The new document, which will take effect on July 1, aims to implement the strategy of strengthening the armed forces through science and technology and regulate the process of awarding military scientific research.
The regulations establish a structured award system aligned with national and military strategic goals.
Key features include prioritizing combat effectiveness as the sole benchmark, refining award nomination and review procedures, and strengthening oversight on discipline and confidentiality.
The regulations are expected to enhance innovation vitality in military research, accelerate breakthroughs in defense technology, and provide high-quality scientific support for the cause of building a strong military in the new era.
The group shared the figures on Friday, May 30, 2025, during the presentation of its human rights report on areas under its control, challenging earlier estimates by the DRC government and organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Delion Kimbulungu, a secretary of the AFC/M23, stated that the group discovered the bodies in Goma between February 2 and 13.
“It’s clear that the figure of 3,000 announced by the Kinshasa government was fabricated,” Kimbulungu stated.
He also addressed separate claims linking the AFC/M23 to a deadly incident at Munzenze Prison in Goma.
According to Kimbulungu, the events at the prison, including a fire and mass escape, occurred before M23 fighters entered the city.
On the morning of January 27, videos circulated on social media showing Munzenze Prison engulfed in flames as inmates escaped.
The United Nations Human Rights Office later reported that 165 women died in the blaze and that all had been sexually assaulted by the fleeing prisoners.
UN Human Rights spokesperson Seif Magango confirmed the figures came from the DRC justice system, stating, “We haven’t independently verified the justice report, but we believe it is credible.”
“These incidents at Munzenze Prison happened before M23 forces got there,” Kimbulungu added, distancing the group from any involvement.
The AFC/M23 report includes supporting evidence and testimonies. It also outlines the state of human rights in Bukavu since the coalition took control of the city in February 2025.
The commanders reviewed the progress made since the last session, focusing on efforts to combat illegal activities and improve security in border communities.
Both parties emphasized the importance of continued collaboration and joint initiatives to address emerging threats, while recognizing the positive outcomes achieved under the leadership of their respective Heads of State.
In his opening remarks, Brigadier General Pascal Muhizi, RDF 5 Infantry Division Commander, expressed gratitude to the Heads of State for their visionary leadership, steadfast commitment to peace, and support for regional integration.
He acknowledged that their leadership has created the political will and conducive environment for effective collaboration between the two armed forces.
Brig Gen Muhizi reminded the commanders that ensuring peace and security along the shared border is a collective responsibility, urging them to maintain vigilance and adopt a proactive approach.
He stressed the need for heightened awareness to address cross-border threats such as terrorism and illegal economic activities.
Brigadier General Gabriel Elias Kwiligwa, TPDF 202 Infantry Brigade Commander and head of the Tanzanian delegation, reflected on the success of previous meetings in resolving challenges.
He credited the trust, transparency, and mutual understanding between both sides for fostering peace and harmony along the border, benefiting the communities living in the area.
The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to Kirehe district officials, where they were welcomed by Mayor Bruno Rangira. They toured the Karushuga border area, which borders Tanzania’s Kaisho district, adjacent to Ngara district in Tanzania.
The judgment issued Wednesday by the international trade court is “temporarily stayed until further notice while this court considers the motions papers,” the appeals court said in its order.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit’s reinstating of Trump’s tariffs gives the administration some breathing room, local media reported on Thursday.
“Certainly the President is acting within his authority,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing Thursday. “All of the actions the President has taken rely on legal authorities that have already been granted to him by our nation’s existing laws.”
The judges at the international trade court ruled on Wednesday that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act Trump had invoked to enact tariffs did not “confer such unbounded authority” to presidents.
The block they imposed covered all of the retaliatory tariffs Trump issued in early April. They also barred the Trump administration from making any further modifications to the tariffs in question.
The administration filed a notice of appeal shortly after the ruling, asking the trade court to pause enforcement of the ruling during the appeal process. It also sought “interim relief” from the federal appellate court.
“The Supreme Court must put an end to this,” Leavitt said. “These judges are threatening to undermine the credibility of the United States on the world stage.”
Also on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras of Washington, D.C. issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from collecting tariffs from two educational toy companies, Learning Resources Inc. and hand2mind Inc., who manufacture most of products in Asia.
Contreras, calling the tariffs “unlawful,” stayed his order for 14 days “so the parties may seek review in the Court of Appeals.”
On Thursday evening, the National Assembly approved a request from the Prosecutor General at the Court of Cassation to open legal proceedings against Mutamba, following hours of heated debate.
The decision was reached following mounting allegations that the minister authorised an irregular $19 million advance payment for the construction of a new prison in Kisangani, Tshopo Province.
The payment, reportedly issued under a single-source procurement deal, was made before the contract had received formal approval from the relevant authorities, raising concerns of procedural violations and possible embezzlement.
The case involves a total of $39 million allocated for the prison project. Parliamentary sources say the investigation seeks to determine whether Minister Mutamba abused his position by directing funds to an unapproved contractor.
The parliamentary commission in charge of the case had earlier urged the full assembly to authorise legal action, describing the allegations as “extremely serious” under Congolese law and calling for accountability.
“The charges against the Minister of State for Justice and Keeper of the Seals are of a gravity that demands legal consequences,” the commission noted in its report.
With his immunity lifted, Mutamba is now expected to appear before prosecutors in the coming days. The development marks a rare move against a high-ranking official and highlights the growing scrutiny over the management of public funds in President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration.
Mutamba has previously defended himself against the accusations, claiming he is being targeted for his efforts to root out corruption within the justice sector.
Nonetheless, the case adds to the broader debate around transparency and governance in the DRC, a country long plagued by allegations of financial mismanagement and weak institutional oversight.
If found guilty, the justice minister could face significant legal penalties and be forced to step down.
The ceremony, held on May 29, 2025, at UN headquarters in New York, was attended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who presented the prestigious medals.
The two Rwandan soldiers honored were Sergeant Major Fiston Murwanashyaka, who died on February 24, 2024, and Corporal Eliakim Niyitegeka, who passed away on July 11, 2024.
Both soldiers were killed while serving in the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
The medals were received by Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Martin Ngoga, on behalf of the families of the fallen soldiers.
The Dag Hammarskjöld Medals are named in honor of the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld, who tragically died in a plane crash in Zambia in September 1961.
On July 22, 1997, the UN Security Council established these medals to honor those who sacrifice their lives while on peacekeeping missions under the UN’s mandate.
During the same event, UN Secretary-General António Guterres also laid a wreath to honor the 4,400 UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948.
“Over the decades, more than 2 million women and men have served in 71 missions across four continents,” said Guterres during the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal ceremony.
“In the communities and countries in which they serve, UN peacekeepers are an important symbol of the United Nations at its best. Together, they have helped improve millions of lives.”
Guterres acknowledged the complex challenges UN peacekeepers face in today’s world—terrorism, borderless crime, and misinformation, which have made them vulnerable to attacks.
He stressed the importance of adapting peacekeeping efforts to meet new realities in these difficult times.
Guterres also presented the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for 2024 to Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme of Ghana.
Additionally, Chief Superintendent Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone was awarded the Woman Police Officer of the Year Award. Both women served in the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei.
Thursday’s events marked the annual observance of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, celebrated on May 29.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed at a press briefing that U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump “submitted a ceasefire proposal to Hamas that Israel backed and supported.”
“Israel signed off on this proposal before it was sent to Hamas. I can also confirm that those discussions are continuing, and we hope that a ceasefire in Gaza will take place so we can return all of the hostages home,” said Leavitt.
“I won’t comment further, as we are in the midst of this right now,” she added.
An Israeli official and a U.S. source familiar with the case confirmed that the proposed deal includes not only the 60-day ceasefire but also plans to release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 dead hostages, CBS News reported.
Hamas said Thursday that its leadership had received a new Gaza ceasefire proposal from Witkoff through the mediators and was studying it.
“The Hamas leadership has received Witkoff’s new proposal from the mediators and is responsibly studying it in a way that serves the interests of our people, provides relief, and achieves a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said in a brief statement.
The latest consignment, which arrived in Amman, Jordan, on Thursday, May 29, 2025, comprises over 20 tons of foodstuffs and medical supplies.
In a statement, the office of the Government Spokesperson said the aid was received by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation, which is facilitating the onward distribution to Gaza.
This marks Rwanda’s third humanitarian contribution to Gaza since the outbreak of the current conflict in October 2023.
The initial aid package, sent in late October 2023, consisted of 16 tons of essential medicines, food, and water. A second shipment followed on November 7, 2024, delivering over 19 tons of fortified food for children, medicines, and other critical supplies.
The consignments were transported by Rwanda’s national carrier, RwandAir, and coordinated in close collaboration with Jordanian authorities.
Last year, the Office of the Government Spokesperson reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to international relief efforts and reiterated the call for “an end to the conflict and the protection of civilian lives.”
The devastating conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale assault on Israel, prompting a massive Israeli military response in Gaza.
The violence has since escalated into one of the region’s deadliest confrontations, resulting in over 60,000 deaths and displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians. The scale of the humanitarian crisis has drawn widespread international concern and appeals for urgent aid.
For more than 30 years, eastern DRC has been destabilized by insecurity, primarily caused by armed groups, including the FDLR formed by remnant perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
This ongoing insecurity has forced thousands of Congolese, mainly Rwandophones, to seek refuge in neighboring countries.
The refugee crisis, coupled with the DRC government’s failure to address the situation, gave rise to the M23 rebel group.
M23 claims to advocate for the rights of marginalized Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese.
Since late 2021, M23 has been engaged in armed conflict with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), leading to further displacement and instability in the region.
During an interview with Jeune Afrique, RDB CEO, Jean Guy Afrika, highlighted that investments was asked whether the conflict in eastern DRC, which shares a border with Rwanda, has affected investment in the country.
“I will start with the fact that the situation in the eastern part of DRC has in no way affected the flow of investments in Rwanda,” Afrika said.
“In 2024, the latest data shows we grew our registered investments by 32% to nearly 3.2 billion from a base of about 2.5 billion. That’s a fact, and we could share the data if needed.”
He attributed this resilience to Rwanda’s proactive defensive measures, which have prevented the conflict from spilling into its territory.
Significant investments in the country’s security architecture have created a safe environment, reassuring investors despite the instability caused by the DRC’s refugee crisis and clashes between the M23 rebels and the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC).
Afrika highlighted that the regional situation is stabilizing, with the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes merged into a single framework managed by the African Union (AU).
“At some point, the EAC and SADC were involved, but the two were merged and now managed by the AU with the signing of the principles of agreements,” he explained. “The path forward is much clearer now, and those fears that might have existed are in the past.”
This normalization has further bolstered investor confidence, contributing to a 30% jump in registered investments in 2024 compared to 2023.
The RDB’s success stems from its investor-friendly approach, particularly through its one-stop center, which integrates 24 agencies and offers over 400 services, including licenses and permits.
“The whole idea was to create a seamless experience for the investor,” Afrika noted. “When you operate in Rwanda, when you open a business, there is predictability in the regulatory environment, sanctity of contracts, and minimal red tape.”
This streamlined system addresses key pain points like land permits, titles, construction permits, electricity, and energy, ensuring a smooth experience.
“Initially, we had to tell our story, but increasingly, investors themselves are telling the story for us,” he added.
Rwanda’s strategic focus on sectors such as real estate, agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing has also driven growth.
“We target certain sectors: real estate, agriculture where we try to raise productivity, tourism, and manufacturing, a big sector,” Afrika said.
“Rwanda’s unique selling proposition is becoming increasingly clear: you will have a regulatory environment that is conducive, predictable, and allows you to do business the way you want to do it.”
To support long-term growth, the RDB is tracking company survival rates to identify and address their needs.
