Author: Sam K. Nkurunziza

Minister of Trade and Industry, Prudence Sebahizi recently told the national broadcaster, RBA, that he and other African trade ministers met last week and agreed on a common strategy to address the impact of the U.S. trade policies.

“We agreed on four key actions that will help us tackle the consequences of this ongoing trade war. First, we need to unite and establish a solid, unified African trade policy. Second, we must accelerate intra-African trade.”

Sebahizi added that the remaining two points of consensus among African trade ministers were the need to seek alternative markets for African products, especially in other developing countries, and to increase the value-added processing of Africa’s mineral resources before export.

This would help ensure that African nations benefit more substantially from their natural resources. The Minister further noted that although Rwanda is among the countries listed in the U.S. tariff hikes, it has not suffered immediate negative consequences due to the relatively lower rates applied.

“Rwanda is not among the countries heavily affected by the U.S. decision, because it was subjected to a 10% customs duty, among the lowest compared to other nations that seem to have been deliberately targeted by the United States,” he stated.

Early this month, President Donald Trump announced a series of increased tariffs on goods from several countries around the world.

In Africa, countries such as Botswana, Angola, Libya, South Africa, and Algeria saw tariffs ranging from 30% to 37% on their exports to the U.S. Rwanda and Burundi faced a 10% tariff, and Lesotho was hit with the highest in Africa at 50%.

Outside of Africa, the European Union faced a 20% tariff on exports to the U.S., while China was subjected to the highest rate globally, a staggering 54%.

Authorities have two priorities; to protect the integrity of those attending the meeting, and to ensure that it proceeds in strict secrecy (under penalty of excommunication and imprisonment) until the final decision is made.

By 2025, the Gendarmerie corps guarding Vatican City faces unprecedented technological challenges compared to other conclaves.

Among them are artificial intelligence systems, drones, military satellites, microscopic microphones, a misinformation epidemic, and a world permanently connected and informed through social media.

The conclave is scheduled to take place approximately 20 days after the pope’s death. The Vatican and the Holy See are preparing for the arrival of the cardinals who will vote for the next leader of the Catholic faith.

Emergency and control bodies are also working on it with state-of-the-art technology. So far, they have not shared details about their security arrangements, but they are not inexperienced in the task of safeguarding the integrity of high-profile figures in the face of today’s technological risks.

In fact, the election in 2013 of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the real name of Pope Francis, as supreme pontiff gives some indications of the rigorous security strategies that will be presented in the next conclave.

The Vatican has internet access, but within the areas where the cardinals will reside and vote for the new pope, there will be signal jammers. The technology prevents two devices from communicating with each other through radio frequency interference. The headquarters becomes an electronic bunker.

Thus, if someone were to manage to introduce a microphone, telephone, or computer, they would be unable to transmit information.

However, the possibility of administrative staff or the cardinals themselves introducing technology is remote. Authorities inspect the building for days in search of unauthorized microphones or cameras, check every permitted attendee, and double-check participants.

Privacy film in the windows

Contemporary satellites are capable of taking pictures of people’s faces from space, while AI can interpret lip movements. However, since there’s currently no technology to see through walls with such high resolution, the best strategy against espionage in the conclave is to close doors and windows.

During meetings and in the sleeping quarters, voters are not allowed to look outside. In addition, before the cardinals arrive, Vatican staff place opaque film over windows so that no journalist, satellite, or drone can take pictures of the interior.

Locked-down Vatican

The Vatican covers only 0.44 square kilometer in area. It is the smallest nation in the world. Until 2018, it had 650 cameras monitoring its streets from an underground command center.

In addition, the Vatican City Gendarmerie, which functions as a conventional police force, and the Pontifical Swiss Guard, which acts as an army, are located within the territory.

While in photographs they appear to be wearing antique costumes and carrying halberds, the latter group has highly trained personnel with heavy weapons, such as machine guns, rifles, and explosives.

An estimated 200,000 people are expected to be present in the small city-state once the conclave has determined the name of Pope Francis’ successor.

Catholic Church Cardinals were summoned to the Vatican on April 22, 2025, to organize the burial ceremony for Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21.

Cardinal Kambanda departed Rwanda on the evening of Tuesday April 22, 2025 and arrived on Wednesday morning. More than 135 Cardinals are expected in the Vatican for the preparations.

Pope Francis will be laid to rest on Saturday, April 26, 2025. Heads of state and government leaders from around the world, including Keir Starmer, Donald Trump, Prince William, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, have confirmed their attendance at the funeral.

Unlike his predecessors, Pope Francis will be buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, rather than the traditional Saint Peter’s Basilica.

Zimbabwe has for some time been hosting its home matches either in South Africa or other countries due to not having a stadium approved by FIFA.

Although they had been holding most of their matches in South Africa recently, Zimbabwe chose to take this particular game to Rwanda since both teams are familiar with South African venues.

This Match day 9 game is part of the 2026 World Cup qualification campaign and will follow another match in which Zimbabwe is set to host Rwanda on September 8, 2025.

This will not be the first time Zimbabwe hosts a game in Rwanda. In 2023, they also played Nigeria there during Match day 2 of the same qualification series.

These teams are in Group C, which is currently led by South Africa with 13 points. Rwanda and Benin are tied in second place with eight points each. Nigeria follows with seven points, Lesotho has six, and Zimbabwe is at the bottom with four points.

Security Minister Mahamadou Sana revealed on state television on Monday that the conspirators planned to attack the presidential palace, intending to sow chaos and place the country under international supervision.

According to government officials, the coup was allegedly orchestrated from neighboring Ivory Coast, with two former army officers identified as key figures behind the plot. Sensitive information was reportedly passed to terrorists to incite attacks and rebellion.

Authorities disclosed that several military personnel, including two officers, were arrested last week for planning to destabilize the government. Investigations are ongoing to apprehend other suspects involved in the conspiracy.

This incident marks the latest in a series of coup attempts since Traoré seized power in 2022 amid escalating militant attacks. The government continues to face challenges in maintaining stability.

Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, has withdrawn from the West African bloc ECOWAS, forming a new alliance and aligning more closely with Russia, distancing itself from former colonial power France.

Despite promises to improve security, the situation remains dire, with frequent insurgent attacks and approximately 40% of the country under jihadist control. Efforts to reclaim territory continue amid ongoing violence.

The Burkinabe government has previously accused Ivory Coast of harboring opponents in exile, though Ivorian authorities have yet to comment on the latest allegations regarding the coup plot.

As the government works to secure the nation, the foiled coup underscores the persistent threats to Burkina Faso’s stability and the complexities of its political and security landscape.

Flight prices are soaring, with the cheapest return ticket from Dublin Airport to Rome from Friday to Sunday costing €457 (approx. Frw 750,000) with Ryanair. This is more than double the price of the following weekend, with the cheapest return ticket costing €205.

To fly with Aer Lingus for the Pope’s funeral this weekend, passengers will have to fork out €782 for return flights on the same dates. Accommodation is also hard to come by, with Booking.com saying nine in ten rooms are already gone and the remainder have hiked fees.

Travel website On the beach saw bookings begin to surge just hours after ‘the people’s Pope’ passed away on Easter Monday. The firm’s Zoe Harris said: “His passing prompted an outpouring of grief around the world and what followed was a flurry of bookings to Rome.

“With the Pope’s burial due on Saturday and the historic process of the conclave beginning in two weeks, it’s clear that people will want to be in the heart of Italy for this historic moment. We’re expecting bookings to rise further over the next 48 hours following Tuesday’s confirmation of dates of service.”

President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina, were seen signing condolences for Pope Francis at the Holy See Apostolic Nunciature in Dublin, and will travel to the Vatican for his funeral.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has warned Irish travelers to prepare for significant crowds. “Following the Pope’s passing, it is expected that there will be significant crowds gathering in Rome over the coming days, particularly in the area of St. Peter’s Square and Via della Conciliazione,” a new travel alert reads.

“Irish citizens who are gathering in Rome to pay their respects should monitor local news and consult Italian authorities for the latest updates. The Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See and the Embassy of Ireland to Italy are monitoring the situations closely and will be posting relevant updates on their social media pages.”

“If you wish to attend the public elements of the funeral rites, including the lying in state, please be aware that queuing will be mostly outdoors and waiting times are expected to be very long. You should check the weather forecast and ensure that you have adequate food and water for the duration of your wait,” said the advisory.

RIB Spokesperson, Dr. Thierry B. Murangira, confirmed the arrest in a brief interview with IGIHE. “It is true that Moses Turahirwa was arrested and is being investigated for drug use, as confirmed by the results of tests conducted and analyzed by experts from the Rwanda Forensic Institute (RFI).”

When asked whether the drug use could be linked to his recent behavior, which has drawn widespread criticism, Murangira said, “The amount of drugs found in his system was significant. We cannot ignore the impact that might have had on his behavior. As for the rest, the investigation is still ongoing.”

This is not the first time Turahirwa has faced drug-related charges. In 2023, he was similarly investigated but was released on provisional bail by the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court.

The tournament, which honors players, coaches, and fans of the sport, is being organized as Rwanda and the world mark the 31st commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

Scheduled to take place from April 23 to April 27, 2025, at Petit Stade in Kigali, the competition will include both men’s and women’s matches.

In addition to the invited regional teams, the tournament will feature Rwandan clubs such as APR BBC, REG BBC, Patriots BBC, and UGB in the men’s category, while Kepler WBBC, REG WBBC, APR WBBC, and East Africa University Rwanda will compete in the women’s division.

On Wednesday, April 23, Patriots BBC will face off with UGB at 6:30pm, followed by a clash between REG BBC and Kenya Ports Authority at 9:00pm.

In the women’s category, Kepler WBBC will play KPA, while East Africa University Rwanda will meet REG WBBC. Both matches are set for 4:00pm at NPA and Petit Stade.

All the invited teams are dominant in their home countries and have won multiple championships, including national league titles. Last year’s edition of the tournament was won by APR in both the men’s and women’s categories.