Ngoma made the remarks during an interview with the BBC while discussing an agreement reached between FDLR and the DRC government regarding the future of the armed group.
He said that agreements related to the Washington Accords and accompanying documents include a provision requiring the DRC to dismantle FDLR, but argued that the process should not involve military action.
According to Ngoma, FDLR and the DRC agreed that Kinshasa should not use force in efforts to dismantle the group.
“Those agreements contain a section stating that Congo must dismantle FDLR. That section is what led us to discuss how Congo can fulfil that responsibility without using force to destroy us, but rather through awareness campaigns, especially because the CONOPS document contains both approaches,” he said.
The remarks highlight the close engagement between FDLR and the DRC government, with both sides holding discussions on how the group’s dismantling should be carried out.
Rwanda has for years called for the complete disarmament and dismantling of FDLR. Ngoma also said no deadline had been set for implementing the agreement between FDLR and the DRC.
“We have not been given a deadline. Each side has responsibilities, and we did not establish a timeline because there are also issues we have requested to be addressed first,” he said. He added that FDLR operates in eastern DRC, particularly in areas currently controlled by the M23 rebel group, where he said its fighters are most visible.
Rwanda has consistently identified FDLR as a security threat because the group was founded by individuals linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and operates near Rwanda’s borders.
During peace talks between Rwanda and the DRC, from the Luanda process to the Washington Accords, the issue of FDLR has remained central. Rwanda has maintained that dismantling the group is a key condition for removing security measures it has put in place along its border.
Rwanda Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo recently reiterated that the Washington Accords were not intended to create negotiations aimed at persuading FDLR, but rather to ensure its removal through disarmament and dismantling.
“The Washington Agreement calls for the neutralisation of the FDLR—not a negotiated protocol with a genocidal militia that the DRC government continues to arm and collaborate with,” Makolo said.
She added that declarations of voluntary disarmament are meaningless while the group remains integrated into the Congolese army and continues to fight on the frontlines.
“Voluntary ‘disarmament’ announcements while the FDLR remains embedded in the Congolese army & active on the frontlines change nothing. Implementation means verifiable dismantlement, not theatre.”
On July 28, 2026, DRC officials, including Regional Integration Minister Floribert Anzuluni and Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, announced that FDLR had agreed to lay down its arms, adding that the remaining step was for Rwanda to remove its defensive measures.
Rwanda rejected that position, arguing that FDLR should not be treated as an ordinary armed group engaging in negotiations with a government.
Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe recently said the agreement between the DRC and FDLR was separate from the Washington peace agreement and criticised Kinshasa’s continued portrayal of the FDLR issue as resolved.
Rwanda has consistently identified FDLR as a security threat because the group was founded by individuals linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and operates near Rwanda’s borders.
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As Rwanda continues to embrace digital financial services, MoMo Rwanda remains committed to developing innovative solutions that simplify everyday life, empower individuals and businesses, and contribute to a more financially connected nation.
Mobile Money Rwanda Ltd is MTN Rwanda’s FinTech subsidiary, established on 27th April 2021 to provide and manage Mobile Money services in Rwanda.
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The newly launched MoFaya gives customers the flexibility to manage their finances with confidence through a simple, secure, and fully digital experience. MoMo Rwanda and BPR Bank Rwanda officials unveil MoFaya, a digital financial service aimed at expanding access to credit and savings solutions.
On August 2, 2026, RED-Tabara shared videos on social media showing two of its new fighters, who said they were proud of their decision to join the armed struggle to “liberate” Burundi.
Among those featured was a Burundian woman who said she had left her job in Canada to join RED-Tabara, claiming she wanted to contribute to efforts to help Burundians.
“There may be another role I am needed for in the struggle. If I left my job, because I was working in Canada, and decided to stop it and say, ‘I am going to the forest with others,’ it is because I have confidence in this cause,” she said.
Reacting to the video, Minister Bizimana accused some countries of supporting instability in Burundi and the wider region, saying his government was monitoring diplomats allegedly involved in such activities.
“A Canadian fighter in RED-Tabara: some countries are encouraging disorder and divisions in Burundi and the region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Burundi is closely monitoring all diplomats involved in hostile acts, and measures will be taken,” Bizimana said.
RED-Tabara emerged amid political tensions in Burundi in 2015, when then-President Pierre Nkurunziza sought a controversial third term in office.
The group claims that the time for the “liberation” of the country is approaching.
Minister Bizimana said Burundi is closely monitoring all diplomats accused of seeking to fuel instability.The Burundian woman said she left her job in Canada to join RED-Tabara, claiming she wanted to help liberate Burundians.
His remarks come after the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) suspended the operations of eight alcohol manufacturers following an inspection aimed at assessing compliance with regulations governing the production of fermented beverages.
The suspension, announced on August 2, 2026, specifically targeted manufacturers producing locally made spirits. Their products were immediately withdrawn from the market.
In a statement, Rwanda FDA said the decision was taken to protect public health and strengthen oversight of product quality on the market.
Speaking to RBA, Dr. Nsanzimana described the growing impact of substandard alcohol as a public health epidemic, citing the sharp rise in alcohol-related illnesses recorded across the country.
“We consider this a public health emergency based on the data we have. Since the beginning of this year, our hospitals have treated slightly more than 500 people who became ill after consuming these alcoholic drinks.
“In Ngoma alone, more than 100 people were hospitalized at once. We have also recorded cases in Nyagatare and the Southern Province. These are only the people who reached health facilities and were treated although some died. Others died before making it to hospital. So far, we have documented about 50 deaths,” he said.
The Health Minister added that the health consequences extend far beyond fatalities.
According to him, around 100 people have suffered permanent blindness, while others have developed long-term brain damage, liver disease and other serious medical conditions linked to the consumption of unsafe alcohol.
“The problem has been growing gradually. We used to know traditional drinks such as banana beer and sorghum beer. Then came alcoholic beverages with alcohol concentrations of 40 to 50 percent, far stronger than what many people had ever consumed. Now there are also those being produced through unsafe methods,” he said.
Dr. Nsanzimana warned that Rwanda must treat the issue as a public health emergency.
“This is an epidemic, and we must fight it as one. If we fail to act now, we will pay a much heavier price in the future.”
He further explained that while some investors establish legitimate factories to produce quality beverages, others secretly mix hazardous chemicals into alcoholic drinks before packaging and distributing them to consumers, exposing the public to severe illness and death.
Health Minister Dr. Nsanzimana said substandard alcohol should be fought with the same urgency as other public health epidemics.
The floating barrier, installed off Ceuta’s Tarajal beach, is now fully operational. The measure is designed to prevent irregular sea crossings after tens of thousands of migrants entered the enclave in recent days, many by swimming.
Spanish authorities also said on Sunday that the official death toll linked to the crisis has risen to 72.
Meanwhile, the regional government of Ceuta said 88 bodies are currently being held in the city’s morgue. Local authorities said some of the bodies were recovered from the sea more than two weeks after the migrant surge. The process of identification is still underway.
Although the large-scale arrivals have subsided, Ceuta has yet to return to normal. Police and military personnel continued security operations across the city on Sunday, detaining migrants found on the streets. Those apprehended were taken to police stations for identification before deportation procedures were initiated.
The migrant surge has become one of the most serious border crises in Spain’s recent history, prompting emergency measures by the Spanish government and renewed debate across Europe over migration management and the protection of the European Union’s external borders.
Irregular migrants gather outside a convenience store in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, on July 30, 2026. (Photo by Liu Wenyong/Xinhua)People gather on the Moroccan side of the border with Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, preparing to cross into the enclave, on July 30, 2026. (Photo by Liu Wenyong/Xinhua)
According to a UKMTO advisory, the agency received the report from the vessel’s master at 20:37 GMT on Sunday. The master said the explosion was heard while the vessel was about 20 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman.
The UKMTO advised vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity to the agency.
As tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated again, the UKMTO has reported a series of maritime security incidents in recent days, most of them occurring off Oman’s coast near the Strait of Hormuz.
About 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the Middle East conflict.
The minister made the comments via X account on August 1, 2026, in response to a MONUSCO statement issued on July 29 after Rwanda returned 39 Congolese nationals to the DRC.
The individuals had been repatriated to Rwanda as former FDLR combatants, but subsequent verification established that they were Congolese civilians with no ties to the armed group.
In its statement, MONUSCO rejected suggestions that it had been negligent, stressing that every repatriation is preceded by a comprehensive verification process to confirm that those concerned qualify for return to Rwanda.
However, Amb. Nduhungirehe said the UN mission cannot deny the outcome of the verification carried out after the repatriations.
“What MONUSCO cannot distance itself from, however, is the fact that since October last year, 81 people repatriated by MONUSCO as former FDLR combatants were later found to be Congolese civilians, born to Congolese parents, with no Rwandan origin and no history of involvement in armed groups.”
The minister further explained that the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM), a regional mechanism responsible for verifying security-related matters in the Great Lakes region, was invited to independently examine the issue.
According to Amb. Nduhungirehe, interviews conducted during the verification process showed that many of those repatriated had falsely claimed to be former FDLR members in order to benefit from Rwanda’s demobilization and reintegration programme.
“The Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) was even invited to verify this information. During interviews, 69 of these individuals admitted regretting having agreed to falsely present themselves as former FDLR combatants after being promised the benefits offered by the Mutobo Demobilization Centre to repatriated ex-combatants.”
Amb. Nduhungirehe also called on MONUSCO to uphold the highest standards in implementing its disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme.
“In conclusion, I would like to stress that throughout this process of disarming and demobilizing former combatants, professionalism, diligence, and integrity on the part of MONUSCO’s DDR personnel must remain fundamental guiding principles.”
Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said that since October 2025, MONUSCO has repatriated 81 Congolese civilians to Rwanda, identified as former FDLR combatants.MONUSCO repatriates former armed group members to Rwanda through its Disarmament, Demobilisation, Repatriation, Reintegration and Resettlement (DDRRR) programme.
During an online press briefing on Thursday evening, Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya stressed that the continued outbreak “is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded” and is now the second-largest by total confirmed cases.
“It is a very serious outbreak. We are now fighting because we don’t want this outbreak to become the (largest ever) Ebola outbreak,” he said.
According to Kaseya, he will join World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to visit Bunia, the capital of the eastern DRC’s Ituri Province and the epicenter of the outbreak, on Aug. 2. They are scheduled to meet with national authorities, frontline health workers, affected communities, and response partners.
“We really need to strengthen our capacity to stop the spread of this outbreak to other new zones. We need to continue to strengthen the capacity to detect early, and to respond appropriately,” he said.
According to the latest data from the Africa CDC and the DRC health authorities, since the DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15, the country has recorded a total of 3,442 confirmed cases and 1,521 deaths, representing a case fatality rate of more than 44 percent. A total of 48 health zones are now affected by the outbreak across five provinces in the country.
Kaseya expressed concern over critical constraints hindering the response efforts in the DRC, citing limited contact tracing capabilities, climbing community cases and deaths, a rising case fatality rate, and inadequate bed capacity. He also noted persistent funding shortages, insecurity, unsafe burial practices, and infections and deaths among healthcare workers as major obstacles to containing the outbreak.
Despite challenges, the Africa CDC highlighted progress in several areas of the response, including improvements in laboratory testing capacity. Currently, 19 laboratories are actively engaged in testing, marking a notable boost from only two active laboratories at the onset, while daily testing capacity has now surpassed 3,000 samples.
The recent launch of clinical trials of therapeutics targeting the Bundibugyo strain is also considered a breakthrough, given the lack of licensed vaccines or targeted medical countermeasures for this particular Ebola variant.
Despite the worsening situation in the DRC, Kaseya recognized Uganda’s decisive national leadership and response in effectively containing the outbreak’s transmission after the country officially declared the outbreak over on Tuesday.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health officially said that advances in epidemiological investigations and the fully characterized nature of the outbreak provided sufficient scientific evidence that transmission had been interrupted.
“Uganda’s success sends a clear message: when political leadership, communities, and public health move together, outbreaks can be stopped,” said Kaseya, adding that the country’s achievement reflects the commitment and dedication of health workers, communities, national authorities, and partners who worked tirelessly to detect, contain, and overcome this outbreak.
Meanwhile, Kaseya urged the United States to lift its Ebola-related entry restrictions on Uganda as he underscored the country’s successful outbreak containment efforts.
The Africa CDC also called on Uganda’s health authorities to remain fully engaged with continued vigilance and infection prevention measures, alongside enhanced risk communication and community surveillance efforts as the outbreak evolves in parts of the DRC, which borders Uganda.
A hygienist wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) begins cleaning and disinfection operations at the Rwampara Ebola Treatment Centre (ETC) in Bunia, Ituri, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on July 13, 2026.
The park is one of Rwanda’s leading tourist attractions, hosting more than 500,000 animals from different species, including some of the world’s rarest wildlife. Visitors can also enjoy its lakes, lodges and numerous viewpoints overlooking the diverse landscape.
Between April and June 2026, Akagera National Park generated more than $1 million in tourism revenue from 8,919 visitors.
According to figures released by the park, this represented a 4% increase compared to the same period in 2025. On average, each visitor spent $108 during their stay.
For first-time visitors, there is more to know than simply booking a safari. Understanding the park’s wildlife, why some lions are placed on birth control, how elephant families are organised, the park’s strict conservation rules, penalties for violating them, and entrance fees can greatly enhance the experience.
Why lions are placed on birth control
Samuel Munyaneza, a tour guide who has worked in Akagera National Park for eight years, is well acquainted with the park’s history, its wildlife and the regulations that govern visits. Among the species whose history he knows best are lions and rhinos, both of which disappeared from the park before eventually being reintroduced.
He explained that following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, many Rwandans who had lived in exile since 1959 returned home. With limited land available, some settled in areas that had previously formed part of the park. As lions preyed on their cattle, some residents poisoned carcasses in retaliation, wiping out the lion population.
Rhinos, meanwhile, were driven to extinction in the park by poachers targeting their highly valuable horns for the illegal wildlife trade.
Lions were reintroduced to Akagera in 2015 after being translocated from South Africa. The population recovered rapidly, prompting park managers to introduce contraception to control reproduction.
The programme is intended to maintain a balanced ecosystem. An excessive lion population would increase predation pressure on other wildlife and threaten the ecological balance of the park. Munyaneza explained that predators are essential in maintaining healthy wildlife populations. Before lions returned, herbivore numbers increased significantly, raising the risk of inbreeding, which can weaken the genetic health of animal populations.
He noted that while Akagera once covered a much larger area, parts of the park were later allocated for human settlement, reducing its size. With a smaller habitat, allowing lions to reproduce unchecked could lead to territorial conflicts, increased competition for food and pressure on prey species.
In February 2026, five lions in Akagera National Park were placed on birth control as part of this population management strategy.
Wildlife surveys are conducted every two years using aircraft, drones, camera traps and ground counts. The most recent census took place in 2025. However, accurately counting species such as snakes and crocodiles remains difficult.
How female elephants lead their families
Akagera’s elephants live in two large family groups, each led by the oldest female, known as the matriarch.
According to Munyaneza, adult males spend much of their time away from the family searching for mates. As a result, females remain with the calves, raising and guiding them.
The matriarch possesses years of accumulated knowledge, including where to find food and water during droughts, how to respond to changing weather conditions and how to avoid danger.
When an elephant family prepares to relocate, the matriarch first dispatches a few males to scout for water and feeding grounds.
Once they locate suitable resources, they communicate back to the herd using infrasound, low-frequency sound waves that humans cannot hear but which elephants can detect over distances of up to 12 kilometres.
This allows the scouting elephants to inform the herd that there is sufficient water and food before the rest of the family, including young calves, begins moving.
The matriarch also coordinates road crossings, signalling when it is safe for the group to proceed.
Bringing plastic into the park can result in a fine
Like other protected areas, Akagera National Park enforces strict rules aimed at protecting wildlife and ensuring visitor safety.
Single-use plastics, including plastic water bottles, disposable plates and similar items, are prohibited inside the park.
Munyaneza explained that discarded plastic prevents rainwater from penetrating the soil and poses a serious threat to wildlife, as animals that ingest plastic often die.
Visitors driving through the park must also remain on designated roads. Leaving the tracks can crush insects, destroy reptile eggs, damage vegetation and disturb fragile habitats. Even driving a short distance off-road can destroy thousands of small organisms that are invisible to the naked eye.
Visitors are also prohibited from approaching animals too closely or disturbing them while resting, as this can frighten wildlife and alter their natural behaviour.
Standing through a vehicle’s sunroof or getting out of the vehicle is equally prohibited. Wild animals are unfamiliar with the full silhouette of a standing human and may either flee or react aggressively. Those who violate these regulations risk both their safety and financial penalties.
Munyaneza said visitors found standing outside or on top of their vehicles may be fined $150 (over Frw200,000) for disturbing wildlife and endangering themselves.
Entry fees and accommodation discounts
The cost of visiting Akagera National Park varies depending on the type of experience visitors choose. Some opt for a day trip, while others stay overnight at one of the lodges within the park. A Rwandan citizen pays Rwf15,000 for a standard day visit.
Vehicle entry fees are $10 for a small vehicle and $20 for a larger vehicle, while international visitors pay $100 for park entry.
The park encourages overnight stays by offering reduced entrance fees for additional nights. This helps spread visitor numbers over several days instead of concentrating them into a single day, reducing traffic and disturbance to wildlife.
Visitors staying overnight do not pay the full entrance fee each day. Instead, they only cover accommodation costs and a reduced conservation fee.
According to Munyaneza, visitors pay 100% of the entrance fee on the first night, 50% on the second, 25% on the third, while stays from the fourth to the seventh night receive free park entry. Established in 1934, Akagera National Park covers approximately 112,000 hectares.
Today, it employs 316 permanent staff and about 512 seasonal workers, reflecting its growing role in both conservation and Rwanda’s tourism industry.
A hippopotamus has large, powerful teeth.Elephants have a remarkable ability to remember.One of the bird species found in Akagera, known as the Black-headed Gonolek.Old buffaloes often move alone.A hippo that left the water to graze on land.A leopard should not be approached carelessly, although spotting one is already a rare experience.Bush pigs, sometimes mistaken by some people pigs, are also found in Akagera National Park.Rhinos are strong animals with a horn on their nose, which they use for defence and fighting.Crocodiles are often hiddenHippos are powerful aquatic animals, although they also come out of the water to graze on land.Hyenas are often spotted in the evening.Without knowing it, one could mistake a buffalo for an unusual-looking cow.Akagera National Park is made up of plains, low hills and lakes.Elephants are among the most respected animals in the park.Elephants crossing the road, with their calf following behind.In the park, all wildlife moves freely, whether birds in the sky, aquatic animals in water, or land animals.Buffaloes are sometimes found gathered in large herds.A lion is known as the king of the jungle.
The UN chief made the appeal at a press encounter, citing an update on El Nino forecasts released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
According to the new forecasts, this summer’s extremes — record-shattering heat domes, apocalyptic wildfires, thousands of lives lost in scorching conditions, record-high global sea-surface temperatures — are only a warm-up act, said Guterres.
El Nino is strengthening, adding fuel to a planet already on fire. The Pacific waters driving the phenomenon have never been this warm this early in an El Nino and temperatures are still rising, he said. “At the same time, WMO’s outlook shows that through October, nearly every land area on Earth is expected to be hotter than normal.”
El Nino does not bring heat alone; it profoundly affects the world’s rainfall. India’s monsoon is already running well below average. Hotter and drier conditions are forecast from Central America and the Caribbean to parts of South America, South Asia, the Southwest Pacific, Europe and Africa, warned Guterres.
“The verdict is clear: the climate crisis is in overdrive,” he said.
The UN chief called for action on four fronts: protect people before heat becomes deadlier, make work safer, build and retrofit for the coming heat, and stop fueling the climate crisis.
Extreme heat is a society-wide threat that demands a government-wide response. Every city and country should have heat-health action plans, early warning systems and public health measures that reach every community in time. And access to sustainable cooling must expand urgently and equitably, he said.
Governments and employers must set heat standards, adjust working hours, and protect incomes when work must stop. Protection from extreme heat must be designed into cities, homes, schools and hospitals, and factored into every plan and public budget, he said.
Guterres warned that every new fossil fuel project approved today makes tomorrow’s heatwaves more dangerous, and the world less secure.
“Today’s findings show that extreme heat is not a future threat. It is here. It is becoming more dangerous. And unless we act — to protect people and tackle the root cause of the crisis — it will become deadlier still,” he said. “The warm-up act is over. We cannot afford to wait for the main event.”
El Nino is strengthening, adding fuel to a planet already on fire.
