Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

Since late last year, it has been reported that the Tshisekedi administration remains committed to working with mercenaries, even after the failure of the Romanian contingent. These efforts have recently intensified.

American mercenary Erik Dean Prince, founder of the private military company Blackwater, has recently signed an agreement with the Congolese government to provide security for the country’s mines and oversee tax collection systems. This agreement was finalized in January 2025, following extended negotiations between both parties.

IGIHE learnt from credible sources that through his company Blackwater, Prince has been recruiting mercenaries—predominantly Colombians—for deployment to DR Congo.

ColombianMercenaries already active in Ukraine and Sudan

Former Colombian soldiers have increasingly entered the global mercenary market and are now among the most sought-after worldwide. During the height of the Ukraine-Russia war, many Colombians joined the conflict, fighting on behalf of the Ukrainian government.

They were reportedly promised salaries of up to 19 million Colombian pesos per month (approximately $4,300). Recruitment ads flooded platforms like TikTok, prompting eager applicants to fly from Bogotá to Madrid, then onward to Poland before entering Ukraine.

The lucrative offers drew many former Colombian soldiers into the mercenary field. In Mexico, Colombian ex-military personnel are also highly sought after by drug cartels for smuggling and security operations.

In Africa, Colombians have also been spotted in Sudan. Recent reports indicated that over 300 of them were fighting alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.

Since the early 2000s, Colombian mercenaries have operated in conflict zones including Russia, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, and Afghanistan. In Yemen, they were reportedly earning up to $7,000 per month.

In 2021, Colombian mercenaries were also implicated in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Seventeen Colombians were arrested and are currently detained in Port-au-Prince.

More than 300 Colombian mercenaries have reportedly died in Ukraine since the war began.

Rwanda’s concerns over DR Congo’s intentions

Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, recently told Mama Urwa Gasabo TV that despite ongoing negotiations between Rwanda, the DR Congo, and the M23 group, evidence suggests the Congolese government is still preparing for war.

He said this concern has been brought to the attention of mediators, including Qatar and the United States.

“We have raised our concerns with the mediators that, while talks are ongoing, the Congolese government continues to pursue war. They are still importing weapons and hiring mercenaries, even after the Romanian forces were defeated—they are now recruiting new ones,” Nduhungirehe said.

U.S. distances itself from Erik Prince’s activities

While the United States plays a key role in mediating between Rwanda and the DR Congo, one of its own citizens—Erik Prince—is actively engaged in efforts to deploy mercenaries to the Congolese government.

Sources indicate that Prince’s actions are not supported by the U.S. government. In fact, a 2024 United Nations report revealed that Prince had proposed deploying up to 2,500 mercenaries to the DR Congo.

Prince, a former member of the elite U.S. Navy SEALs (1993–1995), founded Blackwater after leaving the military following the death of his father, Edgar Prince.

He went on to work closely with the U.S. government on various military and security missions.

It was once reported that when the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO withdraws from the DR Congo, Blackwater could assume security responsibilities in some regions.

According to a White House statement, the investment commitment involves agreements spanning various sectors, including “energy security, defense industry, technology leadership, and access to global infrastructure and critical minerals.”

Among the deals was “the largest defense sales agreement in history — nearly 142 billion dollars,” the statement said.

As part of the defense agreement, the United States will provide Saudi Arabia with “state-of-the-art warfighting equipment and services from over a dozen U.S. defense firms.”

“This deal represents a significant investment in Saudi Arabia’s defense and regional security, built on American systems and training,” the statement added.

Speaking later at an investment forum, the U.S. president announced that he would lift sanctions on Syria.

“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance,” Trump said, noting that the United States had taken the first steps toward normalizing relations with Damascus.

While praising ties with Saudi Arabia, Trump expressed hope that the kingdom would join the Abraham Accords.

The Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States during Trump’s first term in office, aimed to normalize relations between Israel and Arab nations.

U.S. efforts to promote normalization between Israel and Arab countries stalled amid Washington’s support for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 52,900 Palestinians since October 2023 and drawn widespread regional criticism.

On potential peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would travel to Türkiye later this week to join the negotiations.

Trump is on a four-day trip to the Middle East from Tuesday to Friday, his first major foreign visit since taking office in January. Saudi Arabia is the first stop of his tour, which will also include Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The credential presentation ceremony took place on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at the State House.

President Ramkalawan welcomed High Commissioner Nyamvumba, congratulating him on his appointment and extending best wishes for a successful diplomatic tenure.

The President acknowledged the warm and growing relationship between Seychelles and Rwanda, emphasizing that bilateral ties are underpinned by shared values and a commitment to regional collaboration.

During the exchange, High Commissioner Nyamvumba conveyed greetings from President Paul Kagame to President Ramkalawan, who in turn extended his cordial salutations and best wishes to the Rwandan Head of State.

The discussions focused on deepening cooperation under existing Memoranda of Understanding and identifying new areas for collaboration across sectors of mutual interest.

President Ramkalawan reiterated Seychelles’ commitment to expanding its engagement with Rwanda, especially in areas that promise tangible development outcomes for both nations.

According to Seychelles Presidency, the ceremony was also attended by the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Vivianne Fock Tave; Director General of the Bilateral Affairs Division, Ms. Lindy Ernesta; Director of the Bilateral Affairs Division, Ms. Wendy Isnard; First Secretary at the Rwandan High Commission, Mr. Issa Mugabutsinze; and Third Secretary of the Bilateral Affairs Division, Mrs. Louisa Lepathy.

Rwanda and Seychelles have maintained diplomatic relations since 2006. Over the years, the two nations have deepened their cooperation across various sectors. An initial agreement was signed to promote collaboration in key areas such as tourism, education, agriculture, investment, and communication.

In June 2023, the partnership was further strengthened with a new agreement focused on combating terrorism, enhancing maritime security, sharing intelligence, and providing military training.

Most recently, in March 2025, correctional authorities from both countries signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at improving the quality and delivery of correctional services.

The Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, continues to be a strategic partner in Rwanda’s international cooperation efforts.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the suspect was detained on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. He remains in custody as the investigation continues.

Due to the involvement of a high-profile public figure, the Metropolitan Police’s Counterterrorism Command is leading the investigation.

The arrest follows three recent fire-related incidents in north London. Emergency services responded to reports of a fire at 1:35 a.m. local time (0035 GMT) on Monday at the entrance of a residential property in Kentish Town.

The property, believed to be owned by Starmer and rented out, suffered damage, but no injuries were reported.

Starmer lived in the house before moving to 10 Downing Street following the Labor Party’s general election victory last year.

Youssouf said the priorities of his leadership during its initial four-year term align with the urgent need to expedite the implementation of the major aspirations of the second 10-year plan of Agenda 2063, the continental bloc’s 50-year development blueprint.

Highlighting Africa’s complex peace and security challenges, the AU Commission chairperson outlined ongoing initiatives to achieve lasting solutions to the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the peace and stability in Somalia, the escalating tensions in South Sudan, as well as the continued conflict in Sudan.

He further emphasized the pressing need to elevate Africa’s role in global trade as a key priority of his leadership, expressing the AU’s ambition to capitalize on the Group of 20 (G20) mechanism as a crucial platform to boost the continent’s role in global trade.

“We see good opportunities for African countries to increase the level of intra-African trade, which is now around 18 percent. We see the emerging challenges as new opportunities. We are working with partners and stakeholders on the continent to create a conducive environment so that intra-African trade will be boosted and fill the gaps,” he said.

Fostering inclusive continental development across Africa’s agriculture, energy, education, health, infrastructure, science and technology, industry, and other critical sectors is also among the key priorities for the new AU Commission leadership.

Besides, the AU reform agenda remains another key priority area. Central to the reform agenda is ensuring the AU’s financial autonomy and reducing its dependence on external funding by exploring innovative financing mechanisms, according to Youssouf.

The AU Commission chief also underscored the critical need for the AU to strengthen partnership mechanisms with international and regional institutions, as well as bilateral partners, such as cooperation with China through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

The BFP reveals a Rwf 7,032.5 billion budget for 2025/26, marking a 21% surge from the prior year’s revised Frw 5,816.4 billion.

Aligned with the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and Vision 2050, the budget prioritizes sustainable development and includes funding for key projects like the Bugesera airport, RwandAir expansion, and recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic, May 2023 floods, and Marburg disease outbreak.

The government projects Rwf 4,105.2 billion in domestic revenue (Frw 3,628.0 billion from taxes and Frw 477.2 billion from other sources), Frw 585.2 billion in external grants, and Frw 2,151.9 billion in loans to finance the budget.

Expenditure is divided into Frw 4,395.1 billion for recurrent costs, such as salaries, and Frw 2,637.4 billion for capital investments.

On May 8, 2025, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Yusuf Murangwa presented the BFP, noting a Rwf 1,216.1 billion budget increase driven by accelerated construction of the Bugesera airport, RwandAir expansion, and new pension policies.

Launched in 2017, the Bugesera airport’s first phase is slated for completion by 2027, with a capacity of 7 million passengers annually and employment for over 6,000 people.

Qatar Airways, holding a 60% stake, supports the project, which is now 25–30% complete.

Key infrastructure, including runways and drainage systems, is finished, with construction now focusing on vertical structures.

The airport’s full completion by 2032 will enable it to serve 14 million passengers yearly.

Antwerp joined other Belgian cities—Brussels, Liège, Namur, Bruges, and Ottignies-Louvain-La-Neuve—that have held remembrance events this year.

The commemoration began with a “Walk to Remember” from Marnixplaats in Antwerp, leading to the DIVA Museum. The evening continued with a remembrance ceremony in the district of Ekeren, in the province of Antwerp.

Speaking at the event, Steve Rugamba, President of the Rwandan Community in Antwerp, highlighted the long history of persecution against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

“From 1959 to 1994, Tutsi in Rwanda were systematically dehumanized. They were excluded, persecuted, displaced, and killed—portrayed as pests, like cockroaches or snakes, as evil to be eradicated. Children grew up believing some people were not worthy of life.

“And then, in just a hundred days, words became actions. Over a million people were brutally slaughtered. No one was spared—not a child, not a mother, not a grandparent,” he said.

Rugamba emphasized that remembrance is not just about the tragic events of 1994 but also about acknowledging the decades of silence, propaganda, and systemic discrimination that led to it.

“We commemorate not out of habit, but out of duty—because we refuse to forget. To remember is to acknowledge, to learn, and to warn. We pay tribute to the victims and to the survivors, whose very existence is a form of resistance.”

He praised the resilience of survivors, noting their strength in rebuilding lives and communities despite deep emotional and physical wounds.

“Their ability to live with dignity, raise families, and pursue truth, even after such horror, proves that human dignity cannot be destroyed—even by hatred passed down through generations.”

Rugamba also called on young people to take up the mantle of remembrance: “You, the youth of today and tomorrow, are not only heirs of this history—you are its guardians. Remembering means understanding how fear, division, and silence can lead to barbarity. Let ‘Never Again’ be more than a slogan. Let it be a commitment and a call to action.”

The event featured a powerful testimony from Umunyana Claudette, who spoke of the discrimination she faced before 1994, the suffering she endured during the genocide—including rape and the loss of relatives—and how she survived despite deep physical and emotional trauma.

Umunyana also shared a message of hope and healing, explaining how she chose to rise above hatred and raise her children in love, refusing to let a dark past define her future.

Mutabazi Eugène, President of Ibuka-Belgium, reiterated the importance of remembrance and made a symbolic appeal for historical justice.

“One important and powerful step that will allow us to fully and truthfully rebuild ourselves is for King Yuhi Musinga, who is kept in the Tervuren Museum in Belgium, to be returned to the Shyerezo memorial, to the land of his ancestors,” he stated.

Gunther Vanpraet, Honorary Consul of Rwanda in Antwerp, stressed the importance of commemorating the victims and reaffirmed solidarity with survivors of the genocide.

Commemorative activities across Belgium began on April 7, 2024, and are scheduled to continue in other cities including Mons, Charleroi, Tournai, and Leuven.

Walk to remember in Antwerp

Commemoration talks

karirima@igihe.com