy or human rights. It is about protecting greed and brutal national interests,” he said.

Amb. Rwamucyo’s remarks come just days after President Paul Kagame reiterated that Rwanda’s primary concern is its own security, not the mineral wealth of the DRC, as some have falsely claimed.