She died at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda, where she had been receiving treatment for some time.
News of her passing emerged on Thursday morning. A fellow senator who worked with her told IGIHE that he had recently visited her at the hospital.
Mukabalisa was born in Nyamata, Bugesera District, in July 1960 and later worked as a law lecturer at the Independent University of Kigali (ULK).
She also worked for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where she served for 16 years.
In October 2003, Mukabalisa was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, where she served until 2008. She later became a senator, serving from 2011 to 2013.
In 2013, she returned to the Chamber of Deputies and was elected Speaker, a position she held until 2024. She did not seek re-election after completing the two-term limit.
Mukabalisa also served as President of the Liberal Party (PL), a political party founded on July 14, 1991.
Senator Donatille Mukabalisa, who previously served as Speaker of Rwanda’s Chamber of Deputies, has died.
Rwanda has consistently maintained that the FDLR, a terrorist group founded by perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, poses a direct threat to its security, prompting Kigali to maintain defensive measures along its border with the DRC.
Security analysts say the latest announcement by Kinshasa appears intended to create the impression that the FDLR issue has been resolved, despite concerns that the group continues to strengthen both militarily and politically.
On July 28, 2026, DRC’s Minister for Regional Integration, Floribert Anzuluni, and government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya announced that the FDLR had agreed to lay down its arms, arguing that Rwanda should now withdraw its defensive measures.
The announcement came after Anzuluni visited several African and European countries, where he reportedly shared a proposal prepared by the FDLR and signed by its president, Victor Byiringiro, on May 30, 2026.
“In line with the Washington Accords and the accompanying CONOPS [Concept of Operations ], the FDLR has signed a protocol for disarmament, demobilisation and cantonment through sensitisation,” Muyaya said.
The FDLR issue has been central to negotiations between Rwanda and the DRC, from the Luanda process to the Washington talks.
Rwanda has maintained that once the group is dismantled, it will remove the defensive measures it has put in place. However, no operation to dismantle the group has begun.
Responding on July 29, Amb. Nduhungirehe said the agreement announced by the DRC bears no relation to either the Washington Peace Agreement signed on June 25 or its implementation framework adopted on December 4, 2025.
“The signing of this so-called ‘protocol’ between the father [the Congolese government], the son [the FDLR], and the evil spirit [genocide ideology] is in no way consistent with the Washington Agreements, which make no provision for it. … the genocidal FDLR is not a party to those agreements; rather, it is the subject of them.”
He also reminded the DRC that the Washington Peace Agreement required it to dismantle the FDLR within 90 days, arguing that Kinshasa had failed to meet that commitment and that the latest initiative was intended to distract from, and delay, implementation of the agreement.
The minister further accused the DRC of increasing military cooperation with the FDLR since the implementation framework was signed on December 4, 2025, including integrating members of the group into the Congolese army and reinforcing its political structure.
DRC Government Spokesperson Patrick Muyaya presented the FDLR deal as a solution to the group’s presence, despite ongoing disputes over its implementation.Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, has rejected the DRC’s claim that the latest FDLR agreement falls under the Washington Accords.
As Rwanda continues implementing land use master plans across the country, Nyamagabe District recently approved a detailed land use plan for the Kitabi area bordering Nyungwe National Park. The plan reserves a 10-hectare site specifically for hotel development.
The Kitabi Tourism Zone was officially approved and announced during the Cabinet meeting of November 28, 2025, when the Nyamagabe District Master Plan was adopted.
The initiative is regarded as a major step toward promoting nature-based tourism and attracting private investment to Nyamagabe District, home to one of Rwanda’s most important tourism destinations.
Despite its proximity to Nyungwe National Park, Nyamagabe has long lacked quality accommodation facilities. Most visitors touring the area have traditionally opted to spend the night in Huye District or other neighboring towns due to the limited hotel infrastructure in Nyamagabe, reducing the district’s ability to fully benefit from tourism.
Nyamagabe District Mayor Hildebrand Niyomwungeri said the newly approved master plan officially identifies Kitabi as a hotel development zone and is expected to transform the area by encouraging tourists to stay longer and spend more in the district.
“This will attract investors to build hotels in Kitabi so that visitors entering or leaving Nyungwe National Park can find quality accommodation and places to relax. It will also generate more revenue,” he said.
He added that although no concrete projects have yet been announced, several investors have already expressed interest in the area.
Yves Maniragaba, a tour guide at Nyungwe National Park, said the development is expected to significantly strengthen tourism in Nyamagabe.
“It will increase tourism infrastructure, especially hotels, which will attract more visitors. It will also create jobs, add value to local handicrafts and agricultural products, and encourage healthy competition among hotels that will ultimately improve the quality of services offered to tourists,” he said.
Biodiversity researcher and tourism expert Dr. Ange Imanishimwe, whose work focuses on Nyungwe National Park, told IGIHE that approving the master plan should be accompanied by investments in new tourism attractions within the park itself.
He noted that tourism development efforts around Nyungwe have so far been concentrated largely in Nyamasheke District, while other districts bordering the park, including Nyamagabe, have received comparatively less attention.
“There is still a need to strengthen tourism development on the eastern side of Nyungwe, particularly in Nyamagabe at the park’s entrance. Most visitors to Nyungwe travel from Kigali, but many head straight to Gisakura in Nyamasheke because tourism facilities there are more developed,” he said.
Kitabi is considered one of the areas with strong tourism potential because of its strategic location near Nyungwe National Park, one of Rwanda’s premier protected areas. The park is renowned for its rich biodiversity, including numerous bird and wildlife species, as well as attractions such as the Canopy Walkway and an extensive network of hiking trails that draw visitors from around the world.
Nyungwe National Park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in September 2023. Covering approximately 101,900 hectares, the park is home to 322 bird species, around 200 orchid species, more than 300 butterfly species and a wide variety of other flora and fauna, making it a vital driver of tourism and economic opportunities for surrounding communities.
Nyungwe National Park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023.The Canopy Walk at Nyungwe National Park is one of the park’s most popular attractions, drawing thousands of visitors each year. Nyamagabe District Mayor Hildebrand Niyomwungeri said the approval of the Kitabi master plan has attracted investor interest in developing hotels in the area.Yves Maniragaba said increased investment in hotels at Kitabi would significantly improve local livelihoods. The shortage of quality accommodation in Kitabi has forced many visitors to seek lodging in neighboring districts after touring Nyungwe National Park.Environmental and biodiversity expert Dr. Ange Imanishimwe said hotel development in Kitabi should go hand in hand with expanding tourist attractions within Nyungwe National Park.
The exhibition will immerse visitors in the world of Rwanda by highlighting its cultural heritage, traditions, breathtaking landscapes, and the many facets of its identity. Through his paintings, Ngaboyisonga offers an artistic perspective on the country’s history and the values that have shaped generations of Rwandans.
In an interview with IGIHE, the artist explained that this exhibition, his first solo exhibition, marks an important milestone in his artistic journey.
“It is a great honor and a great joy for me to present this collection of paintings at the Museum für Kunst in Rockenhausen. Every artwork on display is inspired by the history, traditions, landscapes, and cultural heritage of Rwanda, the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills,’” he said.
According to the artist, the collection tells stories of identity, dignity, resilience, and community.
“The symbols, colors, and cultural elements featured in my works reflect the deep respect I have for the values that have shaped generations of Rwandans and continue to inspire my artistic journey,” he added.
Ngaboyisonga also expressed his hope that the exhibition will give visitors not only the opportunity to discover his artistic universe, but also to gain a deeper appreciation of Rwanda’s rich cultural heritage and the universal values that bring people together.
The artist further emphasized that art is a powerful means of preserving memory, transmitting history, sharing knowledge, and fostering dialogue among people from different cultural backgrounds.
The official opening ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, August 2, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Museum für Kunst. The event will feature traditional music and dance performances by Josée Uwamahirwe and Evelyne Uwase, accompanied by their group, offering visitors an immersive experience of Rwandan culture by combining visual arts with music.
The exhibition will remain open to the public until August 30, 2026, daily from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The event is organized by Luise Busch in collaboration with Kahnweiler Arbeitskreis – Kultur Extra, with the support of the Mayor of Rockenhausen, Michael Vettermann.
Ngaboyisonga and the organizers have warmly invited art enthusiasts, admirers of Rwandan culture, members of the Rwandan diaspora in Germany and across Europe, as well as the general public, to visit the exhibition.
“Through this exhibition, I wish to introduce the true Rwanda to the German people, a country with a remarkable history, a rich culture, magnificent landscapes, and values that define us as Rwandans.
“The exhibition is also intended to serve as a bridge between cultures, reminding us that art remains a universal language capable of bringing people together, fostering dialogue, and strengthening friendship between nations,” the artist concluded.
Paintings inspired by Rwanda’s history, traditions, landscapes, and cultural heritage will be displayed throughout the month-long exhibition in Germany.The exhibition “Rwanda: The Land of a Thousand Hills, Home to a Thousand Stories” will present Rwanda’s cultural heritage through the works of Émile Ngaboyisonga.Rwandan artist Émile Ngaboyisonga will showcase paintings inspired by Rwanda’s history, culture, traditions, and landscapes during his solo exhibition in Germany.Evelyne Uwase and her group will perform traditional Rwandan music and dance during the opening of the exhibition at the Museum für Kunst.Traditional music and dance performances by Josée Uwamahirwe will be part of the official opening ceremony of the Rwanda-themed exhibition in Germany.Émile Ngaboyisonga says his first solo exhibition is intended to introduce audiences to Rwanda’s history, cultural heritage, and national values.The exhibition is intended to serve as a bridge between cultures, highlighting art as a universal language that brings people together and strengthens friendship between nations.The collection tells stories of identity, dignity, resilience, and community through art.The month-long exhibition will invite visitors to discover Rwanda’s rich cultural, historical, and human heritage through the paintings of Émile Ngaboyisonga.
According to UNESCO, the newly inscribed properties comprise 19 cultural sites, five natural sites and one mixed site, bringing the total number of World Heritage properties to 1,273.
Three properties were inscribed under an emergency procedure: the Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape in South Sudan, the Mount Amel Castles in Lebanon and Sebastia in Palestine. All three were also among the six sites added to the List of World Heritage in Danger this year.
“The use of this mechanism for three sites in a single session underscores the growing number of heritage properties under threat in regions affected by conflict and instability, and reflects the Committee’s determination to extend international protection and recognition before it is too late,” UNESCO said.
The session also marked the first World Heritage inscriptions for Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe, and South Sudan. As a result, the number of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention without a World Heritage property has fallen to 23 out of the Convention’s 196 States Parties.
One of the highlights of the session was the inscription of the Beaches of the D-Day Landings, Normandy, 1944, in France as a site of memory. Since 2023, the World Heritage List has included this category to recognize places associated with events that countries and their communities wish to commemorate. The serial property, comprising six component parts stretching about 80 km along the Normandy coast, was inscribed in recognition of its association with the Allied landings on June 6, 1944 — the opening phase of Operation Overlord, which marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II.
The Committee also inscribed several notable cultural properties, including China’s Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites. Located in east China’s Jiangxi Province, the property comprises five component areas that together illustrate the development of Jingdezhen’s handcrafted porcelain industry from the 10th to the 19th century. The inscription fills a long-standing gap on the World Heritage List for porcelain heritage and brings the total number of World Heritage properties in China to 61.
The World Heritage Committee is one of the two governing bodies of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. It is responsible for implementing the Convention, examining nominations for inscription on the World Heritage List, and monitoring the conservation status of inscribed properties.
Photo taken on March 22, 2017 shows a view of Nabi Yahyia mosque near the Roman historical site of Sebastia village, north of the West Bank city of Nablus. (Xinhua/Ayman Nobani)
“U.S. and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in a strong response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours,” the command said on X, referring to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).
“The unwarranted attacks against U.S. forces were not successful,” it said.
Noting that Iran-aligned militias in Iraq had conducted more than 600 attempted attacks on U.S. citizens and facilities from February through April, the command warned that the IRGC and its “proxies” must cease such attacks or face further U.S. military response.
Shortly after the release of the statement, an explosion struck the headquarters of Iraq’s paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces, according to media reports.
Tuesday’s strikes came amid heightened tensions following months of U.S.-Iran hostilities, during which alleged Iraqi attacks on U.S. forces in the country and elsewhere in the region have been reported.
US and Saudi warplanes carried out strikes on Tuesday against Iran-backed militants in Iraq who launched more than two dozen drone attacks in recent days, the US military said.
The President made the remarks on July 28, 2026, while meeting with the 16th cohort of Itorero Indangamirwa, the civic and national values training program for Rwandan youth, organized by the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement at Gabiro Combat Training Centre.
This year’s program has close to 800 participating youth between the ages of 18-23 including Rwandans living abroad, and students from across high schools and higher learning institutions in Rwanda.
Kagame explained to the young people the difficult history Rwanda went through, including the displacement of thousands of Rwandans who fled the country from 1959 following waves of violence targeting sections of the population.
“Unlike you, I did not have the opportunity to start from where you are, being told that there is Itorero and learning what happens there. No, I never attended Itorero. Where I got my lessons was not called Itorero,” Kagame said.
He explained that he lived in Uganda from the age of four or five because of these historical circumstances and began searching for solutions when he was around 20 or 21 years old. By the age of 23, he said, he met others who shared the same concerns and joined efforts to address the issue.
Kagame urged the youth to start thinking early about their interests and those of their families and country, commending them for choosing to attend Itorero, a programme aimed at instilling values among Rwandans.
During the interaction, the President asked the Indangamirwa participants whether they had learned how to accurately use firearms. After they responded that they had, he told them that weapons should only be used when necessary and not against every situation.
He said: “Everything has its time. When the time has not come to resort to weapons, there is no reason to use them. When that time comes, it does not come because of one individual alone.
“It comes when people’s rights have been taken away, when they have been pushed as far as we were pushed, and when they seek other ways to resolve the problem but those options fail. Then it becomes a matter of saying: ‘Now you know? We are going to fight over this.’”
Kagame said that when one person denies another person their rights and prevents a country from living in peace, the first step should be to seek dialogue and peace. However, if that fails, he said, the use of force may become necessary, citing the Rwanda Patriotic Army’s (RPA) liberation struggle that began on October 1, 1990.
He recalled that while he and his colleagues were refugees, they believed they should not remain in exile. However, he said officials from the Habyarimana government who came to Uganda argued that Rwanda was too small to accommodate all refugees returning home.
“But the country is small. These people don’t have a place,” Kagame said.
President Kagame said it was inconceivable that Rwandan refugees could be denied the right to return to their own country while the Habyarimana government believed they, and even their descendants, would remain in exile indefinitely despite having a homeland.
He explained that at the start of the liberation struggle, he told those fighting alongside him that he did not blame the country that had given them refuge, even if it had treated them unfairly, but instead held responsible the government that had refused to allow them to return home.
“My problem was with the person who was supposed to determine my rights in my own country and denied me those rights. That was the person we had to confront, and that is what happened,” Kagame said.
“I would not start a war against those who had hosted us because they had not given us something or had denied us something.
“No. They were free to give us what they wished or not, even if one might consider it unfair. The real responsibility lay with the person who had denied you peace in your own country.
Kagame told the youth that one of the important lessons they should learn is how to defend their rights and understand that no one should dictate how they should live or determine how Rwandans should live.
The Indangamirwa programme brings together young Rwandans to strengthen patriotism, leadership skills and national values.President Paul Kagame addresses the 16th cohort of Itorero Indangamirwa during a session at Gabiro Combat Training Centre.Nearly 800 young Rwandans, including students and youth from the diaspora, are taking part in the 16th Indangamirwa training programme.
Its chairman, Xiang Wenbo, sees that as a floor rather than a ceiling.
“I think this is only the beginning. There are still huge opportunities ahead,” Xiang said in a recent interview with Xinhua in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
Sany’s trajectory tracks a broader shift in China-Africa economic ties, moving beyond the export of goods toward industrial presence on the ground — in infrastructure, clean energy, servicing networks, and workforce training.
Taking root
Xiang has lost count of how many times he has visited Africa since Sany first entered the continent more than two decades ago. He said he is drawn to the continent’s unspoiled character and the beauty of its natural environment.
What has changed, in his telling, is the built environment. Infrastructure across Africa has been transformed over the past decade, he said, “especially in Kenya, where the change is striking. So I believe Africa is now in a very good period of development.”
The commercial case has moved with it. China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce, and the stock of Chinese direct investment on the continent continues to grow. Beyond capital and equipment, Xiang argued, Chinese firms have brought technology transfer and supply-chain depth that turn industrialization plans into productive capacity.
Many of those firms have become significant taxpayers and employers in their host countries, he said.
“We have created a lot of local jobs. We directly employ more than 1,000 people here, and we have sold more than 40,000 machines in Africa over the years. Most of the operators were trained by us, which means we have trained a large number of industrial workers,” Xiang said.
“We have established sales and service operations, including repair centers, in almost every African country. Those skilled service personnel are, in effect, the foundation of Africa’s modern manufacturing industry in the future.”
That picture is broadly consistent with outside assessments. A McKinsey study of Chinese enterprises in Africa found that local staff account for close to 90 percent of their workforce.
Roads first
Drawing on China’s own development experience — captured in the saying that to get rich, you build roads first — Xiang argued that infrastructure must be built with foresight and should never become a bottleneck on growth.
By that standard, he said, Africa’s build-out “is still far from sufficient, and there is a great deal Chinese companies can do.”
He pointed to the cost of moving goods. “Logistics here is still very inadequate, and because of logistics, many things in Africa remain expensive,” he said, noting that a road journey in some major African cities can take more than 14 hours. “That would be unimaginable in China.”
The gap is well documented. The African Development Bank estimates the continent’s annual infrastructure financing shortfall at between 68 billion and 108 billion dollars, and infrastructure deficits are widely identified as a principal constraint on Africa’s competitiveness and on realizing the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
A white paper issued by China’s State Council Information Office, “China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals,” says Chinese companies have built or upgraded more than 10,000 km of railways and nearly 100,000 km of roads in Africa and helped create over 4.5 million local jobs.
Africa’s transport and network infrastructure remains nowhere near complete, Xiang concluded, so concerns about over-building are beside the point.
A crane hoists a container at Port Reitz Station on the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Mombasa, Kenya, July 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)
Two revolutions
Looking ahead, Xiang said Chinese companies should shift from exporting products to exporting industry, helping African partners build modern management practices and industrial systems. China and Africa pursuing modernization together, with no country left behind, is “a very large undertaking,” he said.
He sees a particular opening in timing. The fourth industrial revolution, driven by artificial intelligence, is unfolding alongside a clean energy revolution led by wind and solar, he said. The overlap gives latecomer economies a historic chance to leapfrog older technologies.
Sany is pursuing a strategic transition centered on new energy, promoting green mining, microgrids, and utility-scale solar to cut African mining operations’ reliance on costly conventional power. Last year, the company donated 500 household solar systems to Malawi.
Xiang acknowledged that the operating environment is not without friction, citing logistics costs, financing constraints, and the long lead times required to build service networks from scratch.
As Europe and the United States turn to non-market measures to shield domestic industries, he added, third-party markets are becoming the main arena of competition. The long-standing relationship between China and Africa offers a comparatively stable environment for two-way trade and investment, he said, and that is where Chinese firms’ durable advantage lies.
Sany’s African story began in 2002 with two motor graders delivered to Morocco. Nearly a quarter of a century later, its machines work across the continent.
“The real curtain,” Xiang said, “is only now going up.”
Workers work at an industrial park of Sany, China’s leading heavy equipment manufacturer, in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, May 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
On Saturday, the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, marking global recognition of a living tradition that remains a treasured gem of Chinese civilization.
The inscription also reflects China’s years of efforts to preserve and make alive this centuries-old craft — a cause that Chinese President Xi Jinping has consistently championed.
Passing on
Porcelain has been widely taken as one of the most representative symbol of Chinese civilization. For years, Xi has remained deeply committed to China’s cultural heritage and emphasized its preservation as a way to promote the finest traditional Chinese culture.
In October 2023, Xi visited Jingdezhen, globally renowned as the “Porcelain Capital,” where the glow of kiln fires has illuminated 2,000 years of ceramic history. At the Taoyangli Historical and Cultural Block, he toured the Nanlu Ruins, the Ceramic Museum, and the Ming and Qing Dynasty (1368-1911) kiln complex, learning about the intricate processes and cultural legacy behind the city’s celebrated porcelain craft.
During the visit, Xi met Sun Lixin, a fourth-generation craftsman carrying forward his family’s porcelain-making tradition. Admiring the craftsmanship, Xi asked, “Do you paint according to a design, or do you rely on your sense of touch?”
“It’s all in my heart,” Sun replied.
“Devoting one’s entire life to a single craft, with generations of a family committed to the same pursuit, is no simple undertaking,” Xi said.
“The fine traditional culture passed down by our ancestors is something we must continue to hold in our hands, adapt to the times, and carry forward,” he added.
Xi’s long-standing commitment to preserving Chinese porcelain culture can be traced back to his years working in east China’s Zhejiang province in the early 2000s, when he placed great importance on protecting and promoting the country’s rich ceramic heritage.
Xi made several visits to Longquan, a city in southwestern Zhejiang known for its centuries-old celadon tradition. He emphasized that Longquan celadon was a Chinese cultural treasure and called for the establishment of a museum to preserve and showcase this valuable heritage.
In 2009, the museum was officially opened. That same year, the traditional firing techniques of Longquan celadon were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Longquan would become one illustration of a much broader agenda. Over the years, Xi has made cultural heritage protection a recurring theme of his domestic inspections, visiting sites ranging from the Forbidden City and the Grand Canal to Jiayuguan Pass and the Yin Ruins. With his push, more Chinese cultural sites have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
“Protecting, preserving and making good use of these invaluable treasures is our shared responsibility,” Xi once said. “It is also essential to ensuring the continuity of human civilization and advancing sustainable development around the world.”
Traversing civilizations
Beyond its artistic value, porcelain has long served as a bridge fostering mutual learning among civilizations. Through the ancient Silk Road, porcelain vases, jars and bowls adorned the royal courts of Europe, becoming collectors’ highly coveted items.
For Xi, porcelain is more than a craft; it is a cultural ambassador that carries China’s artistic traditions and civilizational heritage to the world. From presenting porcelain as state gifts to foreign dignitaries to showcasing historic masterpieces at major international gatherings, Xi has used the timeless art form to tell the story of China’s rich cultural legacy.
In May 2019, Xi highlighted a rare Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) blue-and-white porcelain vase to foreign leaders while touring a cultural exhibition ahead of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations held in Beijing.
He noted that very few blue-and-white porcelain vases from the Yuan Dynasty have survived, describing the precious artifact as “the panda of ceramics.”
Xi, on many occasions, has also used porcelain to illustrate the transformative power of exchanges between civilizations. In a signed article published ahead of his state visit to Portugal in 2018, Xi wrote, “China’s blue and white porcelain, which was first shipped to Portugal centuries ago, inspired a fusion of Chinese and local techniques, producing a unique form of art Azulejo.”
Chinese ceramics have had a wide influence on art throughout the world and the artistic trends in the West, like Europe, and other places, said Jad Tabet, a Franco-Lebanese architect and former representative to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
The enduring vitality of China’s ceramic art and the global growth of the porcelain industry offer a vivid example of how civilizational exchange can promote common development and progress. As Xi once noted in a speech at UNESCO headquarters, civilizations have become richer and more colorful with exchanges and mutual learning.
“Such exchanges and mutual learning form an important drive for human progress and global peace and development,” he said.
This combo photo shows porcelain wares unearthed from the imperial kiln site in Jingdezhen, east China’s Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua)This file photo taken on Aug. 28, 2024 shows a craftsman making the clay body on the wheel at a studio in Jingdezhen, east China’s Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)
The demonstrations were organized by civil society organizations operating in the two cities, which are under the control of AFC/M23. Organizers described the sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council on AFC/M23 Coordinator Corneille Nangaa, the coalition’s intelligence chief, Col. Nzenze Imani, and MRDP Twirwaneho commander Brig. Gen. Charles Sematama as biased.
The civil society groups also accused President Tshisekedi of seeking to remain in power beyond the constitutional two-term limit by changing the Constitution. They argued that his administration has failed to govern effectively and called for him to step down in favor of new leadership.
Ahead of the demonstrations, on July 27, representatives of the civil society organizations formally notified the mayors of Goma and Bukavu, requesting authorization to hold the protests and ensure the safety of participants. Local authorities reportedly assured them that security would be provided.
Following days of mobilization, large crowds gathered in both cities, with demonstrators expressing support for AFC/M23 and seeking to show that areas under the coalition’s control have remained peaceful since early last year. Protesters contrasted the security situation in those areas with territories controlled by the Kinshasa government.
Many demonstrators carried placards denouncing President Tshisekedi’s administration, the long-running attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Beni, North Kivu Province, and military operations by the Congolese government in Minembwe Commune in South Kivu Province.
Some banners read, “We reject the UN sanctions imposed on AFC/M23 members without any valid justification.” Others claimed that since AFC/M23 took control of Goma and Bukavu, the cities have become more secure and united, with improved access to clean water, electricity and continued development.
In Goma, protesters displayed banners stating: “We, the people of North Kivu Province, reject the constitutional amendment project and the Kinshasa government’s actions aimed at destabilizing areas where AFC/M23 has restored security.”
Speaking during the protest in Bukavu, one civil society representative said the demonstrators opposed constitutional changes and wanted peace through dialogue.
“We are demonstrating because we reject any amendment to the Constitution and we want peace. We want negotiations to begin as soon as possible so that lasting peace can be achieved,” she said.
She also criticized the UN sanctions, saying: “How can you sanction a citizen in a sovereign country? It is unacceptable for this to happen to a Congolese citizen who is fighting for his rights, seeking peace and advocating peaceful coexistence.”
North Kivu Deputy Governor Manzi Willy expressed support for the demonstrations, arguing that what he described as one-sided sanctions would not contribute to peace in the DRC.
“A conflict involves two parties, yet only one continues to face punitive measures while the other is spared comparable scrutiny,” Manzi said.
“Such an approach is unlikely to advance peace; it risks deepening divisions and undermining confidence in the negotiation process.”
Demonstrators display banners during protests against Tshisekedi and sanctions targeting AFC/M23 leaders.Civil society-led protests in Goma and Bukavu draw thousands opposing Tshisekedi’s policies and UN sanctions on AFC/M23.Demonstrators expressing support for AFC/M23 and seeking to show that areas under the coalition’s control have remained peaceful since early last year.
