The year 2024 marked the hottest one on record, with daytime temperatures exceeding 40 degrees centigrade, even 50 degrees centigrade in some regions, a phenomenon which is becoming increasingly common, according to a comprehensive report and technical guidance jointly released by the WHO and WMO.
“Heat stress is already harming the health and livelihoods of billions of workers, especially in the most vulnerable communities,” said Jeremy Farrar, assistant director-general for health promotion, disease prevention and care at the WHO.
Health risks including heatstroke, dehydration, kidney dysfunction and neurological disorders are undermining the long-term health and economic stability of workers worldwide, said the report, adding that approximately half of the global population have already experienced adverse effects from high temperatures.
Occupational heat stress has become a global challenge, not just confined to countries close to the Equator, as highlighted by the recent heatwave in Europe, said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett. “Protection of workers from extreme heat is not just a health imperative but an economic necessity,” Barrett said.
The guidance outlines a multi-stakeholder approach to mitigate risks, including developing national policies, prioritizing vulnerable groups, as well as fostering collaboration among governments, employers, trade unions and health experts.
The most recent report was released on August 20, 2025, by Human Rights Watch (HRW), alleging that M23 fighters killed at least 140 civilians in villages located in Rutshuru Territory, North Kivu Province. The report says the incidents occurred in areas under the control of the FDLR rebel group, near Virunga National Park.
According to HRW, most of the victims were ethnic Hutu civilians, killed between July 10 and July 30, 2025, across 14 villages in Binza groupement. The affected villages were listed as Busesa, Kakoro, Kafuru, Kasave, Katanga, Katemba, Katwiguru, Kihito, Kiseguru, Kongo, Lubumbashi, Nyamilima, Nyabanira, and Rubare.
Earlier, on August 6, 2025, the OHCHR reported that M23 fighters had killed 319 civilians in four villages in Binza between July 9 and July 21.
However, during a press conference held in Goma on August 22, 2025, the AFC/M23 leadership rejected these reports, dismissing them as fabricated and unverified.
The group argued that the organizations behind the allegations had not deployed investigators to the areas where the killings were reported, raising questions about the credibility of the findings.
{{Attempts to undermine the peace process}}
Bertrand Bisimwa, deputy coordinator of AFC/M23 in charge of Politics and Diplomacy, claimed that the reports were based on information provided by the FDLR, which he described as a terrorist group fueled by hatred against the Tutsi community.
He questioned the credibility of the findings, saying: “HRW is based in New York, London, and Paris. How could they verify and confirm events that allegedly happened thousands of kilometers away, a month later? In our previous press briefing, we stated clearly that this is propaganda, and it is not the first time they have done it. They are well-known spokespersons of the FDLR.”
Freddy Kaniki Rukema, deputy coordinator of AFC/M23 in charge of Economy and Finance, added that the reports were aimed at sabotaging peace negotiations currently underway between AFC/M23 and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He stressed that this pattern had occurred before.
Kaniki said: “They talk about hundreds of people killed, yet provide no photos, no videos, not even names. Out of 319 alleged victims, not a single name? This is not new. In 2012, as peace talks were about to conclude and M23 was close to signing an agreement, a similar report suddenly appeared.”
He recalled that in 2012, such reports led the UN Security Council to authorize the peacekeeping mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, to launch large-scale offensives against M23 fighters. “That was the context in which MONUSCO fought M23 on this very ground. The same game is being played again,” he said.
On July 19, 2025, the DRC government and AFC/M23 signed the Declaration of Principles intended to pave the way for peace agreement addressing the root causes of the conflict in eastern DRC. The process has been mediated by the State of Qatar, which continues to work with both parties to resolve outstanding issues.
Kaniki warned that the recent reports were deliberately designed to derail the peace process in Doha. “The objective is to disrupt the peace talks in Doha, to push the international community to declare that these people are not partners for peace but killers who must be fought. The aim is to restart the war,” he said.
He concluded by stressing that certain actors profit from instability and therefore resist efforts to end the conflict. “There are those who benefit from war, those who need it to continue,” he said.
{{Stirring ethnic tensions}}
Freddy Kaniki argued that another goal of the organizations behind the reports is to incite ethnic divisions. He said that if Hutu communities are led to believe that M23 is killing their people, they may retaliate against Tutsi communities, since M23 is often portrayed as being dominated by Tutsi fighters.
He explained: “They want to bring in an element of ethnic hatred. If they claim that we killed the Nande or the Hutu, it can push Hutu and Tutsi back into conflict. Yet one of our main missions has been to fight against ethnic hatred.”
Bertrand Bisimwa added that accusations of M23 killing Hutu and Nande civilians are intended to legitimize attacks against Tutsi communities. He argued that the reports were designed to fuel the perception of a Hutu–Tutsi confrontation.
“They want to encourage Hutu to fight against Tutsi, and that is extremely dangerous. Secondly, statistics show that the majority of our fighters are Hutu. In Rutshuru, where they claim we attacked Hutu civilians, the population itself is predominantly Hutu. How could we have attacked Hutu people using Hutu fighters within our own ranks? How do you explain that?” he wondered.
Bisimwa further claimed that these narratives were influenced by the DRC government, which he accused of spreading “poison” aimed at dividing communities in the Kivu provinces. “This is poison meant to turn us against each other and prolong the war in Kivu,” he said.
He also suggested that organizations such as HRW were trying to draw parallels with Rwanda’s past by framing the allegations in terms of genocide.
“Because Rwanda experienced the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, HRW now wants to present a narrative that Hutu in the DRC are also being subjected to genocide. This is part of the so-called ‘double genocide’ theory. It is not accidental—it is deliberate, planned, and given a clear political objective. Do not mistake this for a simple humanitarian narrative. It is about maintaining conflict in the Great Lakes Region so that we remain under their watch,” he noted.
The AFC/M23 leadership called on international organizations seeking the truth about these allegations to conduct independent investigations in the villages of Rutshuru. The group pledged to grant access to any areas under its control for proper verification.
The envoy made the remarks on August 22, 2025, during the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the DRC.
Amb. Ngoga delivered this message after UN Security Council member states endorsed reports by organizations, including Human Rights Watch, which accused fighters of the M23 armed group of killing 140 civilians in Rutshuru territory — “mainly Hutu” — while allegedly “operating alongside Rwandan forces” in July 2025.
He told the Council that Rwanda is deeply concerned by what he called “grave and utterly unfounded allegations” against his country, particularly surrounding reports of civilian massacres in Rutshuru. He emphasized that only an independent and impartial investigation could provide credible facts.
“On the alleged massacre of civilians in Rutshuru, the initial reporting of facts has been contradictory, vague, and in many respects outright implausible. Only an impartial and independent investigation can provide the Council with a reliable set of facts,” Amb. Ngoga said.
The envoy further warned that misinformation threatens the credibility of UN institutions themselves, citing what he described as a “long-standing pattern of selective reporting of human rights matters in the DRC, where victims are painted as perpetrators, and vice versa.”
He criticized the Council’s silence on the activities of the FDLR, a group he described as the principal driver of violence and abuses in eastern Congo.
“While there has been overwhelming focus on alleged violations by AFC/M23, I did not hear a single delegation talk about Kinshasa-backed FDLR. Even within your own reports, you acknowledge the DRC government backs the FDLR, but why is it not presented in that manner?” Amb. Ngoga asked.
Amb. Ngoga reminded members that the FDLR is composed of remnants of those responsible for mass killings during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and stressed that their continued presence in the DRC is central to the conflict.
The ambassador also highlighted Rwanda’s commitment to peace, pointing to its ratification of the Washington Peace Agreement in July and support for the Doha talks and other regional frameworks. He said Rwanda will continue to meet its obligations under these agreements but insisted that peace requires equal accountability from all parties.
“Yes, the territorial integrity of the DRC is non-negotiable, but so is the territorial integrity of neighbors of DRC, including Rwanda,” Ngoga said. “Sovereignty comes with obligations. The DRC must stop treating part of their population as lesser citizens, and the Council must defend the principle that all people must be equally protected.”
RURA fined MTN Rwanda on July 28, 2025, after the operator experienced a major system malfunction that disrupted several of its services, including voice calls, mobile money transactions, and other services accessed via USSD codes.
On the same day, MTN Rwanda announced through its official social media platforms that the connectivity issues affecting its customers had been resolved.
Article 26 of the Law governing Information and Communication Technology provides that any licensee who fails to comply with an enforcement decision issued by the regulator is subject to administrative penalties, including “a fine ranging from Frw 500,000 to Frw 15 million for each day of non-compliance, starting from the date of notification of the reinforced decision.”
Speaking to IGIHE, RURA’s Head of ICT Regulation department, explained that MTN Rwanda paid fines equivalent to two days, as the company had quickly addressed the problem.
“As of today, the issue has been resolved. After we fined them, they invested significant effort, found a solution, and informed us that the problem had been fixed,” Gahungu said.
He emphasized that service providers have a duty to ensure reliable service delivery at all times.
“We are still monitoring the situation because what happened was a widespread outage. To prevent recurrence, we, as regulators, continue to monitor compliance. However, it is also the operators’ responsibility to regularly assess their systems and adopt preventive measures.
“They must align their capacity with the size of their customer base by hiring adequate staff, acquiring modern equipment, and making other necessary investments,” he added.
Gahungu noted that, based on the corrective actions taken, there is confidence that such disruptions will not happen again.
The incident was largely attributed to network congestion, as the number of users accessing MTN’s platform exceeded its system capacity, resulting in instability and degraded service quality.
MTN Rwanda’s Chief Executive Officer, Ali Monzer, who attended a consultative meeting organized by RURA with lecturers, university leaders, and students on the draft ICT law, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to strengthening its infrastructure and delivering high-quality services.
General Lucien René Likulia, representing the public prosecutor’s office, called on the High Military Court to sentence Kabila to death for “war crimes,” “treason,” and “organising an insurrectional movement.” The prosecution also requested 20 years in prison for “glorifying war crimes” and 15 years for “conspiracy.”
Kabila, who has been living abroad for over two years, returned briefly to eastern Congo in May, visiting Goma and Bukavu—cities under the control of the M23 group. There, he held consultations with political and civil society representatives, which he said were intended to “contribute to the return of peace” in the country. His visits, however, were viewed by the government in Kinshasa as attempts to legitimise the rebel movement.
Eastern Congo has been plagued by conflict for over 30 years. Violence escalated early this year when M23 seized control of Goma and Bukavu, capitals of North Kivu and South Kivu. The prosecution argued that Kabila bears “criminal and individual responsibility” for the “harm” caused by the rebel group.
According to General Likulia, Kabila allegedly planned a coup against President Félix Tshisekedi, who succeeded him in 2019 following a contested election. Prosecutors claim he intended to “overthrow the constitutional regime by force” with support from figures such as Corneille Nangaa, former head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), before joining M23 in 2023 and heading its political branch, the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC).
Prior to his May visit, Kabila released a 12-point peace proposal, calling for disbanding armed groups, national dialogue, engagement with neighbouring countries, and ending authoritarian rule. While his supporters hailed the plan as a step toward peace, authorities deemed it a threat to national stability.
The trial, which opened on July 25 in Kinshasa, marks the first time a former Congolese president has faced prosecution before a military court. Kabila is not expected to appear in person, but the hearings will continue in his absence.
A moratorium on the death penalty had been in place in the DRC since 2003 and was lifted in 2024, though no executions have occurred since.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation described the claims as “sensational, baseless, and lacking evidence,” pointing out that even HRW acknowledged it had not independently verified the alleged killings of Hutu civilians said to have occurred over nearly two weeks in July.
“These salacious claims, which raise more questions than answers, are not the result of any credible investigation,” the Rwandan government said. “Rather, they have been hastily released through media leaks in an attempt to entrench a pre-determined narrative. Only an independent investigation will shed light on these allegations.”
Rwanda accused HRW of a “long history of implausible claims” against the country, often timed to coincide with critical political moments. The government noted that the latest report comes as parties to the conflict in eastern DRC prepare to resume negotiations and as the June 27 Washington DC Peace Agreement — which includes the neutralisation of the DRC-backed FDLR militia — is being implemented. Kigali reiterated its commitment to regional peace efforts, including the Doha process.
The Allied Forces Coalition/M23 (AFC/M23) rebel group also dismissed the HRW report recently, calling it “fake, politically motivated, and an instrument of propaganda.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, the group’s spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, criticised HRW’s methodology, saying it relied on “unverified telephone testimonies and satellite imagery without on-the-ground verification.”
“The Human Rights Watch report of August 20th, 2025, is fake and a falsification of reality. Its methodology is fraudulent, its sources are corrupt, and its context is truncated,” the statement read.
AFC/M23 further accused HRW of ignoring atrocities allegedly committed by other armed groups allied with the Kinshasa government, including the FDLR, Nyatura, PARECO, and Wazalendo. The rebels maintain that the report is intended to cover up “military failures and crimes against humanity” by government forces.
The flight departed from Ramon Airport in Israel via Karam Abu Salem crossing. To date, the UAE has evacuated 2,785 patients and their families to provide access to medical treatment since the onset of the crisis.
The latest medical evacuation flight is under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to provide medical treatment for 1,000 Palestinian children and 1,000 cancer patients throughout the nation’s hospitals. These efforts demonstrate the UAE’s leading and continuous commitment to alleviating the suffering of civilians in Gaza and mitigating the devastating impacts of this catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
In this regard, Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Development and International Organisations and Vice Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, emphasised the UAE’s dedication to providing a rapid humanitarian response, including the urgent transport of patients and injured civilians from the Gaza Strip. These efforts demonstrate the UAE’s unwavering and deep-rooted support for the Palestinians without exemption, reflecting the nation’s humanitarian commitment to delivering immediate aid, supporting stability, and alleviating suffering caused by war and conflicts.
Al Shamsi underscored that the Emirati medical teams have transported critically wounded and injured patients to hospitals across Abu Dhabi, while other patients and their family members are accommodated at the Emirates Humanitarian City, where they will receive the necessary medical care, under the supervision of specialised medical teams.
Furthermore, Al Shamsi highlighted that the UAE provides various medical, educational, and cultural support to patients, injured, and their family members, which contribute in alleviating the dire consequences of the ongoing humanitarian crisis affecting patients, children, women, and the elderly in Gaza.
Since the onset of the crisis, the UAE has continued its leading humanitarian initiatives and extensive efforts in cooperation with UN organisations and international partners to mitigate the catastrophic impacts of the ongoing crisis and alleviate the humanitarian suffering faced by the residents of the Strip. These include medical services, provision of medication, and essential medical equipment on the UAE hospital ship anchored in Egypt’s Al-Arish Port, as well as the operations of the Emirati field hospital in southern Gaza.
The continuous medical evacuation flights are part of a comprehensive and urgent humanitarian response plan to mitigate the crisis and provide relief to those most in need.
On August 20, 2025, investigative judges in France decided to halt the probe into Kanziga, the widow of former Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana, who was accused of involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The judges explained that Kanziga did not play a role in the genocide or its preparation, but was rather affected by the April 6, 1994 attack on the plane carrying her husband.
In 2008, genocide survivors’ organizations filed a complaint demanding an investigation into Kanziga’s alleged role in crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity.
In February 2022, judges ruled to close the case, stating that there was no substantial evidence linking her to participation in the genocide.
Since Kanziga was evacuated from Rwanda on April 9, 1994, under orders from then French president François Mitterrand, the investigation into her actions only covered the first three days of the genocide.
In September 2024, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) said the investigation was too limited in scope and time, and relied on very few witnesses. PNAT requested further inquiry into Kanziga’s activities between March 1 and April 9, 1994, and accused her of an additional crime of participating in the genocidal plan.
On May 18, 2025, the judges rejected PNAT’s request, saying no evidence supported claims that Habyarimana’s widow was involved in planning genocide. PNAT appealed, but on August 20 the judges upheld their earlier decision from three months prior, without even examining the appeal.
{{The ruling will be appealed}}
The decision pleased members of the Habyarimana family, including her son, Jean-Luc Habyarimana, and others who supported them, claiming that the investigation into Kanziga had been permanently closed.
However, on August 22, 2025, lawyer Gisagara stressed that despite some celebrating the decision—including perpetrators of genocide, deniers, hatemongers, and their allies—the case is not over.
He said: “Do not be discouraged by the celebrations of génocidaires, deniers, hatemongers, and their supporters. This is only one step in the case. The next steps are appeal and annulment. The case cannot be declared closed until it has gone through all these stages.”
He noted that in May, PNAT had already expressed disagreement with the judges’ decision to halt the investigation into Kanziga, and therefore the organizations representing survivors are confident that an appeal will proceed.
He added: “There is no reason why the prosecution, having already disagreed with the earlier judges, would stop this case before it reaches the appeals chamber, as the law allows.”
{{Why judges resist prosecuting Kanziga}}
François Mitterrand, who ordered Kanziga’s evacuation from Rwanda, was a close ally of Juvénal Habyarimana and a strong supporter of his government during the war with the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA).
Since her arrival in France, the now 82-year-old Kanziga has not held any known job but has lived on state support.
Through a 2008 report on France’s role in the genocide, Gen Maj (Rtd) Paul Rwarakabije said that Kanziga received financial support by France’s intelligence agency, DGSE for a long time.
Part of this money was allegedly sent to Colonel Aloys Ntiwiragabo, one of the founders of the FDLR, an armed militia opposed to the Rwandan government.
Political analyst Tite Gatabazi told IGIHE that the reluctance of French judges to prosecute Kanziga is rooted in remnants of the Mitterrand era, which continue to shield her.
He said: “She holds secrets about France’s role in the genocide. She was evacuated by a French plane. To this day, she lives on support from the French state, apart from a little she earns elsewhere. But since she arrived there, the order from the presidency has been to offer full support.”
Gatabazi added that even though French governments have changed over the past 31 years, Kanziga still has powerful protectors.
He concluded: “These individuals, who sometimes act beyond the official line of the sitting government, are the ones who continue to support Agathe Habyarimana.”
Speaking at a press conference in Goma on August 22, 2025, the group explained that its delegates in Doha were tasked only with reviewing the implementation of the ceasefire and the release of prisoners.
Freddy Kaniki Rukema, AFC/M23’s Deputy Coordinator in charge of finance and mobilisation, stated: “None of our representatives traveled to Doha to pursue peace talks. Only two delegates went, tasked specifically with reviewing the issues of prisoner release and the ceasefire.”
He noted that this review is part of the Declaration of Principles signed on July 19 by both the DRC government and AFC/M23, under the mediation of Qatar. According to Kaniki, genuine peace talks can only follow once these initial steps are implemented.
“These are conditions included in the principles we signed. If they are respected, then we may send delegates to address the root causes of the conflict. We do not simply go there without reason,” he added.
The agreement signed in Doha had called for peace talks to begin by August 8, following the enforcement of a permanent ceasefire and the release of prisoners. A peace accord was expected by August 18, but neither milestone has been met.
AFC/M23 claims that around 700 of its members and suspected supporters remain detained by the DRC government, which it also accuses of continuing military offensives against its positions.
For its part, the Congolese government insists that releases will only occur after a peace accord is signed and accuses AFC/M23 of violating the truce.
Qatar has acknowledged setbacks in the process but said it remains in dialogue with both parties to keep the peace initiative on track despite delays.
The meeting took place in Tokyo on August 21, 2025, where Minister Nduhungirehe was attending the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9).
During the talks, Minister Iwaya welcomed the recent peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, stressed the importance of all parties fulfilling the commitments made, and expressed his hope for Rwanda’s role in advancing peace and stability.
Minister Nduhungirehe expressed gratitude for Japan’s longstanding cooperation through TICAD and voiced his commitment to strengthening Japan–Africa partnership while contributing to regional peace and security.
Minister Iwaya further noted Japan’s humanitarian support, including food assistance to refugees and host communities through the World Food Programme (WFP), in response to the deteriorating situation in the Great Lakes region. He emphasised that regional stability is vital for business operations in Rwanda and reiterated Japan’s support for regionally-led stabilisation efforts.
In response, Minister Nduhungirehe conveyed appreciation for Japan’s humanitarian assistance and expressed his wish to deepen cooperation, particularly in the economic field.
Rwanda’s relations with Japan began officially after its independence in 1962 and were strengthened in the early 2000s when both countries opened embassies in Tokyo and Kigali.
This partnership is built on cooperation in economic development, trade, investment, technical assistance, transport, energy, water, sanitation, agriculture, education, information technology, and meteorological services.
