The three-day summit will focus on a range of issues, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Middle East tensions, balanced and sustainable economic growth, as well as artificial intelligence development, according to its agenda.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday in a social media post that France would work with its “allies and partners” during the summit to help facilitate a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump will arrive in Evian on later Monday afternoon.
Before the summit, massive protest was staged in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday. It was organized by a “No G7” coalition of multiple groups and organizations, in what they describe as an effort to resist “fascism and imperialism”.
French newspaper Le Monde, citing police sources, reported that around 20,000 demonstrators took part in the protest at around 7 p.m. on Sunday evening. Several clashes between protesters and the police were reported near the United Nations headquarters in Geneva.
Some shops in busy commercial areas and near government buildings in Geneva’s old town had to board up their storefronts with wooden panels since last week, leaving only narrow entrances, to guard against possible looting or vandalism during the protest.
The G7 summit triggered major riots in Geneva in 2003 when it was first held in Evian.
Switzerland has stepped up security measures in recent days. The authorities have announced the deployment of some 4,000 military personnel while closing most of its 35 border crossings with France. France, for its part, has reportedly mobilized around 16,000 police and gendarmerie for the summit.
Swiss newspaper Le Temps criticized the summit, saying that G7 no longer reflects current global geopolitical landscape, and the summit was “ruining the lives of local residents.”
The G7 comprises the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan. France holds the rotating presidency of the group this year.
Protesters march during a massive demonstration against the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, June 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)A security member is seen near the G7 summit International Media Centre in Publier, France, June 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)
“The president of the General Assembly reiterates the secretary-general’s statement welcoming the announcement that the United States and Iran have agreed to a memorandum of understanding to cease hostilities and open the Strait of Hormuz after months of fighting that has led to thousands of civilian deaths and injuries, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, destabilization in the region and global economic upheaval,” said Baerbock in a statement.
She thanked the mediators and called on all parties to fully comply with the immediate and permanent ceasefire, including in Lebanon, and to utilize this opportunity to find diplomatic solutions to all disputes in line with the UN Charter and international law.
This is the only way to bring lasting peace to the Middle East, ensure the safety and security of all countries and people in the region, and end the suffering of innocent civilians, said the statement.
Speaking recently, Senyoni, who currently serves as Secretary of the Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission (RDRC), recounted his experience within the military hierarchy during the final years preceding the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
He explained that he joined the former Rwandan Armed Forces in 1984 and later received specialized training abroad in military administration and secretarial services. In 1987, he was assigned to the Secretariat of the Army High Command.
In 1990, after the launch of the liberation struggle by the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), Senyoni was transferred to the military camp in Gako, where he coordinated administrative and financial affairs. As the war intensified, he continued carrying out secretarial duties related to military operations.
By April 1994, Senyoni was still serving in that role and became directly involved in documenting one of the most consequential meetings held after Habyarimana’s plane was shot down on April 6.
“On the evening of April 7, 1994, Bagosora, who was then Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Defence, convened a meeting of senior military officers at the former École Supérieure Militaire, which I believe is now part of UR-CST,” Senyoni recalled.
“Meeting notes were usually taken by hand. The handwritten records from that meeting were brought to the military secretariat, where I typed them before they were forwarded to the Ministry of Defence.”
According to Senyoni, one of the key resolutions adopted during the meeting was the appointment of Bagosora as President to succeed Habyarimana.
“The meeting concluded that Bagosora should become President of the Republic and replace Habyarimana,” he said. “However, when the minutes reached the Ministry of Defence, French military advisers working under military cooperation arrangements reviewed them and warned that if Bagosora became President, the RPF would immediately accuse the military of shooting down the presidential plane and carrying out a coup.”
Senyoni said the French advisers urged military leaders to follow constitutional procedures instead. The officers accepted the advice, effectively ending Bagosora’s ambitions to assume the presidency.
“At that point, they instructed members of the Presidential Guard to bring Théodore Sindikubwabo from Butare,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Genocide against the Tutsi had already begun. Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana had been killed, along with Joseph Kavaruganda, the President of the Constitutional Court. Violence was spreading rapidly across Kigali.
Under Rwanda’s constitutional arrangements at the time, if the President could no longer perform his duties, the office would pass either to the Prime Minister or the Speaker of Parliament.
Since Uwilingiyimana had already been murdered, Sindikubwabo, who was then Speaker of Parliament, became the constitutional successor. However, he was in Butare, in southern Rwanda.
Senyoni said confusion and divisions within the Presidential Guard complicated efforts to bring him to Kigali.
“The soldiers sent to retrieve him believed he was being brought to Kigali to be killed,” Senyoni said. “They transported him poorly in a pickup truck borrowed from a convent. He was not even wearing socks.”
According to Senyoni, Sindikubwabo arrived at Army Headquarters visibly frightened, convinced he would be killed. However, later that evening, Radio Rwanda announced that he had become President.
“The Genocide continued, and eventually we fled to what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I crossed into Bukavu,” he said.
Senyoni remained in the DRC until 2010, when he decided to return to Rwanda. Three of his five children returned with him and later received educational support from the Imbuto Foundation.
Today, he says he is grateful for the opportunity to serve Rwanda once again. He has spent the past 15 years as Secretary of the RDRC and regularly encourages former combatants still living in eastern DRC to return home.
He emphasized that Rwanda remains open to those willing to reintegrate and urged all Rwandans to continue safeguarding national unity and reconciliation.
Alphonse Senyoni, who typed the minutes of the meeting that initially designated Théoneste Bagosora as president, said the plan was abandoned following advice from French military advisers.Senior officers in the former Rwandan Armed Forces (Ex-FAR) had agreed to appoint Col. Théoneste Bagosora as successor to President Juvénal Habyarimana before the proposal was later dropped.
“This is a moment of opportunity to restore regional stability and stabilize the global economy,” BBC quoted the statement as saying.
While noting that Iran “must never acquire a nuclear weapon,” the major European countries said they are “prepared to lift relevant sanctions in response to clear, verifiable steps by Iran on its nuclear program.”
The European leaders urged the U.S.-Iran deal to be “implemented rapidly and comprehensively,” saying the “urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz with unconditional and unrestricted freedom of navigation is essential.”
“We will work intensively with the U.S., Iran and regional partners to seize this moment, maintain momentum and achieve a long-term diplomatic settlement,” the statement added.
Earlier in the day, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on social platform X that the United States and Iran had reached a peace agreement following intensive negotiations, with an official signing ceremony scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland.
Minutes later, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social: “The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete.”
“I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade,” he announced.
The expansion will include 30 charging stations for electric motorcycles and 25 for electric cars, adding to the company’s existing network of about 115 charging points, including 95 motorcycle charging stations and 20 car charging stations already operating nationwide.
The move comes as Rwanda continues to position itself among Africa’s leading countries in electric mobility, supported by government incentives and increasing private-sector investment in green transport infrastructure.
According to EVP Charger President Ike Erhabor, the company is focused on extending services to areas that have not yet been fully covered by charging infrastructure.
“We have plans to build more charging stations in areas that have not yet been reached, including Huye, Nyagatare, Musanze, Rusizi and other secondary cities. Our goal is to ensure that these stations are completed and operational before the end of this year,” he said.
The company also plans to establish charging stations at intervals of approximately 50 kilometres for motorcycles and 100 kilometres for cars along major routes, helping to address concerns about charging availability during long-distance travel.
EVP Charger CEO Tony B. Adesina said the expansion reflects the growing momentum behind electric mobility both in Rwanda and globally.
“EVs are the future. It goes beyond the walls of Rwanda; it has become a global sensation,” Adesina said. “Clean mobility is the future because it is affordable, environmentally friendly and has low maintenance costs.”
One of the biggest barriers to EV adoption worldwide has been the availability of charging infrastructure. Through its growing network, EVP Charger aims to eliminate what is commonly known as “range anxiety” — the fear that a vehicle could run out of battery before reaching a charging station.
“We want every Rwandan who buys an EV to know that charging stations are available wherever they travel across the country,” Adesina said.
The expansion aligns with Rwanda’s broader ambitions to develop a low-carbon transport system. Government support has played a key role in the growth of the sector through tax incentives on electric vehicles and charging equipment, favourable electricity tariffs for charging operators and access to land for infrastructure development.
Adesina praised the enabling environment created by the government, noting that it has encouraged private investment in the sector.
“The government has done more than 50 per cent of the work needed for EV operators to succeed,” he said. Beyond expanding its charging network, EVP Charger is investing in technologies designed to make EV ownership more convenient.
In July 2026, the company plans to launch a mobile application for Android and iOS users. The app will enable customers to locate nearby charging stations, plan journeys and make cashless payments, supporting Rwanda’s drive toward a cashless economy.
The application will be launched alongside a new “Tap & Charge” card that will be issued to both existing and new customers using the company’s charging network. The personalised card is expected to simplify payments and improve the overall charging experience.
EVP Charger is also opening its electric motorcycle charging technology to other industry players seeking to introduce electric motorcycle fleets without the burden of building their own charging infrastructure. The company says this will help accelerate growth in Rwanda’s e-mobility sector by allowing manufacturers to integrate their battery technologies with EVP Charger’s super-fast charging network.
The company has additionally launched a “Host a Station” initiative, allowing businesses and property owners to host charging stations on their premises and benefit from the growing green economy.
“We have received hundreds of calls across the country from individuals and businesses looking to host charging stations on their property,” Adesina said.
The company’s charging network is already handling more than 50,000 electric motorcycle charging transactions and over 12,000 electric car charging transactions every month, highlighting the growing uptake of electric mobility among both private users and commercial operators.
EVP Charger also points to cost savings as one of the major drivers behind the shift to electric vehicles. According to the company, charging an EV can cost significantly less than refuelling a conventional petrol-powered vehicle, while maintenance costs are lower because electric vehicles have fewer moving parts.
Beyond infrastructure and technology, the company says it remains committed to creating opportunities within the green economy. Around 170 women are currently employed as agents across EVP Charger’s charging stations, assisting customers throughout the country.
As Rwanda’s electric mobility sector continues to grow, EVP Charger believes expanding charging infrastructure will be essential to ensuring EV users can travel with confidence while supporting the country’s environmental and economic goals.
The growing network of charging stations is designed to support Rwanda’s transition to cleaner and more sustainable transport solutions.Charging stations positioned along key routes will help ensure reliable access to power for electric vehicle users travelling across Rwanda.The planned infrastructure expansion includes charging stations for both electric motorcycles and electric cars across the country.The expansion of EV charging infrastructure is expected to improve access to charging services in cities and along major transport corridors.New charging stations will help electric vehicle users travel longer distances with greater confidence and convenience.EVP Charger plans to add 55 new charging stations across Rwanda to support the growing adoption of electric vehicles and motorcycles.EVP Charger Business Administrator Elina Bamulanje
Seventy-two new confirmed cases, including 29 deaths, were reported on Saturday in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, according to the report published Sunday by the country’s public health authorities.
The two newly affected health zones are Nia-Nia in Ituri and Mabalako in North Kivu, bringing the total number of affected health zones to 31 across three provinces: Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. A health zone is a local public health management unit responsible for surveillance, case reporting and response coordination.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, was officially declared on May 15.
A total of 359 patients were in isolation or hospitalized as of Saturday, while 40 patients had recovered, the report said.
Authorities also reported 136 suspected cases, including 49 deaths, on Saturday. A total of 6,275 contacts were under follow-up in the three affected provinces, but only 3,548 were seen, putting the overall contact follow-up rate at 56.5 percent, well below the 95 percent target.
The report listed several challenges facing the response, including reluctance to undergo post-mortem swabbing, insufficient capacity in Ebola treatment centers, weak contact tracing, shortages of infection prevention and control materials in North Kivu, weak alert reporting and a funding gap of 21.5 million U.S. dollars.
Seventy-two new confirmed cases, including 29 deaths, were reported on Saturday in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu
Gharibabadi said Iran and the United States will sign the finalized draft of a peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Switzerland on June 19, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Tasnim also cited a source as saying that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen following the signing ceremony in Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Iran’s state-run IRIB TV, also citing Gharibabadi, said Iran’s entry into a 60-day period of negotiations with the United States on its nuclear program and the removal of sanctions will hinge on the U.S. fulfillment of its preliminary commitments, which will be verified by Tehran from now until the signing ceremony.
The Strait of Hormuz is expected to reopen following the signing ceremony between U.S. and Iran in Switzerland.
Speaking at the International Seminar on CPC on International Community’s Eyes: Innovation of Theories and Practices of Chinese Modernization recently in Beijing, Dr. Buchanan said one of the most striking observations from his visit to China was the country’s ability to maintain consistent development goals over time.
“Many countries in Africa face the challenge of ensuring that public policies and development projects can transcend political cycles,” Dr. Buchanan said.
“For this reason, it is inspiring to observe experiences that demonstrate how consistent planning, clear objectives, and sustained implementation over time can generate significant progress.”
He argued that China’s experience offers important lessons for developing countries, including those in Africa, in areas such as political reforms, ecological protection, social governance and economic transformation.
Drawing on observations made during visits to several Chinese cities and development projects, Buchanan said he witnessed firsthand the impact of modernization on people’s lives.
“We saw how much Chinese people feel really happy with such better quality of lives as they enjoy,” he said, noting China’s achievements in poverty reduction, access to public services, education and technological advancement.
Buchanan described China’s development as evidence that “a nation can modernize without treading the path of external expansion or environmental depletion.”
He also highlighted the growing partnership between Rwanda and China, describing it as a relationship built on shared development aspirations and practical cooperation.
According to Dr. Buchanan, the two countries have expanded collaboration in sectors including education, health, agriculture, digital technology, energy and infrastructure development.
He noted that more than 300 Rwandan students are currently studying in China on scholarships, while over 1,500 others have graduated from Chinese universities and returned home to work in various sectors.
“China is a leading source of foreign direct investment in Rwanda,” he said, adding that future cooperation could focus on digital economies, artificial intelligence and renewable energy.
Beyond economic cooperation, Dr. Buchanan said one of the most important lessons from China’s experience is the value of long-term planning.
He stressed that international cooperation should go beyond information exchange to include trust-building and mutual learning between nations.
“Bridges between cultures do more than connect countries. They generate new ideas, new opportunities, and new ways of working together to address the challenges of our time,” he said.
He expressed hope that exchanges between Rwanda and China would continue to strengthen friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation, contributing to what he described as a shared future built on peace, prosperity and development
Dr. Buchanan said one of the most striking observations from his visit to China was the country’s ability to maintain consistent development goals over time. Dr. Buchanan was among speakers at the International Seminar on CPC on International Community’s Eyes: Innovation of Theories and Practices of Chinese Modernization in Beijing.
At the conclusion of a virtual forum convened on Friday by the African Forest Forum (AFF), a Nairobi-based non-profit conservation organization, participants underscored the role of healthy forests, peatlands, mangroves, and drylands in sustaining livelihoods for local communities.
The forum, which ran from June 8 to 12, brought together policymakers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across the continent.
Labode Popoola, executive secretary of AFF, said the five-day conference provided a platform to raise the visibility of Africa’s tropical forests and dry landscapes in shaping a future characterized by resilience, food, water and energy security, and improved rural incomes through trade in tree-based products.
Popoola emphasized that improved governance, policy coherence, research and knowledge sharing, as well as the harnessing of technology and innovation, are key to enabling African countries to maximize benefits from indigenous forests, savanna grasslands, and coastal mangroves.
According to AFF, African forests cover nearly 23 percent of the continent’s landmass, equivalent to 624 million hectares, while supporting the livelihoods of about 245 million people through the provision of food, medicine, clean water, biomass, and carbon storage.
Participants in the five-day forum agreed that strong policy and legislative frameworks, predictable financing, public awareness, and collaborative research are essential to promoting the sustainable utilization of forests and supporting the timber industry, ecotourism, and carbon markets.
In addition, delegates noted that emerging challenges facing Africa’s tropical forests, including climate change, urbanization, unsustainable land-use practices, illegal logging, and forest clearance for mechanized farming.
In a recent conversation at Fudan University in China, Gatare said Africa’s growing population, resources, and market potential make a strong case for greater regional and continental integration.
“When you look at the political economy of the world today and the dynamics of the world today, you do not see any African state that is big enough, strong enough to compete by itself in the global economy yet,” he said. “It’s a competitive marketplace.”
Gatare argued that Africa continues to be underrepresented in discussions on global governance despite being home to nearly 1.5 billion people.
“A billion and a half people, almost as big as China in terms of people, soon probably more, is not a number of people to be ignored in discussions about global governance,” he said.
While acknowledging that a fully unified continental market may still be a long-term aspiration, he noted that regional blocs are already large enough to compete effectively on the global stage.
His remarks also highlighted the mission of the African School of Governance, which seeks to train leaders with a Pan-African outlook and a strong commitment to public service.
“The School of Governance is teaching leaders with a mindset that is Pan-African, but it’s also teaching leaders that have a commitment to public service, to their people, to the service of their people,” he said.
According to Gatare, leadership should be viewed primarily as a responsibility rather than a privilege.
“When you have that privilege, you have not done much to earn it. It’s because of the responsibility you have been bestowed on to serve others.”
He said the institution encourages leaders to develop confidence, ambition and a clear vision capable of mobilising communities toward transformation.
Gatare who also serves as Senior Advisor to the President of the Republic of Rwanda, reflected on what he described as Africa’s “collective trauma,” citing the slave trade, colonialism, struggles for independence and post-independence governance failures as challenges that have shaped the continent’s history.
“Many nations have gone through different types of trauma from bad leaders that have divided their communities, set one tribe against another, and squandered a lot of opportunity through mismanagement,” he said.
“Now, it doesn’t have to continue that way. We have got to break the cycle.”
He stressed that leadership is not limited to those holding high office, arguing that responsibility begins at the individual and community levels.
“So many times the focus is put on heads of government and nations, but the responsibility starts with leaders at the community level,” he said.
At the African School of Governance, he added, leadership training begins with values and personal responsibility.
“We say that good leadership has got to be values-based.”
On development, Gatare described it as a collective effort involving citizens, businesses, communities and governments rather than a process driven solely by the state.
“Development, in our perspective, is an outcome that happens as a result of every member of society contributing,” he said.
He noted that development requires citizens to have confidence in their future, supported by security, stability and a shared national vision.
“The role of political leaders is very important,” he said. “One, to make society safe, secure, and give confidence to citizens, as well as non-citizens, to aspire and invest in their future.”
He added that effective governance depends on consultation rather than decisions made by a single individual.
“There is no single all-knowing individual that will close themselves in a room and emerge out of it with a vision. A vision is set through consultations. That’s governance.” During the interview, Gatare also explained why the African School of Governance had engaged with institutions in China.
The school, which was established two years ago, is looking for ideas and experiences that can help shape its teaching philosophy for future African leaders.
“We are looking for inspiration to structure together the best teaching philosophy for the next leaders of our continent, Africa,” he said.
Gatare praised China’s record in poverty reduction, describing it as a source of inspiration for Africa.
In 2021, China declared the eradication of extreme poverty, lifting 770 million people out of poverty since 1978.
“There is an appreciation of what China has done for itself as a society, transforming the lives of more than a billion people and lifting more than 500 million people out of poverty in one generation,” he said.
“Africa is the only place on the planet today which collectively is still behind, caught up in poverty. Where else would we learn about fighting poverty and lifting people’s lives than in China, considering what you have achieved?”
He added that China continues to play an important stabilising role in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment.
“We came to learn. We came to build relationships and partnerships, to see how you do it here and what lessons we can take for ourselves.”
The African School of Governance, co-founded by President Paul Kagame in October 2024, aims to equip emerging African leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to drive the continent’s development.
Based in Kigali, Rwanda, the African School of Governance (ASG) was formally inaugurated on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.
The institution will offer graduate programs in policy, research, governance, leadership, and management, designed to nurture the next generation of visionary African leaders.
The President of the African School of Governance, Gatare said Africa’s growing population, resources and market potential make a strong case for greater regional and continental integration.
