Speaking at the Regional Dairy Conference Africa 2025, which focused on topics such as livestock health, milk value addition, and improving market access for dairy products, BK Insurance reaffirmed its commitment to supporting farmers, especially those engaged in professional livestock farming.
Eric Ntaganira, Head of Agribusiness at BK Insurance, highlighted the importance of insurance in mitigating financial losses caused by disasters or unforeseen events.
“When you have insurance, you farm with confidence,” he said. “As livestock farming becomes more professional and capital-intensive, it’s essential that farmers protect their investments to ensure peace of mind and sustainable growth.”
Ntaganira noted that BK Insurance is actively working to expand access to insurance services for farmers while also raising awareness about how these services operate.
“We take time to explain what is covered and what is not. Whether a farmer owns one cow or many, they are eligible for coverage. This service is tailored for professional livestock farmers, and we’ve already registered over 20,000 clients,” he added.
BK Insurance provides a variety of insurance products, including vehicle, fire, construction, agriculture, and livestock insurance.
According to a nationwide survey, more than 50% of farmers and livestock keepers who insure with BK Insurance expressed high levels of satisfaction, with 98% reporting positive experiences.
Since the launch of the “Tekana Urishingiwe Muhinzi Mworozi” (Feel Secure, You are Insured) initiative, BK Insurance has disbursed over Frw2.5 billion in compensation to policyholders in the agriculture and livestock sectors.
The meeting, which brought together defence and security officials, marks a key milestone in regional collaboration on civil-military relations, a cornerstone of humanitarian support, and regional integration within the EAC.
This year, Civil Military Activities Week will feature a series of community outreach initiatives that promote peace, stability, and development with the Rwandan Community, aimed at improving the well-being of local populations.
On behalf of the RDF Chief of Defence Staff, Brig Gen Ronald Rwivanga, the Defence Spokesperson expressed appreciation to all partner states for their active participation in regional initiatives which reflect the EAC’s vision of fostering a strong bond between the Armed Forces and the civilian population.
“It is not only a military engagement, it is a humanitarian commitment and a powerful demonstration of our collective values of Unity, solidarity, and service to community.
“Real security lies primarily in the pursuit of human security solutions to societal problems.” Brig Gen Rwivanga said.
He further urged the participants to engage actively and share their experience to ensure that the outcome of this meeting reflects the aspirations of the defence sectors of EAC.
Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Kimani, representing the Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC), expressed his gratitude to Rwanda for hosting this year’s Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) activities.
He noted that these activities rotate among all EAC partner states. “This initiative is a rotational event bringing the communities we serve as military personnel closer to us, to build trust, and to help address shared challenges among them.
“It also serves to strengthen regional unity and advance the EAC integration agenda.” Lt Col Kimani said.
The EAC CIMIC activities began in 2018 in Uganda and have since been held in various partner States, making a meaningful impact by addressing the needs of local communities.
Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Oncu Keceli confirmed that the talks, held behind closed doors, “did not end negatively.”
Following the talks, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, stated at a press conference that the two sides had reached concrete humanitarian outcomes in the talks.
Umerov said during the talks Ukraine presented its agenda to Russia, proposing a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, alongside the release of prisoners and the return of young soldiers and children.
Moscow will return Ukraine 6,000 bodies of fallen soldiers, said Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky after the peace talks.
Moscow and Kiev agreed to exchange all heavily wounded and 18-25-year-old soldiers, while Moscow proposed to declare a ceasefire with Ukraine for two to three days at some areas of the front line, he added.
The two countries last held direct talks on May 16 in Istanbul — their first face-to-face negotiations since March 2022. During that meeting, the two sides agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each, marking the largest prisoner swap since the start of the conflict.
The update was shared during a June 2, 2025 press briefing on the state of human trafficking in Rwanda. It follows a recent operation on April 23, 2025, when 10 Rwandans were returned home after being trafficked to Myanmar. Efforts are ongoing to rescue five more individuals from the same country.
According to RIB spokesperson Dr. Thierry Murangira, 52 of the 57 individuals intercepted before being trafficked were women, highlighting the disproportionate impact on women, who are often targeted for forced prostitution.
The number of intercepted cases has risen significantly; between July 2019 and June 2024, Rwanda prevented 39 people from being trafficked, a figure that has been surpassed in just the past eight months.
Dr. Thierry Murangira stressed that even a single case of human trafficking deserves great attention.
“The gravity of human trafficking should not be measured by numbers. Even if it’s one person out of a thousand, it remains a serious human rights violation. No one should ever be treated as a commodity,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration in combating trafficking, noting that some victims are unknowingly aided by family members or relatives during the process.
“The fight is complicated by the fact that some victims believe those intervening are blocking their chance, be it a relationship with a foreign partner or a job opportunity abroad,” he added.
Dr. Murangira clarified that while most interceptions occur at Kigali International Airport, Rwanda is not a source of internal trafficking. However, traffickers from neighboring countries can sometimes use Rwanda as a transit point.
“Human trafficking does not occur within Rwanda, although traffickers may use the country as a transit point,” he said. “When such cases are identified, the victims are intercepted. Moreover, Rwanda is among the few nations that actively invest significant effort in repatriating its trafficked citizens,” he said.
He also highlighted links between trafficking and other crimes, citing the 2024 discovery of a strip club in Kigali where women were reportedly exploited for profit through forced nudity and sexual acts. He urged both the government and the public to reject such activities.
RIB advises the public to remain cautious when presented with suspicious overseas opportunities, especially when there are no known contacts or clear reasons for the offer.
Dr. Murangira also noted that other crimes in Rwanda may be linked to human trafficking. He cited the discovery of a strip club in Kigali in 2024, where dancers performed naked and were reportedly involved in sexual exploitation for someone else’s benefit. He urged the government and public to strongly oppose such activities.
RIB advises the public to remain vigilant when approached with suspicious offers of opportunities abroad, especially when they have no known contacts or legitimate reason to be selected for such offers.
The move is part of broader efforts to tighten control over foreign exchange operations and reinforce the role of the Rwandan franc as the country’s legal tender, following a rise in cases such as tenants being asked to pay in dollars for business or residential premises.
Under the new directive, individuals or businesses not authorised by the Central Bank are prohibited from quoting, advertising, or receiving payments in foreign currency for goods or services within Rwanda.
Violators face steep penalties, with fines of Frw 5 million for a first offence and Frw 10 million for repeat violations.
The revised regulation, inserted as Article 20 bis into Regulation No. 42/2022, clarifies that only payments linked to exports or imports are permitted to be made in foreign currencies.
All other domestic transactions must be priced and conducted in Rwandan francs, unless the Central Bank grants special authorisation.
The term “pricing in foreign currency” is broadly defined to include not only charging clients in foreign currencies, but also displaying prices in foreign currency, verbal or written communication of such pricing, advertising, invoicing, or including foreign currency amounts in contracts.
Additionally, unauthorised foreign currency transactions, such as accepting payment in foreign currency, are penalised more severely. First-time offenders may be fined 50% of the transacted amount, while repeat offenders risk fines of up to 100% of the foreign currency involved.
The regulation applies to both residents and non-residents operating in Rwanda. Licensed financial intermediaries and authorised dealers are also subject to penalties if they breach the foreign currency pricing rules when dealing with residents.
To ensure compliance, the Central Bank will collaborate with other relevant institutions and has been granted the authority to impose sanctions. Defaulters who fail to pay imposed penalties within 15 days will be reported to the Credit Bureau and charged an additional 1% of the unpaid amount per day of delay.
Furthermore, the regulation introduces whistleblower provisions under Article 37 bis, obligating every person to report any unauthorised foreign currency operations to the Central Bank. Whistleblowers will be protected in line with applicable laws.
The Central Bank reforms aim to promote financial stability, protect the integrity of the local currency, and combat unofficial foreign exchange activities that could distort Rwanda’s monetary policy.
IATA projects airline profits will reach $36 billion in 2025—$600 million less than previously expected—while total revenues are set to hit $979 billion, falling short of the earlier $1 trillion estimate.
Speaking at IATA’s annual meeting in New Delhi, Director General Willie Walsh warned of mounting economic headwinds, including rising tariffs and geopolitical tensions.
“It’s still a thin buffer and any new tax, increase in airport or navigation charge, demand shock or costly regulation will quickly put the industry’s resilience to the test,” he said.
Air cargo is also expected to slow, with 69 million tonnes forecast this year—down from 72.5 million. Trade tensions, including recent U.S. tariff moves, are partly to blame.
On the bright side, lower oil prices could ease pressure on airlines. Jet fuel is expected to average $86 a barrel, significantly below the $99 average in 2024, helping to reduce the sector’s fuel bill by $25 billion.
IATA urged policymakers to consider aviation’s vital role in global employment and economic activity, warning that increased regulation or taxes could hinder recovery.
Addressing a press conference, Fico said the plan would threaten the operation of nuclear power plants in Slovakia.
The European Commission last month unveiled a new roadmap to end EU’s reliance on Russian energy. The REPowerEU Roadmap sets out a phased and coordinated plan to halt imports of Russian natural gas, oil, and nuclear materials across the 27-member bloc, according to the Commission.
“We’ve repeatedly declared this idea of the European Commission to be harmful, ideological and damaging to the competitiveness of the European Union,” said Fico, adding that Slovakia will intervene in the EU to fight for its national interests in the preparation of legislative changes concerning oil, gas and nuclear fuel.
As of April 2025, Slovakia has five nuclear reactors generating half of its electricity, according to the World Nuclear Association.
Hadi Rahmat Hardjasasmita, a spokesperson for the Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency of West Java province, said that two more bodies were found by rescuers on Sunday in Gunung Kuda mine situated in Bobos village of Cirebon Regency.
He said that to ensure smooth search operations and relief efforts, a state of emergency has been imposed since May 30 and will end on June 6.
The search and rescue operation has been halted due to further landslides at the quarry, said Mamang Fatmono, acting head of the operational unit of the provincial search and rescue office.
“We face a challenge today. Further landslides occurred at 11:10 a.m., so the search operation was temporarily suspended. The search operation will resume tomorrow,” he told Xinhua.
The ceremony brought together Rwandans from across Belgium to honor the over one million lives lost during the genocide, and to reaffirm a collective commitment to remembrance, justice, and peace.
In her keynote address, Mayor Marie-Christine Marghem of Tournai paid tribute to the victims and reflected on the universal importance of remembrance.
“Memory is not limited to recording events in the course of history,” she said.
“This long history, in which we have always been involved, has undoubtedly been marked by mistakes. However, over time, thanks to the beings of light who are capable of reaching out and recognizing human dignity, we have learned that such injustices are fundamentally unspeakable, culpable, and condemnable,” Marghem added.
Claire Kayirangwa, representing Ibuka Belgique, emphasized the duty of remembrance and the importance of transmitting truth to future generations.
“We do not come merely to mourn the dead; we come to carry their memory through the generations,” she said.
“Even today, there are voices that dare to relativize or distort the truth of what happened. To those voices, we respond with dignity and determination: to remember is not to seek pity—it is a moral duty and a commitment to justice,” Kayirangwa added.
Ernest Gakuba, President of the Rwandan Community in Belgium (DRB-Rugari), delivered a stirring address highlighting the role of youth in preserving memory.
“One hundred days of darkness. One hundred days when humanity failed. Today, we remember—but more than that, we act. We must pass on the memory not just to Rwandan youth, but to youth everywhere. Because today’s silence can nurture tomorrow’s violence,” he noted.
Gakuba also paid tribute to Corporal Bruno Méaux and the nine other Belgian peacekeepers killed in 1994, calling them “symbols of the price paid for the silence of powerful nations.”
Gakuba praised the Rwandan Patriotic Front for its decisive role in ending the genocide when the world chose to look away.
“These young Rwandans acted—not for revenge, but to save what could still be saved,” he stated.
Speakers also addressed the painful reality that, even today, some genocide suspects continue to live freely in Europe, particularly in Belgium and France.
Arnold Turagara, President of the Rwandan Community in Mons and Tournai, called attention to this ongoing injustice.
“These individuals live settled and protected, while survivors wait for justice,” he said. “Despite these challenges, Rwanda rises—not through foreign aid, but through the will and unity of its people.”
Turagara also urged Rwandan youth to carry forward the torch of truth, resilience, and national unity.
“You inherit a difficult past, but also a bright future. Let your generation be the one that defeats the silence of forgetting.”
The ceremony included the powerful testimony of Lyamukuru Félicité, a genocide survivor who also served as the master of ceremonies. Her story served as a reminder of the personal loss and resilience that shape the Rwandan identity today.
Mourners laid wreaths at two memorial sites: one honoring the victims of the genocide against the Tutsi, and the other commemorating Corporal Bruno Méaux.
The event concluded with moving performances by Suzanne Nyiranyamibwa, whose songs of remembrance echoed the collective sorrow and hope of a people determined never to forget.
The agreements were signed in Kigali on Sunday, June 1, during the official visit of Lieutenant General Ahmed Fathi Ibrahim Khalifa, Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces, who met with his Rwandan counterpart, General MK Mubarakh, at RDF Headquarters.
The three-day visit marks a significant step in deepening bilateral defence relations, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to a long-term and sustainable partnership.
Discussions between the two military chiefs focused on enhancing joint military initiatives and exploring new areas of collaboration.
Earlier in the day, Lieutenant General Khalifa paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
