Category: News

According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of State,this significant step was taken during the fourth meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee (JOC), held in Washington, D.C. The JOC brings together the DRC and Rwanda, with the support of the United States, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo (as the African Union mediator), and the African Union Commission.

The REIF is a key component of the Peace Agreement signed in June 2025. It outlines key areas for fostering economic cooperation and development between the two nations, demonstrating the tangible benefits of peace and creating opportunities for investment and growth that directly benefit people in the region.

Under Secretary Hooker and U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa Boulos oversaw the initialing of the framework, reinforcing the commitment of the international community to supporting economic integration as a vital aspect of the peace process.

The successful implementation of the REIF, however, hinges on the fulfillment of additional operational agreements, particularly the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and Operational Order (OPORD) that outline the peace process’s security and military provisions.

While the signing of the REIF was hailed as a significant breakthrough, it also underscores the ongoing need for further progress in the peace process.

The Joint Oversight Committee reaffirmed the necessity of upholding commitments made under the Peace Agreement, including actions to neutralize the FDLR terrorist group and associated groups to be followed by the lifting of defensive measures.

The Parties reaffirmed their commitment to refrain from hostile actions or rhetoric, particularly political attacks or language that would undermine or complicate the full implementation of the Peace Agreement, including in international fora.

The State of Qatar provided an update on the ongoing negotiations in Doha between the DRC and AFC/M23, highlighting progress on key issues, including prisoner exchanges.

The Committee also welcomed the first convening of the Doha ceasefire monitoring mechanism on November 5 and expressed strong support for these efforts and emphasized the critical role of the Doha process in advancing the broader implementation of the Peace Agreement.

The Parties expressed a shared commitment to maintaining momentum in the peace process and continuing to build on the progress achieved.

The Governments of the DRC and Rwanda expressed their gratitude to the United States, Qatar, the African Union, and Togo for their steadfast support in advancing peace and stability in eastern DRC and the broader Great Lakes region.

These new prices were released on the night of Friday, November 7, 2025, and will be in effect for the next two months.

They replace the prices set in September 2025, when a liter of petrol was priced at Frw 1,862 and diesel at Frw 1,808. This means the price of petrol has increased by Frw 127 per liter, while the price of diesel has gone up by Frw 92 per liter.

RURA explained that , in response to rising pump prices influenced by global trends, the government has continued to strengthen fuel reserves and prudent macroeconomic management to protect consumers and maintain market stability.
The new prices take effect on November 8, 2025.

The African Conference of Commandants is an annual forum that convenes Commandants of African Command and Staff Colleges to advance the education, training, and professional development of military officers. The conference also promotes cooperation, harmonisation, and interoperability among African military institutions.

Organised by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), the event will serve as a platform to strengthen continental collaboration in military training, strategic thinking, and research. Participants will focus on leveraging digital technologies to address emerging regional and global security challenges, while exploring joint resolutions and frameworks to enhance military education across Africa.

The conference will gather Commandants and senior representatives from African Command and Staff Colleges, the African Union Peace & Security Council, defence experts, strategic partners, and regional security practitioners.

This year, the conference will place particular emphasis on bridging the digital divide in military training, while continuing to strengthen cooperation, standardisation, and regional security efforts across African defence forces.

Rwanda’s hosting of the conference underscores the RDF’s commitment to advancing continental security cooperation and its leadership in defence education.

The 18th edition of the conference was held in Tripoli, Libya, from 3 to 5 November 2024.

The truce aims to “address the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the war and enhance the protection of civilians,” RSF spokesperson Al-Fateh Qurashi said in a statement.

“We look forward to implementing the agreement and immediately beginning discussions on arrangements for a cessation of hostilities,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Sudanese army announced that it would press on with fighting against the RSF following a meeting of the Security and Defense Council to discuss a U.S. proposal for a humanitarian truce.

According to leaked details, the proposal envisions a three-month humanitarian truce to allow aid access, followed by a nine-month political process aimed at achieving a comprehensive settlement and a permanent ceasefire.

The conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF has raged since April 2023, killing thousands of people and displacing millions of others across Sudan and beyond.

“We need to move faster — and move together. This COP must ignite a decade of acceleration and delivery,” Guterres made the urgent call in addressing the opening plenary of a two-day leaders’ meeting to discuss pressing climate change challenges and commitments ahead of the 30th United Nations climate change conference, commonly known as COP30, to be held on Nov. 10-21 in Brazil’s Amazon city of Belem.

{{Not to give up on 1.5 degree global warming goal }}

Guterres noted in his speech that the world has failed to accomplish the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels as established in the 2015 Paris Agreement, warning, “It could push ecosystems past irreversible tipping points, expose billions to unlivable conditions, and amplify threats to peace and security.”

However, based on science, “If we act now, at speed and scale, we can make the overshoot as small, as short, and as safe as possible — and bring temperatures back below 1.5 degrees Celsius before the century’s end,” he said, adding that despite the immense challenge, the world can “choose to make Belem the turning point.”

To limit the overshoot, Guterres stressed the need for a paradigm shift and for governments around the world to take immediate, decisive actions.

Meanwhile, he reiterated the need to support developing countries in moving away from fossil fuels, calling for a clear path to achieving the target of 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars a year in climate finance by 2035, as agreed at COP 29 in Baku.

“Developed countries must take the lead in mobilizing 300 billion dollars annually — delivering affordable, predictable finance at the agreed scale,” he said.

{{Call for clean energy transition to curb global warming}}

Leaders from Brazil, France, Chile and other countries on Thursday joined Guterres in urging swift and joint efforts to combat climate change.

In his opening address at the meeting, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for accelerating the energy transition to renewable sources and strengthening environmental protection.

“Accelerating the energy transition and protecting nature are the two most effective ways to contain global warming,” Lula da Silva told the more than 70 representatives from governments and international organizations.

“Clean energy is winning on price, performance, and potential — offering the solutions to transform our economies and protect our populations,” said Guterres in his address, adding that in 2024, almost all new power capacity came from renewables.

As solar and wind are the cheapest and fastest-growing sources of electricity in history, millions are connected to clean and affordable energy for the first time, while the clean-energy economy is creating jobs and driving development, the UN chief noted.

Before the convening of the leaders’ meeting, Brazil’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Marina Silva called the meeting an opportunity for governments to highlight the global shift toward renewable energy sources from fossil fuels.

Lula da Silva also called on governments to allocate more resources to environmental protection. On Thursday, the multilateral Tropical Forests Forever Facility fund was launched at the leaders’ meeting. The Brazil-proposed climate finance mechanism aims to incentivize countries that protect tropical forests, which are known as the “lungs of the earth.”

The upcoming COP30 is expected to guide climate-related negotiations, with an agenda focused on climate and nature, energy transition, Paris Agreement implementation review, nationally determined contributions and climate finance.

In the book’s preview, she reveals that during her mother’s pregnancy, it was expected that she would be born a boy and named Kevin.

However, Nishimwe who got married in 2024, also addresses the misconception that she grew up in a life of luxury, providing insight into the more humble circumstances of her childhood.

‘More Than a Crown’ touches on various aspects of her life, from her journey as Miss Rwanda to her personal experiences and the values that shaped her.

The book is set to be released on November 14, 2025, and covers 184 pages, including a powerful story of a comment she read on the X platform, which suggested that children from wealthy families never face hardships.

This comment deeply moved her, making her laugh and cry at the same time as she reflected on her own upbringing. While she was born into a loving family, the world she grew up in was far from perfect.

The book also recounts the time when her mother, throughout her pregnancy, told everyone she was expecting a boy named Kevin, even going so far as to buy baby clothes in blue and prepare a bag labeled “Baby Boy.”

While her name was intended to be Kevin, she feels that the name Nishimwe “Let God be praised” symbolized her parents’ love and commitment for unwavering support.

{{Nishimwe’s father’s military service }}

Nishimwe’s father joined the military when he was still young, before the birth of his first child, Kathia, in 1996.

The first birth came during a period marked by Rwanda’s ongoing recovery from the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and the nation was grappling with the aftermath of the violence, with many survivors left with scars of grief, loss, and trauma.

Families faced immense difficulty in finding out if their loved ones had survived, sifting through destroyed buildings and trying to rebuild their lives.

At the time, Nishimwe’s father, who had played a role in Rwanda’s liberation struggle, was often far from home. His work involved helping families reconnect and rebuild, even at the cost of being separated from his own family for extended periods.

The lack of communication, and the difficulty in sending money home made it hard for them to stay in touch or know how he was doing.

Nishimwe recalls the challenges her family faced during this time, including the scarcity of food, delayed school fees, and the lack of basic necessities.

Christmas was one of the rare times her mother could buy new clothes for everyone in the family, usually just one item each.

Despite the hardships, she fondly remembers how her mother made sure they had what they needed, and how her family, like many other neighbors, persevered through tough times.

{{Living in a military compound}}

During this period, Nishimwe’s family lived in a house within a military compound. The compound had a large yard, with mango trees, flowers, and space for the children to play.

Despite this, she notes that they did not consider themselves wealthy. At the time, land was inexpensive, and many families owned large plots.

However, owning land did not equate to financial wealth, as they struggled with the basics such as food and school fees.

Nishimwe remembers that whenever one of the children needed something like a school bag, her mother would patiently explain that there were other priorities.

The most pressing concern was ensuring there was food to eat, clothes to wear, and the money to pay for school. Everything else, such as new items, came as a bonus when they could afford it.

Her mother worked at Radio Umucyo, a Christian radio station at the time, and Nishimwe recalls how she took them there occasionally, which was a source of stability and an opportunity for the family.

She fondly remembers the wisdom her mother imparted, including a focus on faith, believing that prayer and relying on God’s guidance were the first steps in overcoming challenges.

{{The day Nishimwe was born}}

The story of Nishimwe’s birth is a pivotal moment in her family’s history. On the evening she was born, her father had left to support his beloved APR FC team at a match.

Meanwhile, her mother, who was pregnant with her at the time, went into labor unexpectedly. Her mother’s sister, Nadine, was visiting and had planned to stay for a week. It was during this visit that her mother went into labor and was quickly rushed to the hospital by taxi.

Her father, eager to ensure that his wife received the best care, raced to the university Teaching Hospital of Kigali after the match, navigating the difficult roads of Kigali, which were dusty.

The urgency of the situation, combined with the conditions of the roads, made for a frantic journey. Despite the challenges, her father made sure they arrived at the hospital, where Nishimwe’s mother, exhausted from labor, was waiting for them after birth.

Nishimwe was born quickly, and although she wasn’t named Kevin as originally planned, her father’s deep love for her and her mother is reflected in the moment he first held her.

The family’s resilience and strength during this moment are emblematic of the journey they had taken together, through adversity, uncertainty, and eventual joy.

Reflecting on this, Nishimwe humorously notes that she was not born with the name Kevin, as her mother had originally planned, but was instead called Naomie.

Her father had nicknamed her “Mubu,” a Kinyarwanda nickname meaning mosquito , because her talking buzzed around and never silenced even after everyone was asleep.

To this day, relatives affectionately greet her as “Mubu, wacu” (our little mosquito), a nickname that continues to make her laugh and reminds her of her childhood.

Nishimwe’s story, as shared in ‘More Than a Crown’, offers readers a deep and personal insight into her life, her family, and the values that have shaped her journey.

The delegation included Paula White-Cain, Senior Advisor at the White House Faith Office; Jennifer Korn Sporment, also known as Jenny Korn, Assistant to the President of the United States and Faith Director at the White House Faith Office; Jonathan Cain; Bradley Knight; Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams; Rosa Whitaker Duncan-Williams; Joel Duncan-Williams; and Chekinah Olivier.

During the evening, President Kagame and the First Lady held discussions with the visiting faith leaders on shared values of faith, peace, and leadership, and exchanged views on regional and global issues.

The officials are part of the White House Faith Office, established by President Trump in 2025 to empower faith-based organisations, strengthen communities, and protect religious freedom.

The office operates under the Domestic Policy Council within the Executive Office of the President, and coordinates with federal agencies through designated faith liaisons, as well as with organizations that engage with faith communities across the United States.

Thursday’s meeting was also attended by Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana, Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, and Nelly Mukazayire, Minister of Sports.

Analysts believed that the escalation is part of Israel’s calculated pressure campaign against Hezbollah.

The Israeli military said Thursday in a statement that it has “begun a series of strikes on Hezbollah military targets in southern Lebanon,” with army spokesperson Avichay Adraee issuing specific evacuation warnings for the villages of Al-Tayyiba, Tayr Debba, and Aita al-Jabal.

Lebanese sources said Israeli airstrikes on Thursday killed one person and injured eight others in the municipality of Toura in the south, and injured one more in Tayr Debba.

The latest strikes have triggered fresh displacement, with heavy traffic reported as residents flee targeted areas. Several private schools in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh area announced closures on Friday to avoid exposing students and teachers to danger.

The attacks marked the latest in a series of escalating Israeli operations that Lebanese sources said have intensified throughout early November.

According to the sources, the Israeli army carried out 22 military operations during the first week of November alone, including air raids, artillery shelling, and house demolitions.

“These military operations resulted in the death of eight people and the injury of 10 others, the destruction of six houses, the burning of four bulldozers, and extensive damage to civilian property and infrastructure,” the sources told Xinhua on Thursday.

This followed October’s casualties, which the Lebanese Health Ministry reported as 28 killed and 54 injured from Israeli shelling.

Also on Thursday, a senior Lebanese military intelligence source revealed that “the Lebanese army is working with full force to clear areas south of the Litani River of weapons and militants,” having established positions in 118 locations and destroyed dozens of military sites and tunnels.

Lebanese army units have completed about 90 percent of their assigned first-phase mission, which is set to conclude by the end of this year, the source said.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah issued on Thursday an open letter to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, warning against “slipping into negotiation traps” with Israel.

“There is no national interest in political negotiations with the Israeli enemy,” the statement said, adding that Israel is using “blackmail” to impose conditions, including the disarmament of Hezbollah, as a prerequisite for ending hostilities, which is “unacceptable and not included in the ceasefire declaration.”

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has repeated its deep concern about the escalation of military operations on both sides of the Blue Line, urging all parties “to exercise restraint and maintain open communication channels to avoid miscalculation.”

A ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel has been in effect since Nov. 27, 2024. Still, the Israeli army continues to conduct occasional strikes in Lebanon, citing operations against Hezbollah “threats,” while maintaining forces at five main positions along the Lebanese border.

“Lebanon currently stands on the brink of a new confrontation,” Lebanese political analyst Nidal Issa told Xinhua, describing the situation as “part of Israel’s ‘pressure by fire’ policy aimed at imposing its conditions before sliding into what could be called a full-scale war.”

Despite the intensified operations, “Hezbollah is striving to maintain the deterrence balance without being dragged into an all-out war, viewing Israel’s demand for its disarmament as a condition meant to humiliate Lebanon,” Issa said.

Refaat Badawi, political analyst and advisor to former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss, believed the escalation “aims at imposing pressure on Hezbollah and the Lebanese government to enter direct or indirect negotiations under a diplomatic framework that may lead to normalization of ties between Lebanon and Israel.”

“Israel is imposing this pressure to blackmail Lebanon and keep the status quo in southern Lebanon, to stop Lebanon from demanding Israeli withdrawal from the south, and to return to the 1949 ceasefire agreement,” Badawi said.

The factory, A-ZF Global Trading, located in the Masoro Industrial Zone in Gasabo District, currently has a production capacity of 100,000 cups per day, with plans to expand to 500,000 cups daily within the next two years.

Starting with 20 employees, the factory expects to grow its workforce to 300 in the same period, supporting the government’s goal of creating 1.25 million jobs in five years.

“This is the first factory of its kind in Rwanda,” said Ismael Ndayisenga, Managing Director of A-ZF Global Trading. “These products were imported mainly from China and Dubai. We aim to offer Rwandans faster access, better prices, and high quality.”

The cups are made from biodegradable paper, including both the cup and lid, to support the country’s efforts to reduce plastic use and protect the environment. Customers can also request custom branding, such as company logos or event designs.

Ndayisenga said the company plans to expand its market to neighbouring countries and diversify into other packaging materials, such as cartons and wrapping paper, to further reduce imports.

Under the National Strategy for Transformation II (NST2), Rwanda aims to double private investment from $2.2 billion to $4.6 billion by 2029, with manufacturing expected to play a major role.

Hugues Kagame, a technical advisor at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, supporting the implementation of Rwanda’s Entrepreneurship Development Policy (EDP), said the government is supporting industrial growth through incentives such as tax relief and reduced production costs, to make local products more competitive internationally.

He noted that A-ZF Global Trading contributes to the Made in Rwanda initiative by producing items that were previously imported, helping to raise industrial output by 10% in the coming years.

Rwanda’s industrial sector has tripled in output since 2017, rising from Frw 591 billion to Frw 1.68 trillion by early 2025. The number of people employed in manufacturing has also increased from 180,000 in 2017 to 259,000 in 2024, reflecting continued growth in the sector.

Photos: Kwizera Herve