Sarkozy was notified of the conditions of his incarceration at the request of the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF). For reasons of security and discretion, details regarding the arrangements will not be made public.
According to a source close to the case cited by BFMTV, Sarkozy is expected to serve his sentence at La Sante Prison in Paris. The interval before Oct. 21 will allow him time to organize his personal and professional affairs.
Once in custody, his defense team will be able to file a request for release before the Court of Appeals, which will have two months to issue a ruling.
On Sept. 25, the Paris Criminal Court sentenced Sarkozy to five years in prison for criminal conspiracy related to alleged Libyan financing of his 2007 campaign. Although he has appealed, the judges ordered that the sentence be enforced immediately, citing the “exceptional seriousness” of the offenses.
Sarkozy will become the first former French president in contemporary history to serve a prison sentence.
“The impeachment of President Andry Rajoelina has been voted. Among the 131 members of parliament present during the vote, 130 voted in favor of the impeachment, while one abstained,” said the assembly’s Vice President, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, following the session.
The decision came just hours after Rajoelina announced the dissolution of the National Assembly.
Local media quoted Randrianasoloniaiko as saying that the dissolution decree was “devoid of legal validity due to the absence of formal validation.”
On the same day, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a Malagasy military officer, announced that state power in Madagascar has been taken over by a military council comprising members of the army, gendarmerie and national police.
Randrianirina said the constitution has been suspended and new national structures established “to meet the aspirations of the Malagasy people.”
He also announced the dissolution of key public institutions, including the Senate, the High Constitutional Court and the National Independent Electoral Commission.
The fair, which ran from October 10 to 12, was officially inaugurated by the Polish Minister of Tourism and Sports.
Through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwandan companies joined global participants in showcasing the country’s diverse tourism offerings.
Godfrey Rurangwa, Business Operations Manager at Makario Safaris, expressed that the fair provided an invaluable opportunity to build connections and learn from industry peers.
“We were able to engage with counterparts in the sector, exchange ideas about potential collaborations, and discuss ways to mutually promote our platforms in both Rwanda and Poland. This is a great starting point to attract tourists from Poland and the region,” he said.
Rurangwa also expressed his gratitude to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Rwandan Embassy in Poland for their logistical and institutional support.
Similarly, Walter Marcel, representing Mapendano Voyages, also thanked the RDB for facilitating participation.
He noted that the fair was an excellent platform to highlight Rwanda’s attractions, including Nyungwe, Akagera National Park (home to the Big Five), and the gorillas in Virunga National Park.
“It is a privilege for us to be present at TT Warsaw 2025. Rwanda is a country of remarkable beauty, with stunning landscapes, safety, and cleanliness, it deserves to be visited more,” he said.
For Marcel, the fair provided a unique opportunity to directly engage with visitors and Polish tourism professionals, dispelling misconceptions and offering concrete reasons for future travelers to choose Rwanda.
Both Rurangwa and Marcel stressed shared goals, such as strengthening commercial ties between agencies, exchanging digital promotion tools, and creating offers tailored to the European market.
Participants from Rwanda believe TT Warsaw 2025 has laid the foundation for the sustainable development of tourism between Rwanda and Poland.
Aimable Rutagarama, Chairman of the Chamber of Tourism, explained that the fair provided a valuable opportunity to tap into new markets and showcase Rwanda’s attractions to the world, positioning the country as a gateway to the region.
In Rwanda, this message could not be more relevant. The country’s steep hills and intense rainfall make it particularly prone to natural hazards. In 2023, two forces of nature stood out as Rwanda’s deadliest disasters — landslides and lightning. One crept silently through soaked hillsides; the other struck suddenly from the sky. Together, they claimed more lives than any other disasters that year, underscoring how geography and climate continue to shape risk across the nation.
Data from the Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Risks in Rwanda (2024) show that landslides and lightning have been the most frequent and fatal hazards over time. Between 2016 and 2023, landslides killed 449 people, while lightning strikes claimed 379 lives. Over the same period, floods caused 259 deaths and rainstorms 237, revealing a consistent and worrying pattern in Rwanda’s disaster history.
The country’s iconic landscape — steep, green, and breathtaking — is also what makes it fragile. Western and northern districts such as Gakenke, Rutsiro, Nyabihu, Ngororero, and Rubavu sit on hilly terrain that receives some of the heaviest rainfall in Rwanda.
According to the Disaster Risk Hotspots Assessment Report (2024), Rwanda has 326 identified hazard hotspots, with 134 rated as high or very high risk. Most lie in highland regions where rainfall often exceeds 1,800 millimetres per year, loosening soil and triggering deadly slope failures.
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Human activities such as deforestation and cultivation on steep slopes have magnified these natural vulnerabilities. As trees are cleared for farming or construction, soil stability weakens. When heavy rains fall, water quickly turns into runoff, destroying homes, crops, and roads.
The May 2023 floods and landslides demonstrated this danger vividly. In just two days, torrential rains killed 131 people, displaced over 51,000, and destroyed thousands of homes, mostly in the same western districts repeatedly flagged in national risk assessments.
Lightning, though less visible in its destruction, remains equally deadly. Rwanda’s equatorial location and high elevation make it one of Africa’s most lightning-prone countries. The same storms that sustain agriculture can, in moments, turn lethal. Victims are often caught in open spaces such as farms, playgrounds, or church grounds.
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Experts warn that changing rainfall patterns, longer dry spells followed by intense downpours, are increasing disaster risks. Soils become more saturated, landslides more frequent, and thunderstorms more violent. In fast-urbanising areas like Musanze and Rubavu, metal roofing and hillside construction further heighten lightning exposure.
Recognising these threats, the Government of Rwanda has strengthened disaster preparedness through relocation, infrastructure upgrades, and community awareness. Under the National Relocation and Mitigation Plan, more than 6,000 households living on high-risk slopes are being moved to safer zones. Engineers are reinforcing bridges and roads, planting trees, and building terraces to stabilise hillsides.
The Ministry of Education has installed lightning rods in schools, while local authorities extend protection to churches and community centres. Public campaigns now teach residents how to stay safe during storms and recognise warning signs of slope failure.
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These interventions align with Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation II (NST2), which treats disaster risk reduction as a cornerstone of sustainable development. The focus is shifting from response to prevention, integrating resilience into agriculture, urban planning, and education.
Rwanda’s geography cannot be changed, but its management can. Through reforestation, stronger building standards, and continuous community engagement, the country is building resilience step by step.
On this International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Rwanda’s story stands as both a warning and an inspiration, a reminder that resilience is not built after disaster strikes, but every day through preparation.
Each landslide that scars a hillside and each flash of lightning in the sky reminds Rwanda that survival depends on readiness. The challenge now is not just to recover from disasters, but to stay ahead of the next one.
The fair, which brought together key players from the global travel and tourism industry, proved to be an ideal platform for showcasing Rwanda’s tourism offerings.
This marked Rwanda’s first appearance as a main partner of the event, and the country’s stand generated significant interest.
Represented by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda had a prominent space where engaging visuals highlighted the diverse tourist attractions the country has to offer.
The opening ceremony, which was presided over by the Polish Minister of Tourism and Sports, was attended by Rwanda’s Ambassador to Poland, Prof. Anastase Shyaka.
Amb. Shyaka praised the growing bilateral relations between the two countries and expressed his gratitude to the organizers for the unprecedented partnership.
He also emphasized the significance of the Visit Rwanda brand, noting its powerful appeal to tourists from around the globe.
Taking advantage of this visibility, Amb. Shyaka invited TT Warsaw 2025 attendees and visitors to plan a trip to Rwanda and experience the country’s rich cultural and natural offerings firsthand.
The closing ceremony of the fair was marked by a celebration of Rwanda’s cultural heritage, with a spotlight on the Visit Rwanda brand and lively Rwandan dance performances.
In an interview with IGIHE, Amb. Shyaka thanked organizers, and all tourism sector players, including eight Rwandan companies present at the fair.
Kazimierz Cwikla, vice‑president of Ptak Warsaw Expo, largest exhibition center in Poland, hailed Rwanda for an exemplary collaboration and promised continued collaboration.
Throughout the event, Itorero Icyeza ballet captivated attendees with performances showcasing Rwanda’s cultural beauty through songs and traditional dance.
Rwanda was specially recognized as one of the event’s main partners and for its excellence at the trade show. The country was also awarded a certificate and medal of recognition for quality and innovation by PTAK Warsaw Expo.
Between 2016 and 2023, disasters destroyed 451 bridges across Rwanda, according to the Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Risks in Rwanda (2024). Gakenke District alone lost 54 bridges, while Rubavu, Rutsiro, and Nyabihu recorded dozens more. Each replacement costs between Frw 80 million and Frw 300 million, depending on terrain, pushing the total bill into tens of billions of francs.
Every collapsed bridge means more than broken infrastructure. It means interrupted trade routes, delayed medical care, and food supplies stranded on the wrong side of rivers. For a landlocked nation that relies heavily on road networks to connect rural producers to markets, the cost of such destruction ripples through the national economy.
Over the past seven years, extreme weather has wiped out more than 46,000 hectares of farmland nationwide. Of this, about 23,400 hectares were lost to rainstorms, 11,100 hectares to floods, 6,400 hectares to landslides, and 5,400 hectares to hailstorms.
The western districts of Gakenke, Ngororero, Rubavu, and Nyabihu suffered the worst losses, sometimes losing entire harvests in a single event. Beyond the immediate food shortages, these disasters threaten Rwanda’s key export crops, including coffee and tea largely grown in the highlands, most vulnerable to erosion and flooding.
The Disaster Risk Hotspots Assessment Report (2024) identified more than 70 critical public facilities, including schools, health centres, and power lines, built in high-risk zones.
Between 2016 and 2023, 104 water systems were damaged, nearly half of them in Gakenke District. Each repair can cost up to Frw 500 million, and when these systems fail, entire communities are left without access to clean water.
According to the Ministry of Finance, climate-related disasters reduce Rwanda’s annual GDP growth by about one percent, primarily through losses in infrastructure and agriculture. Local economies bear the brunt: farmers lose income, traders face higher transport costs, and small businesses suspend operations as roads and bridges are rebuilt.
As the world marks the International Day for Disaster Reduction this Monday, October 13, Rwanda’s experience offers a sobering case study in why resilience matters. The day, celebrated annually, highlights global efforts to reduce vulnerability to natural hazards and reminds countries of the cost of inaction. For Rwanda, it reinforces an urgent message: preparedness and prevention are far more affordable than recovery.
To curb future losses, the government is investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, including the relocation of 6,000 households from high-risk zones, slope reinforcement projects, and stronger bridge designs. New construction standards now require improved drainage systems and higher clearances to withstand heavier rainfall.
Through partnerships with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, Rwanda is also piloting anticipatory financing mechanisms, systems that unlock funds for repairs and mitigation before disasters escalate.
During his remarks at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday, October 9, 2025, Tshisekedi stated that ending the conflict in eastern DRC rests between him and President Kagame. He also called on the Rwandan President to order AFC/M23 to cease hostilities.
Rwanda strongly rejected Tshisekedi’s remarks reminding him that the issue of AFC/M23 is under his jurisdiction.
Speaking to RBA on Sunday, Minister Nduhungirehe condemned Tshisekedi’s actions as political theatre.
“Tshisekedi should stop playing this game and instead sit down, read and implement signed agreements. There are the Washington agreements regarding the elimination of FDLR [terrorist group formed by individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi] and removal of defensive measures. This was discussed in Washington recently, and we agreed that October 1st was the starting date for the 90-day plan,” he said.
He emphasized that the issue of AFC/M23 must be addressed through the Doha talks, where the group has been engaged in dialogue with the DRC government.
“On the other hand, there are the Doha talks where AFC/M23 engage with the DRC government to discuss the underlying reasons for the situation in Eastern Congo between the Congolese people. They are seeking a long-term solution. This means all the issues concerning M23 must be addressed in Doha.”
Regarding Tshisekedi’s comments asking President Kagame to instruct AFC/M23 to cease hostilities, Amb. Nduhungirehe said, “President Tshisekedi should not come to Brussels and stir things up, telling President Kagame to instruct M23 to withdraw its troops. That is an attempt to mislead the public. He should sit down and implement the Washington agreements and expedite the Doha agreements, as he is the one delaying them due to issues he does not accept or act upon.”
Last week, Bertrand Bisimwa, the deputy coordinator of AFC/M23 responsible for political affairs, told President Tshisekedi that President Paul Kagame has no connection to the group and suggested that President Tshisekedi should reconcile with the group by fulfilling his promises.
M23 fighters resumed fighting in 2021 in response to Kinshasa’s failure to address grievances, including the marginalization of the Congolese and Tutsi communities.
Key appointments include Laurent Nunez as minister of the interior, Jean-Pierre Farandou as minister of labor, Monique Barbut as minister of ecological transition, Edouard Geffray as minister of national education, and Catherine Vautrin as minister of defense.
Roland Lescure was reappointed as finance minister. Jean-Noel Barrot remains in office as minister of foreign affairs, while Gerald Darmanin has retained his post at the Ministry of Justice.
Lecornu met with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace earlier in the evening, according to local media reports. Lecornu proposed “a mix of civil society figures with experience and young parliamentarians” for the second edition of his government.
Lecornu had resigned on Monday, less than a month after his initial appointment and just one day after announcing part of his first cabinet. He was reappointed as prime minister on Friday amid ongoing political tensions.
After the deadly floods and landslides of May 2023, which killed 131 people and displaced more than 51,000, Rwanda began reshaping how it handles climate emergencies.
The 2024 Disaster Risk Hotspots Assessment Report revealed 326 danger zones, with 41 percent categorized as high or very high risk.
These areas put at risk around 31,238 people and more than 70 critical facilities such as schools, roads, and power lines.
The Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) is using that data to plan ahead. Through its Relocation and Mitigation Plan, the government intends to move over 6,000 families from the most exposed zones and strengthen slopes that threaten homes and infrastructure.
Districts such as Gakenke, Rubavu, and Nyabihu now rely on daily rainfall alerts from Meteo Rwanda to warn residents early.
This is part of a broader anticipatory action approach, pre-positioning equipment, setting up temporary shelters, and releasing funds before disasters happen. Officials say acting early has already helped avoid heavy losses during recent rain seasons.
Rwanda’s topography divides its climate almost in half. To the west, heavy rainfall and steep terrain make landslides and floods an annual reality.
Data from the Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Risks in Rwanda (2024) show that between 2016 and 2023, landslides killed 449 people and floods 259.
The hardest-hit areas include the highlands of Rubavu, Rutsiro, and Ngororero, where annual rainfall can exceed 1,800 millimetres.
Meanwhile, in the east, drought remains the main threat. Districts such as Nyagatare, Kayonza, Kirehe, and Bugesera receive less than 900 millimetres of rain each year.
Temperatures have already risen by 1.4°C since 1981, and projections show an increase of up to 2.2°C by 2050. In 2023, parts of Eastern Province lost as much as 60 percent of their maize and bean harvests due to delayed rainfall and long dry spells.
Adaptation in the western highlands focuses on keeping the hills stable. Reforestation, terracing, and the construction of drainage systems are underway. Engineers are also using gabion walls and vegetation to hold soil in place and prevent slope failures.
In the east, attention is on managing scarce water. Irrigation schemes under the Land Husbandry, Water Harvesting and Hillside Irrigation (LWH) project are helping small farmers store and use water more efficiently. Boreholes and solar-powered pumps have been added to ensure crops survive during dry seasons.
District disaster plans now match each region’s dominant risk, slope stabilization in the west, and irrigation and water storage in the east. Together, these strategies show a country adapting to both extremes.
Floods in the west disrupt national food supply chains, while drought in the east puts pressure on prices and household incomes. Rwanda’s planners now treat disaster management as a nationwide effort, linking local early-warning systems with national climate policies.
As the Disaster Risk Hotspots Assessment Report concludes, the country’s vulnerability may be geographical, but its resilience depends on coordination. Whether facing floods or drought, Rwanda’s strategy is built on a single principle: anticipate, adapt, and act early.
The recognition took place on October 10, 2025, at Jali Finance’s branch in Sonatube, Kigali, during an event marking Customer Appreciation Week.
The celebration also aimed to honor and motivate riders who uphold their contracts by making timely payments for the motorcycles financed through Jali Finance.
Jali Finance partners with various motorcycle dealerships to enable riders to acquire bikes without collateral. Under the arrangement, riders contribute Frw 35,000 per week as repayment.
To qualify, applicants must hold a valid motorcycle driving license, provide proof of residence, have two guarantors, and be free of any outstanding loans from other financial institutions.
For example, to acquire a motorcycle worth Frw 2 million, a rider is required to make an initial payment of Frw 150,000 or less and continue repaying over a period of two years without providing any collateral.
Beyond financing, Jali Finance also supports motorcyclists in cases of traffic fines, allowing riders to reimburse the amount gradually.
One of the beneficiaries, Vedaste Karangwa, expressed gratitude for the program, saying it helped him rebuild his livelihood after losing his previous motorcycles.
He attributed such opportunities to Rwanda’s visionary leadership under President Paul Kagame, emphasizing how government-driven initiatives continue to empower ordinary citizens.
“Let us thank our Head of State, President Paul Kagame, because we owe all this progress to his leadership,” Karangwa said. “This development is a result of good governance, unity, and peace. I had two motorcycles but lost them under difficult circumstances. When I approached Jali Finance for help, they supported me. I had almost lost hope, but they helped me start again.”
Another rider, Eric Ndagijimana, a father of two, shared that Jali Finance helped him upgrade from a small passenger motorcycle to a larger cargo-carrying one, which significantly improved his income.
With the additional earnings, he has been able to support his family and pay school fees for his child.
Ismaël Gasana, a 24-year-old rider, narrated how his life changed after owning a motorcycle through Jali Finance. Previously, he worked using bikes owned by others, which made it difficult to save or plan for the future, as the owners could take the motorcycles back at any time.
“I used to ride other people’s motorcycles, and it was always unstable. They could repossess them any day,” he said. “But now I have my own motorcycle, and I no longer worry. I can work freely and plan ahead.”
Jali Finance Ltd’s Chief Executive Officer, Félix Nkundimana, said the company dedicated this customer week to appreciating riders who honor their commitments and repay responsibly.
He noted that the recognition reflects the institution’s respect for integrity and professionalism among riders, many of whom demonstrate discipline on the road and a genuine desire for progress.
