Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

The announcement was made by Trinity Metals CEO Peter Geleta during a discussion organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Rwanda (AmCham Rwanda).

Trinity Metals joined AmCham earlier this year, with Peter Geleta now serving on its board of directors. The company has also made history as the first in the Great Lakes region to export Tungsten minerals to the United States.

The discussions focused on highlighting opportunities in Rwanda’s mining sector and presenting investment prospects to American investors.

In an interview with IGIHE, Geleta said, “We are hoping to bring the DFC [Development Finance Corporation] as an equity partner in the future. So, we thought joining the American Chamber of Commerce is very important because of the U.S. links. We are optimistic about helping Rwanda by attracting more U.S. investors to the country.”

Currently, Trinity Metals has invested $40 million in various mines, including Nyakabingo (producing Wolfram), Musha (producing Cassiterite, Coltan, and Lithium, currently under research), and Rutongo (producing Cassiterite).

The company employs over 7,000 workers. In 2024, Trinity Metals exported 2,226 tons of Wolfram, Cassiterite, and Coltan, and by 2029, it plans to increase exports to 5,201 tons.

Geleta shared, “We’re very proud of the fact that we are Rwanda’s largest private employer, with 7,000 people. We’re also proud of our excellent safety record since we started three and a half years ago. For example, our lost time injury frequency rate is 0.12, which meets global standards. We are proud of the progress we have made, having quadrupled our output since we began.”

When the company started mining Cassiterite, it was extracting 10 tons per month. Today, it has increased to 80 tons per month in the Rutongo mines. In Musha, they started with 12 tons per month and have now reached 30 tons. In Nyakabingo, they began with 29 tons per month and now extract 100 tons per month.

“We are now the largest Tungsten producer in Africa. In the next five years, we plan to invest $100 million, which will help us set up processing plants at each mine, expand our equipment, and increase our production,” Geleta said.

Trinity Metals aims to produce 250 tons of Tungsten per month from Nyakabingo in the next five years. In Musha, it will reach 100 tons, and in Rutongo, Cassiterite production is expected to grow from 80 tons to 200 tons per month.

“In Musha, we will also mine Lithium. We have already completed a drill program. In Ntunga, we are seeking investment to develop the mine sufficiently for substantial research. We are also exploring ways to bring investors in to develop the lithium mine,” Geleta added.

According to the company’s five-year plan, the workforce is expected to grow to 10,000 employees.

Recently, the first containers carrying Tungsten, processed into Tungsten powder, arrived at the Towanda market in Pennsylvania, United States. Trinity Metals had partnered with Global Tungsten & Powders (GTP), a company that processes minerals into hard metals used in various industries.

Geleta noted, “We have a contract to send 16 containers of Tungsten per year for the next two years. They require more. We are also sending products to Austria. As we increase production, we will also increase our shipments.”

Additionally, Geleta mentioned that the company is exploring contracts for shipping Cassiterite to the United States. Currently, they export Cassiterite to Thailand.

Rwanda’s mineral exports have grown significantly since 2017. The country’s mineral exports increased from $373 million to $1.7 billion in 2024.

According to the 2024 report from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the United States invested $441.3 million in 31 projects in Rwanda. In 2024, trade between Rwanda and the U.S. reached $368.9 million, with $74.9 million in goods exchanged and $294 million in services.

These numbers reflect the contributions of 56 members of AmCham. The Chamber is now led by Ivan Mbaraga, the Executive Director of Oklahoma Christian University Rwanda Campus (OC Rwanda) and President of the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Rwanda.

Mbaraga commented, “Apart from showcasing opportunities in mining and energy, such kinds of conversations open up opportunities for young people to think broadly, such that they are able to harness opportunities not only in the Rwanda mining sector but also in the region.”

“We wanted to highlight opportunities in the mining sector for both AmCham members and those at OC. It aligns with encouraging people to participate in the mining week next month. We also wanted our students to consider broadening their horizons and thinking beyond just mining in Rwanda but across the region.”

The partnership between OC and the Rwandan Government has lasted for 19 years. By next year, over 800 students will have graduated from the university across various departments. Mbaraga views this as a significant opportunity to create diverse employment opportunities.

Mbaraga also mentioned plans to increase the number of American businesses and their affiliates in Rwanda, which will double AmCham’s investment in the next two years.

Stressing that any disregard of the will of the people who peacefully cast their vote during the Nov. 23 general elections constitutes an unacceptable violation of democratic principles, the UN chief calls for the immediate and unconditional restoration of constitutional order, as well as the release of all detained officials, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson, in a statement.

Dujarric said the UN chief urges all stakeholders to exercise utmost restraint, uphold democratic institutions and the rule of law, and respect the will of the people of Guinea-Bissau.

Guterres emphasizes that disputes must be resolved through peaceful and inclusive dialogue and legal avenues, and reaffirms the UN’s full support for the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the West African Elders Forum to safeguard democracy, promote stability, and assist Guinea-Bissau in concluding the electoral process peacefully and swiftly returning to its democratic path, said the spokesperson.

On Wednesday, Guinea-Bissau’s armed forces declared on national television that they had assumed full control of state power in response to what they described as attempts by some political figures to destabilize the country. On Thursday, senior military officer Horta Inta-A was sworn in as Guinea-Bissau’s transitional president for a one-year term.

He said the very fact that both countries now have a platform to discuss, agree, or even sign commitments is already “a good effort” and a step not seen in earlier years of regional diplomacy.

Kagame was speaking during a roundtable with the press on Thursday, November 27, 2025, where he addressed the latest developments in the Rwanda–DRC peace efforts, including delays and inconsistencies from the DRC side.

His remarks came amid reported changes in positions by DRC leaders and ongoing efforts to address the conflict in eastern DRC through the Washington talks and parallel mediation processes.

Referring to the pattern of DRC officials agreeing to terms in Washington or Doha and then publicly contradicting them, Kagame said the inconsistency was not new.

“They agree on one thing in Washington or in Doha… then the next day or week, someone says, no, no, no, we are not going to do this,” he noted.

Kagame stressed that both the Washington process and the separate Doha mediation, where Qatar has facilitated dialogue between the DRC government and the M23/AFC coalition, represent real progress compared to previous years.

“We haven’t had anything tangible in place,” he said. “Whether we arrive at a decisive moment that gives us a clear possibility and optimism that we are near finding lasting peace and soon, it’s something we can still continue to hope for and work towards.”

While acknowledging the important role played by international actors, Kagame said the ultimate responsibility lies with regional leaders, particularly in the DRC.

“ I am always optimistic. Hopefully there is a chance another day and the following day,” he noted.

According to prosecutors, during the 2012 presidential election campaign, Sarkozy’s team spent nearly 43 million euros (almost 50 million U.S. dollars) in campaign funds, far exceeding the legal limit of 22.5 million euros, and used methods such as falsifying accounts to conceal the excess spending.

In September 2021, Sarkozy was found guilty in the first trial and immediately appealed. In February last year, the Court of Appeal of Paris upheld the conviction for illegal campaign funding, sentencing Sarkozy to one year in prison, including six months suspended and six months to be served outside prison. Sarkozy promptly appealed to the highest court.

The court’s decision to uphold the verdict this time means Sarkozy has been definitively convicted.

Sarkozy, 70, served as French president from 2007 to 2012. He currently faces multiple legal cases.

On Sept. 25, Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly accepting illegal campaign funding from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Last December, France’s highest court upheld Sarkozy’s conviction in another corruption and abuse-of-power case, sentencing him to three years in prison, two years suspended and one year to be served under house arrest.

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey claimed in a post on X that both members of the West Virginia National Guard have passed away from their injuries, but said in another post about 20 minutes later that he was “receiving conflicting reports” about the condition of the two National Guard members.

FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters that the two members are “in critical condition.”

In a social media post, U.S. President Donald Trump said the two guardsmen, “with both being critically wounded,” are in two separate hospitals.

Ishiba stated in a speech in Tokyo that since the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in 1972, successive administrations have understood and respected China’s position that Taiwan is a part of China, according to the report.

“It is something that must not be changed, and we have proceeded with tremendous caution,” he added.

Ishiba reiterated the importance of maintaining smooth diplomatic relations between Japan and China, noting that currently, Japan relies on a wide range of imports from China such as food, rare earths and pharmaceuticals, said the report.

Takaichi claimed at a Diet meeting on Nov. 7 that the Chinese mainland’s “use of force on Taiwan” could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, which has drawn strong criticism at home immediately.

During a television program last Sunday, Ishiba criticized Takaichi for straining Japan-China relations by making the wrongful remarks, stating that successive Japanese governments have always managed bilateral relations very carefully and everyone has handled things with truly meticulous care and the current administration should fully understand Japan’s long-standing basic position and remain cautious in the implementation of policies in the future.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the presidency said Saied delivered a “strongly worded protest” to Perrone over conduct deemed outside the “official frameworks recognized in diplomatic practice.”

The move came after a meeting held on Monday between Perrone and Noureddine Taboubi, secretary-general of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), the country’s largest trade union.

Relations between the presidency and the UGTT have been strained in recent weeks after Taboubi announced that the union plans to organize a general strike to defend workers’ rights amid rising living pressures.

According to a separate statement posted by the EU delegation to Tunisia, Perrone reaffirmed during his meeting with Taboubi the EU’s readiness to continue dialogue with the UGTT and to support Tunisia socially and economically across various sectors.

He also praised the UGTT for its role in promoting social dialogue and contributing to the country’s economic development.

Speaking aboard Air Force One as he traveled to Florida for the holiday, Trump told reporters that U.S. negotiators are making “progress” in discussions with both Kyiv and Moscow. He confirmed that his special envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow next week for talks with Russian leaders.

That announcement comes amid scrutiny over reports that Witkoff allegedly advised Russian officials on how to present the deal to Trump.

Trump defended the move, saying such actions are part of standard negotiating practices.

Details on what Russia may have conceded remain vague. Trump said the concessions are unspecified, and he did not outline what Ukraine would have to give up, raising concern among critics that any agreement could be heavily skewed toward Moscow.

The diplomatic effort remains controversial: while some view it as a chance to end the war, others warn that pushing Ukraine into a deal without broader European and Ukrainian consent could undermine Kyiv’s position.