Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

The announcement of the declaration’s adoption was made at the opening of the summit, the first ever held in Africa. The two-day gathering is being held in Johannesburg under the theme “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability.”

The declaration warns that increasingly frequent and intense disasters and shocks are undermining development and overstretching response systems. Leaders said they “hinder progress towards sustainable development and strain both national capabilities and the international system’s ability to respond.”

They called for integrated, people-centered approaches and highlighted the need for “strengthened disaster resilience and response,” particularly for vulnerable small island developing states and least developed countries.

Energy access and transition also featured prominently. The declaration underscores stark inequalities, noting that “over 600 million Africans have no access to electricity.”

The leaders support efforts to triple global renewable capacity and double energy-efficiency improvements by 2030, and emphasized the urgency of mobilizing scaled-up investment and facilitating low-cost financing for developing countries in line with national circumstances. They also highlighted the importance of voluntary technology transfer “on mutually agreed terms.”

On critical minerals, the G20 endorsed a Critical Minerals Framework, describing it as a voluntary guide for “sustainable, transparent, stable and resilient critical minerals value chains that underpin industrialization and sustainable development.”

The declaration stresses that mineral resources should serve as “a catalyst for value-addition and broad-based development, rather than just raw material exports,” affirming the right of producing countries to harness their endowments for inclusive growth.

The leaders’ declaration reflects a shared recognition that global challenges require more coordinated and equitable approaches.

The G20 (Group of Twenty) is the premier international forum for economic cooperation, comprising the world’s major advanced and developing economies. It currently includes 19 countries and two regional bodies (the African Union and the European Union), bringing the total number of participants to 21 members.

Despite this broad representation, the United States did not participate in the G20 South Africa Summit, an absence ordered by President Donald Trump. The stated reasons for the U.S. boycott were discredited claims that South Africa’s government was persecuting its white Afrikaner minority and the administration’s opposition to South Africa’s summit priorities, which focused on issues like climate change and global inequality.

The meeting brought together officials from the DRC and Rwanda alongside representatives from the United States, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo (as the African Union mediator), and the African Union Commission.

JSCM observers described the session as a key step in reinforcing progress on the peace roadmap, particularly the neutralisation of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the lifting of Rwanda’s defensive measures.

During the two-day meeting, participants reviewed Phase One of the Operations Order (OPORD), focusing on intelligence sharing, community outreach, and efforts to encourage FDLR members to lay down their arms. Discussions also began on Phase Two of the OPORD, which outlines concrete steps to neutralise the militia group linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and advance security cooperation between the two countries.

According to a joint statement released by the parties, the meeting further addressed the broader peace process, with participants commending the recent Doha Framework for a Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the DRC government and the Alliance Fleuve Congo/March 23rd Movement, facilitated by Qatar.

“JSCM members recognised the benefit of maintaining close linkages between the Doha and Washington processes,” the statement reads.

President Donald Trump was acknowledged for his “indispensable role” throughout the process.

The fourth JSCM meeting built on discussions from the third session held in October, reaffirming both countries’ commitment to the Washington Peace Agreement and maintaining momentum toward durable peace in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.

The incident occurred in the Blue Zone, an area that houses the international stands and the rooms set up for official negotiations, said the organizers.

Brazilian Minister of Tourism Celso Sabino said that the fire, which broke out shortly after 2 p.m. local time, was under control at around 2:30 p.m., with no injuries reported so far.

Helder Barbalho, governor of the Para state, where Belem is located, told local media that the emergency teams are currently probing into two possible causes of the incident: a generator failure or a short circuit in one of the stands that were set up for the conference.

Prévot and the Belgian delegation are in Rwanda for the 46th Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie.

The delegation received a detailed briefing on the history of the genocide, its origins, the scale of atrocities committed, and its enduring impact on survivors and the nation. They also learned about Rwanda’s 31-year journey of recovery, highlighting the country’s efforts in reconciliation, unity and reconstruction.

Following the visit, Prévot wrote in the memorial’s guestbook, delivering a solemn tribute on behalf of Belgium.

“On behalf of the Belgian government and the Belgian people, I bow once again before the memory of the victims of the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994 in Rwanda,” he wrote.

“Visiting this memorial is a chilling reminder of those events that profoundly wounded our humanity. It is our collective duty to ensure that such atrocities never happen again, neither in this region nor anywhere else in the world.”

Prévot stressed Belgium’s determination to combat genocide denialism and ensure justice for crimes committed during the 1994 atrocities.

“Belgium will continue this commitment with determination. The fight against denialism is part of this, as is the prosecution in Belgium of those responsible for these abhorrent crimes, for whom no impunity is acceptable,” he added.

Prévot’s visit comes amid a serious diplomatic rupture. Earlier in 2025, Rwanda severed diplomatic ties with Belgium, accusing Brussels of clearly taking sides in a regional conflict over the situation in eastern DRC. Kigali also suspended its development aid cooperation with Belgium, accusing Belgium of politicising development and undermining regional mediation efforts.

Against this fraught backdrop, Prévot’s strong statements against genocide denial and impunity are widely seen as an attempt by Belgium to use his visit as a platform to mend ties with Rwanda.

Launched in 2024, the initiative supports organisations working to improve women’s mental and physical health globally and is funded by Pivotal, a group of impact organisations founded by Melinda French Gates, and managed by Lever for Change.

The grants, ranging from $1 million to $5 million, recognise Lifebox’s work in addressing one of the most critical yet under-resourced areas of women’s health: safe surgery. The funding will enable Lifebox and its partners to expand programs that improve the safety and quality of surgery and anaesthesia for women across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region.

“Support from Action for Women’s Health will enable Lifebox and our partners to strengthen safer surgical systems for women by empowering maternity and gynaecological surgical teams with practical, evidence-based tools to prevent surgical infection and improve outcomes,” said Kris Torgeson, Lifebox Global CEO.

“The grant will allow us to dramatically scale our work to strengthen the safety and quality of surgical systems for women’s health worldwide.”

Over 4,000 organisations from 119 countries applied to the Action for Women’s Health Open Call. After a rigorous review process, 83 organizations were selected, many of which have historically lacked access to major funding streams. The awards aim to deliver measurable impact for women across different geographies, life stages, and identities.

“Every year, more than four million people die following surgery. Unsafe surgery is one of the most urgent and solvable challenges in global health, especially for women,” said Dr. Tihitena Negussie Mammo, Lifebox Global Clinical Director and pediatric surgeon.

“At Lifebox, we’ve reduced postoperative complications and deaths, including those following cesarean section, by up to 40%. Strengthening surgical safety for women saves lives today and builds the foundation for healthier families and societies.”

Cesarean delivery, the most common surgery globally, accounts for nearly a third of all operations in low- and middle-income countries. Lifebox’s Clean Cut for Cesarean Section program reduces complications for mothers and newborns by strengthening compliance with six critical infection prevention standards.

Professor Salome Maswime, Vice Chair of the Lifebox Global Governance Council, added: “No woman should die while giving life. By strengthening surgical systems, we are transforming maternal health from survival to high-quality care, improving safety and dignity for every woman, everywhere.”

Lifebox was founded in 2011 by Dr. Atul Gawande, a renowned American surgeon, writer, and public health researcher. It has operated in more than 100 countries worldwide, including Rwanda.

Their work in Rwanda has included the implementation of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist, distribution of essential equipment like pulse oximeters, and running programs like Clean Cut, which aims to reduce surgical site infections.

The agreement, signed in Kigali and witnessed by the Minister in Charge of Emergency Management on Wednesday, November 18, marks the official start of the “Refugee Socio-Economic Graduation & Livelihood Opportunities in Rwanda” project.

The three-year initiative will support 3,200 refugee families and 800 families from surrounding host communities, providing targeted solutions to enhance their economic autonomy and improve their ability to meet basic needs independently.

The project represents a major step in implementing Rwanda’s Refugee Sustainable Graduation Strategy (2025–2030), which seeks to enable half of all refugee households in the country to graduate from reliance on aid by the end of the decade.

Speaking at the ceremony, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Albert Murasira, Minister in Charge of Emergency Management, said the partnership illustrates the effectiveness of collaboration in driving long-term change.

“This project marks an important milestone in creating meaningful pathways to self-reliance for refugees in Rwanda,” he said. “By supporting 4,000 refugee and host community households to graduate into sustainable livelihoods, we are demonstrating the power of strong partnerships to drive tangible, lasting change and strengthen the resilience of communities.”

European Union Deputy Director-General for International Partnerships, Martin Seychell, noted that the initiative reinforces EU support to Rwanda’s efforts to shift refugee assistance towards economic empowerment.

“The programme we sign today is a concrete demonstration of the European Union’s support to the ambitions of the Government of Rwanda to enable refugee households to move from aid dependence to self-reliance,” he said.

“Thanks to EU support through this and other projects, close to 20% of refugee households should advance towards economic inclusion. This new initiative further strengthens our longstanding engagement in the Great Lakes region and reflects our broader commitment
to the humanitarian–development–peace nexus, which is more essential than ever in a
context of increasing pressure on limited resources.”

The project will provide a sequenced package of interventions including targeted cash assistance, physical toolkits, and training programmes focused on entrepreneurship, climate-smart agriculture, and other livelihood skills.

Support will also be channelled into Village Savings and Loan Associations to strengthen long-term financial inclusion and resilience for participating households across five refugee camps and surrounding communities.

Andrea Bagnoli, WFP Country Director and Representative, said the initiative reflects a new era in how refugee support is approached in Rwanda.

“Today, we are starting a new chapter where refugees are seen not as beneficiaries but as entrepreneurs and active contributors to the community and Rwandan economy,” he said. “By working hand in hand with MINEMA and our partners, we are turning promise into practice.”

Rwanda currently hosts more than 136,000 refugees, largely from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, many of whom have depended on humanitarian support for years. By aligning this initiative with national development frameworks and facilitating access to markets and financial systems, partners hope to offer a sustainable and scalable model for future refugee assistance.

UNHCR Representative in Rwanda, Ritu Shroff, said the agreement reflects a shared belief in the potential of refugees and the communities that host them.

“We reaffirm something fundamental: that refugees and host communities alike deserve the opportunity to live dignified, productive, and independent lives and that with the right support, they absolutely can,” she said.

“UNHCR remains committed to working side by side with MINEMA, the European Union, WFP, and all partners to ensure that this project delivers meaningful, lasting impact.”

The 37-month contract, managed by the Rwanda Cooperation Initiative (RCI), covers system design, deployment, and long-term technical support.

RCI CEO Patricie Uwase hailed the partnership as a milestone in South-South cooperation, highlighting Rwanda’s growing role in exporting digital governance solutions.

“This collaboration represents a significant milestone, not only in digitalising justice systems but also in demonstrating how African-led innovation can address global challenges,” she said.

Chief Justice Bryan Sykes described the system as a transformative step for Jamaica’s courts, noting it will reduce processing delays, cut litigation costs, and make court services more accessible to citizens. Law enforcement officers will also benefit, as case files can now be submitted digitally from any parish office.

The collaboration stems from a 2022 benchmarking mission, when Jamaican officials visited Rwanda to study its digitalised justice systems. Interest in Rwanda’s IECMS is reportedly growing, with other countries exploring similar partnerships.

Rwanda has already exported digital solutions to several African nations, including Chad, Eswatini, and Guinea, enhancing public financial management, tax compliance, and procurement transparency.

Implementation in Jamaica will begin in early 2026 with a three-month needs assessment, followed by system deployment and 20 months of maintenance and technical support to ensure sustainability.