The decision was announced on Tuesday, September 22, in a joint statement issued by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe and Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation Maxime Prévot.
The ministers issued the statement on the sidelines of the ongoing 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States.
The two sides said their embassies will reopen in the “near future”. As an initial step, each mission will be headed by a chargé d’affaires ad interim, supported by a diplomat or consular officer and a small technical support team.
The two countries will subsequently begin the process of appointing ambassadors. Rwanda’s ambassador to Belgium will also be accredited to the European Union, according to the statement.
The restoration follows a series of meetings and informal contacts between Nduhungirehe and Prévot in recent months, during which the two sides said they addressed a number of differences and misunderstandings in a constructive spirit.
The two ministers expressed their gratitude to Qatar for facilitating their first meeting in Doha in June 2025.
Rwanda and Belgium said they would maintain “an open, candid and transparent dialogue” as they work to address bilateral differences and divergent positions on international issues.
They also agreed on “non-interference, mutual respect, and constructive engagement” as principles that will guide their future bilateral relations.
The statement said the two countries recognise dialogue as “essential for addressing bilateral differences and discussing divergent positions and outstanding disagreements on international issues.”
Rwanda severed diplomatic ties with Belgium on March 17, 2025, accusing Brussels of taking sides in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and of systematically mobilising against Rwanda in international forums.
Rwanda also accused Belgium of seeking to undermine the country and the region in pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions.
The dispute came amid tensions over the conflict in eastern DRC, where Rwanda has faced accusations of supporting the M23 rebel group. Kigali has consistently denied the allegations.
Rwanda has instead maintained that its main security concern is the collaboration between the Congolese government and the FDLR, an armed group composed of remnants of perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The restoration of diplomatic relations reopens formal channels between Kigali and Brussels after more than a year of strained relations.
The restoration follows a series of meetings and informal contacts between Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe and Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Prévot, in recent months, during which the two sides said they addressed a number of differences and misunderstandings in a constructive spirit.
Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa, outlined the plans during a panel at the Unstoppable Africa 2026 forum in New York on September 21, held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Akamanzi explained that the BAL had spent its first six seasons proving that a credible professional basketball competition could be built and sustained on the continent.
The focus is now shifting towards creating opportunities for African and global investors to own BAL teams permanently.
“We’re now going to a more permanent structure where we’re giving and exploring opportunities for African investors and other global investors to own teams permanently, in perpetuity, in the BAL, backed by the NBA and FIBA,” Akamanzi stated during the panel, titled “Real Value from the Field: Protecting and Profiting from Africa’s Talent Pipeline,” and moderated by WNBA All-Star and broadcaster Chiney Ogwumike.
She revealed that NBA Africa is already seeing interest from investors, including those on the continent, who are exploring team ownership as a commercial opportunity.
The move comes as the BAL seeks to deepen its business ecosystem beyond the games themselves, with opportunities spanning team ownership, sponsorship, media, hospitality, transport, aviation, security and digital services.
Akamanzi pointed to the league’s first six seasons as a proof of concept, demonstrating that African audiences are willing to consume professional basketball and that companies on the continent are increasingly prepared to invest in the sport.
“We showed that Africans are actually ready to consume sport,” she remarked, pointing to the growing audience for the BAL in countries including Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal, Morocco and Egypt.
She also highlighted the league’s growing corporate base, noting that it finished the previous season with 22 marketing partners, mostly African brands.
Media partnerships have also expanded around the competition, with broadcasters including Canal+ helping distribute BAL games to audiences across the continent.
The economic impact of the league has been significant. NBA Africa estimates that the first four BAL seasons generated $250 million in GDP across the countries where games were hosted and contributed to 37,000 jobs.
Akamanzi reiterated that the league’s longer-term expansion could increase its estimated economic contribution to $5.4 billion in GDP and 650,000 jobs within a decade.
For Akamanzi, the next challenge is to turn the league’s growing audience and commercial interest into a deeper ownership structure that allows African investors to participate directly in the value created by the sport.
“It’s really looking at the game beyond the court,” she emphasised, arguing that investment in sports also creates opportunities across the wider economy.
Simon Tiemtore, founder, chairman and CEO of Lilium Capital Group and chairman of Vista Bank Group, backed the push for greater African ownership, pointing to the difficulty many investors face in entering the sports business.
Tiemtore disclosed that he was working with NBA Africa and Afreximbank through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme to create financing structures that could enable more Africans to own teams.
“It’s expensive to get in, to have an entry point,” Tiemtore noted. “So with Afreximbank, we created some sort of structure financing program to essentially enable more Africans to own their own team and their own destiny.”
He also cited his investment in E1, the electric powerboat racing championship, where he co-owns Team Drogba Global Africa with partners including Afreximbank.
Kingsley Pungong, executive chairman of Rainbow World Group, stressed that private investment alone would not be enough to build a sustainable sports industry.
He called for African governments to place sports at the centre of economic policy and invest in the infrastructure needed to support professional leagues.
“You need infrastructure. You need enshrined policy,” Pungong argued, noting that athletes will continue to move to markets offering stronger commercial opportunities unless African countries build ecosystems capable of retaining and rewarding talent.
He pointed to Saudi Arabia, China and the United States as examples of markets where long-term investment, infrastructure and government support have helped build powerful sports ecosystems.
Tiemtore also called for stronger financial services tailored to African athletes, including banking, wealth management and investment products that can help athletes preserve and reinvest wealth generated abroad.
He noted that many African sporting stars use financial institutions outside the continent and argued that African banks should develop products that allow athletes to manage their earnings and invest back home.
The economic impact of the league has been significant. NBA Africa estimates that the first four BAL seasons generated $250 million in GDP across the countries where games were hosted and contributed to 37,000 jobs.Akamanzi pointed to the league’s first six seasons as a proof of concept, demonstrating that African audiences are willing to consume professional basketball and that companies on the continent are increasingly prepared to invest in the sport.
IremboGov, Rwanda AI Scaling Hub and Digital Umuganda are among the initial signatories backing the five-year commitment, which brings together technology companies, researchers, governments, philanthropic organizations and community groups from around the world.
The initiative was announced in New York on September 21, with the signatories calling for broader collaboration to make AI tools more effective and accessible in the languages and voices people use in their daily lives.
Other signatories include Amazon, Anthropic, Gates Foundation, Google, Microsoft, Mistral, NVIDIA, UNICEF, World Bank Group, OpenAI Foundation and Zoom.
Closing AI’s language gap
There are roughly 7,000 languages spoken around the world, but only a small proportion are considered sufficiently resourced to support strong AI capabilities.
Many languages have limited representation in the datasets, tools and benchmarks used to develop and evaluate AI systems. This can result in AI tools that are less accurate or useful for speakers of those languages.
The challenge also extends beyond written text. The coalition says voice-based AI can be particularly important in communities where typing or text-based interfaces are less practical.
Dialects, slang, idioms and cultural context can also affect how AI systems understand and respond to people, creating risks when accuracy is important, including in areas such as health, education, agriculture, financial services and public services.
The coalition’s five-year goal is to make AI tools available in the languages and voices of an estimated 3.4 billion people whose languages are currently underrepresented in AI models.
Four areas of focus
The participating signatories will work across four main areas.
The first is developing an open language layer, including shared and safe data infrastructure that AI developers can use under open licences.
The second is developing assessments and benchmarks to track whether AI systems are making measurable progress in supporting more languages.
The third involves turning language data into models and applications that can be used by AI developers, including those without the resources to build such systems independently.
The fourth focuses on ensuring that the technology reaches people responsibly, with attention to privacy, consent and data sovereignty.
The coalition builds on existing work by organizations developing datasets, language models, benchmarks and AI applications for languages that have received less attention in the development of AI.
Rwanda’s role
Rwanda’s participation brings together entities working across digital public services, AI development and the country’s broader digital transformation ecosystem.
IremboGov operates Rwanda’s digital government services platform, through which citizens and residents can access a wide range of public services online. Its participation connects the initiative to Rwanda’s experience using digital technology to make government services more accessible.
The Rwanda AI Scaling Hub supports the development and adoption of AI in Rwanda, while Digital Umuganda works to expand digital skills, access and participation in technology, particularly at the community level. Both are among the Rwandan signatories to the commitment.
Their participation places Rwanda alongside major technology companies, research institutions, governments and development organizations working to expand the reach of AI.
The coalition says its detailed governance structure and workstreams will be developed collaboratively over the coming year. The participating signatories will contribute according to their respective expertise and capabilities.
The initiative also invites additional participants across the global AI ecosystem to join the effort and contribute resources, research, technology or implementation expertise.
Digital Umuganda, one of the signatories, works to expand digital skills, access to technology and participation in the digital economy, particularly at the community level.
The Burkinabé says he does not want their marital problems to become a media war, but believes some questions should be answered through evidence and the appropriate legal processes.
In an interview with IGIHE, Idrissa discussed how his relationship with Vestine began, why he decided to marry her, problems that emerged after she travelled to Canada, allegations involving other women, questions surrounding their child and his decision to request a DNA test.
Idrissa declined to do a video interview. Instead, he responded in writing to 15 questions from IGIHE.
Throughout his responses, he avoided making accusations against Vestine or other people, repeatedly stressing that he did not want to litigate their personal disputes through the media.
“I am not interested in winning a public argument against my wife. I am interested in having the facts properly established and in handling this situation with dignity,” he said.
Vestine and Ouédraogo married on July 5, 2025, after their relationship became public. The couple had earlier formalised their union through a civil marriage.
‘I entered the marriage sincerely’
Idrissa said his relationship with Vestine developed gradually before they decided to build a life together.
“Vestine and I met and, over time, our relationship developed into something serious. We shared important moments together and eventually decided to build a life as husband and wife,” he said.
He declined to discuss how they first met, saying he did not want to turn their personal history into a public dispute.
“What I can say is that, at the time we made the decision to marry, I genuinely believed in our relationship and in the future we were building together,” he said.
A person familiar with the couple’s relationship told IGIHE that the two first became acquainted through social media.
According to the source, Idrissa was living in China and had posted a song by Vestine and Dorcas on his status. One of his followers reportedly told him they could introduce him to the musicians.
Asked why he decided to marry Vestine, Idrissa said the decision was not made lightly.
“Marriage is not a decision I took lightly. I believed that we had a relationship worth building on and that we could create a family together,” he said.
“I entered the marriage sincerely and with the intention of making it work. Whatever difficulties have arisen since then should not change the sincerity with which I entered that commitment.”
Wedding photos and the problems that followed
Photos from the couple’s wedding have been widely discussed on social media, with some users interpreting Idrissa’s expression as a sign that he was unhappy.
He rejected that interpretation.
“A photograph captures a moment, not an entire relationship,” he said.
“I don’t think someone’s facial expression in a few photographs can reasonably establish what was happening in their marriage. There were many emotions surrounding that day, and I would not want people to draw conclusions about our relationship based on photographs alone.”
Idrissa said the early months of the marriage involved both good moments and challenges.
“Like many marriages, we had good moments as well as challenges. From my perspective, I was committed to the marriage and to resolving difficulties privately whenever possible,” he noted.
He said the situation became more complicated after Vestine travelled to Canada.
“From my perspective, there was nothing at the beginning that I would describe as a major conflict between us. We had our normal challenges as a couple, but we continued moving forward with our marriage and our plans as a family,” he said.
“The situation changed later, particularly after Vestine travelled to Canada. That is when circumstances became more complicated and certain questions and misunderstandings arose.”
He declined to discuss the details, citing ongoing legal and family matters.
A person close to Idrissa told IGIHE that disagreements emerged after Vestine arrived in Canada and began staying in the same house as Murindahabi Irene, despite arrangements for them to stay separately.
Court documents show that on December 4, 2025, lawyers representing Idrissa filed a complaint with investigators, including allegations related to Vestine’s trip to Canada and Murindahabi’s alleged role in it.
Among the evidence examined were messages Idrissa sent to Irene. In one, he agreed that Vestine should remain in Canada because she was pregnant. In another, he later asked that Vestine return to Rwanda.
The prosecution said the two messages contradicted each other. The issue also featured in the decision concerning a complaint alleging “abandonment of the matrimonial home.”
Vestine wants her marriage to Idrissa dissolved.
Allegations involving other women
Vestine has also alleged in her divorce filings that Idrissa had relationships with other women and that two women became pregnant by him.
Idrissa acknowledged the allegations but declined to address them in detail.
“I am aware of those allegations, but I would like to be very careful because these are serious personal allegations,” he stated.
“There are different versions of events, and I don’t believe a public interview is the appropriate place to litigate those matters. Where there are specific facts that need to be established, I am prepared to address them through the appropriate legal channels.”
Asked whether he has two children outside the marriage, he again declined to confirm or deny the claim.
“I don’t want to make statements in the media that could later be taken out of context or affect ongoing proceedings,” he said.
Asked specifically about claims that he had a romantic relationship with Last Sandra, Idrissa also declined to comment.
“I’m aware of the claims circulating publicly, but I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to comment on private matters or unverified allegations in the media,” he stressed.
On whether communication with other women contributed to problems in the marriage, Idrissa said he did not believe responsibility could be assigned to one person or event.
“Every marriage can be affected by communication, trust and misunderstandings, but I don’t think it would be fair for me to place the entire responsibility for the breakdown of a marriage on one person or one event,” he remarked.
Why did he request a DNA test?
One of the most contentious issues concerns the child Vestine gave birth to in Canada.
Court documents show that Idrissa filed a complaint alleging that Vestine refused to inform him that she had given birth and denied him access to the child.
The case file also records statements Vestine made to an investigator. She reportedly said one of the issues between her and Idrissa was that he “does not accept the child.” The file also records her allegation that Idrissa linked her to Murindahabi.
Those are statements attributed to Vestine during the investigation and are not presented in the case file as established facts.
Idrissa said his decision to seek legal clarification was about establishing his position as a father.
“My decision to seek legal clarification was not intended to create a public confrontation. It was about obtaining clarity regarding my position as a father and ensuring that the relevant questions concerning the child are addressed properly,” he revealed.
Asked what prompted him to request a DNA test, he said there were circumstances that left him with unanswered questions.
“Rather than making accusations publicly, I chose to seek an objective and lawful way of obtaining clarity,” he said.
“For me, a DNA test is not about humiliating anyone or attacking anyone. It is about establishing facts where there are unresolved questions.”
As the dispute continued to circulate on social media, some reports also linked questions about the child’s paternity to Murindahabi Irene, who works with Vestine on music projects.
Idrissa declined to speculate about her involvement.
“I have seen and heard various things circulating publicly, but I don’t believe it would be responsible for me to speculate about another person’s involvement or repeat unverified information,” he said.
“I have no intention of accusing or implicating anyone based on rumours. If there is a question that needs to be established, it should be established through evidence and the appropriate process.”
‘I don’t want to attack her publicly’
Vestine has publicly described experiencing difficult moments during the marriage and said she was hurt by what happened.
Idrissa said he did not want to dismiss her feelings.
“If she experienced pain or felt hurt, I respect that those are her feelings and her perspective,” he said.
At the same time, he said their experiences of the marriage were not identical.
“My experience of the marriage and of what happened is not identical to hers. That is precisely why I believe it is important that both sides are heard before conclusions are reached.”
He said he had no desire to attack his wife publicly.
“She is someone with whom I shared an important part of my life, and I would prefer to speak about the situation with dignity,” he said.
Could they reconcile?
Idrissa did not rule out the possibility of rebuilding the marriage, but said he did not want to make promises about the future.
“At this stage, I think it is more important to deal responsibly with the issues that are already before us rather than make promises or predictions about the future,” he noted.
He said reconciliation would require honesty, mutual respect, trust and willingness from both sides to address the problems that led to the current situation.
“For now, my priority is to handle the situation calmly and responsibly, particularly where the child and the legal proceedings are concerned,” he said.
Idrissa urged people not to draw conclusions based solely on social media, rumours or one side of the story.
“There are important parts of this situation that the public does not know, and there are matters that I cannot discuss fully because of the ongoing legal and family proceedings,” he remarked.
“I am not interested in winning a public argument against my wife. I am interested in having the facts properly established and in handling this situation with dignity.”
He also urged the public to consider the impact of the dispute on their child.
“Behind the headlines there are real human beings and, most importantly, a child. Whatever disagreements exist between adults, the child’s interests should remain at the centre of the matter,” he pleaded.
“I don’t want to fight this matter through the media. Where there are allegations, I am prepared to answer with facts and evidence through the appropriate channels.”
Vestine has publicly described experiencing difficult moments during the marriage and said she was hurt by what happened.
The agreements were signed in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, and his Togolese counterpart, Prof. Robert Dussey.
The agreements include a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations, a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a Joint Commission for Cooperation, and a Framework Agreement for Cooperation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the agreements will further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.
The new agreements build on growing Rwanda-Togo ties in areas including trade, transport, mobility and regional diplomacy.
In January 2026, Rwanda and Togo signed a reciprocal visa exemption agreement covering all passport categories. The deal was intended to facilitate movement between the two countries and support tourism and trade.
The two countries also have an air services framework dating back to 2018, providing a basis for air connectivity between Kigali and Lomé, including operations involving RwandAir and Togo-based ASKY Airlines.
Rwanda and Togo have exchanged technical expertise in transport, including public transport regulation, cashless payment systems and fleet management. Rwanda has also engaged with Togo on maritime logistics and port management through the Port of Lomé.
The two countries have maintained diplomatic engagement on regional peace and security, including issues concerning the Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider Great Lakes region.
Nduhungirehe is in New York for UNGA 81, where Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva is representing President Paul Kagame.
Nsengiyumva is scheduled to deliver Rwanda’s national statement on September 23. He is also expected to participate in high-level meetings, side events and bilateral engagements during the General Assembly.
The UNGA high-level General Debate runs from September 22 to 28 under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
The agreements were signed in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, and his Togolese counterpart, Prof. Robert Dussey.The agreements include a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations, a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a Joint Commission for Cooperation, and a Framework Agreement for Cooperation.
Under the agreement, Shema admitted to two offences: issuing a cheque without sufficient funds and fraudulently obtaining another person’s property.
The agreement was reached under Article 26 of Law Nº027/2019 of September 19, 2019, on criminal procedure, as well as Articles 5 and 9 of the Prosecutor General’s Guidelines Nº6/2022 of July 19, 2022, on plea agreements.
Shema admitted to the offences after reaching an agreement with the prosecution on September 15, 2026.
He admitted to issuing a cheque without sufficient funds, an offence provided for under Article 126 of Law Nº060/2021 of October 14, 2021, governing negotiable instruments.
He also admitted to fraudulently obtaining another person’s property, an offence provided for under Article 174 of Law Nº68/2018 of August 30, 2018, determining offences and penalties in general.
How the case started
The prosecution said the case stemmed from a business transaction between ABZL International General Trading LLC, a company based in the United Arab Emirates and represented by Jesse Harry Ndambala, and Africa Medical Supplier, represented by Shema.
The two companies entered into an agreement on January 23, 2024, for the purchase of medical equipment worth €1,092,736.
On October 3, 2025, ABZL International General Trading LLC, through lawyer Gahizi Safari, filed a complaint against Africa Medical Supplier and Shema, accusing them of issuing two bounced cheques and fraudulently obtaining its property.
According to the prosecution, Shema repeatedly delayed payment despite being contacted by the company. He responded by email, promising to settle the debt, before issuing two cheques drawn on I&M Bank.
One cheque was for $400,000 and the other for $200,000. The company alleged that the cheques had been incorrectly written in a way intended to prevent the bank from processing them.
When the investigation began, Shema denied the offences. He has since admitted that there was not enough money in his account when he issued the cheques.
He told investigators that he intended to deposit funds from accounts he held in other banks. He also said the cheques were cancelled by the bank before they could be presented for payment and that he has since resolved the dispute by paying the company.
Terms of the plea agreement
Under the agreement, the prosecution will ask the court to convict Shema of issuing a cheque without sufficient funds and fraudulently obtaining another person’s property.
The prosecution will also ask the court to impose a six-month prison sentence suspended for one year and a fine of Rwf3 million.
ABZL International General Trading LLC did not participate in the plea agreement because the payment dispute had already been resolved and the company had been paid.
The agreement applies only to the prosecution of the two offences covered by it.
It does not affect the right of any person to bring civil, commercial, labour or administrative proceedings, nor does it affect any other decisions that may be taken by other authorities.
The parties agreed that if the court rejects the agreement, it will have no legal effect and the prosecution will continue as though the agreement had not been made.
The prosecution also agreed that information provided by Shema during the plea-bargaining process cannot be used for any purpose other than those related to the agreement.
Until the agreement is approved by the court, either party may withdraw from it in writing, provided the reasons are explained to the other party.
The agreement was signed on September 21, 2026, by Shema, his lawyers Rutagengwa Jean Damascène, Me Sangano Yves and Me Niyomugabo Christophe, and prosecutor Tuyisenge Vestine.
What happens next?
Shema is expected to appear before court on September 23, 2026.
His lawyers had notified the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court on September 17 that they were not ready to proceed with the appeal concerning his detention and provisional release because of the agreement reached with the prosecution, which had not yet been presented to the court.
Businessman and Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) President Shema Fabrice Ngoga paid $600,000 owed in a case involving two bounced cheques after reaching a plea agreement with the prosecution.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on September 21 that Dr Vincent Bajinya, now known as Vincent Brown, had been charged with one offence of conduct ancillary to genocide and six offences of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity.
The charges are brought under Section 52 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
According to the CPS, the charges relate to allegations that Bajinya took part in the Genocide against the Tutsi in April 1994 and directed and incited acts of murder and genocide carried out by others.
“The Crown Prosecution Service made its decision after reviewing a file of evidence submitted by the War Crimes Team at the Metropolitan Police. We concluded that our legal test for bringing criminal charges had been met,” said Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division.
The CPS said its decision to prosecute was made independently of the police and government and based on the available evidence.
Bajinya, who was born in Kigombe Cell, Karago Commune, in the former Gisenyi Prefecture, now lives in Islington, north London, and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, September 22.
Bajinya trained as a medical practitioner and later worked as a physician at King Faisal Hospital in Kigali. He also held a position at the National Office for Population (ONAPO), where his work included family planning and related public education.
He has been alleged to have had links to the Akazu, an informal network associated with President Juvénal Habyarimana and his wife, Agathe. The network was widely described as influential in Rwanda’s political and economic affairs during Habyarimana’s presidency, which began after he took power in a 1973 coup.
Allegations against Bajinya also include involvement in the organisation of roadblocks during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He was accused of helping to recruit and oversee people manning roadblocks in Rugenge district of Kigali, where he lived, and near Kibihekane School in north-western Rwanda, an area where large-scale killings of Tutsi were reported in the early stages of the genocide.
Witnesses have further alleged that he was involved in the killings of Dominique Leandre in Rugenge, and Charlotte Kamugaja and her infant child.
The historic charges follow years of legal proceedings and investigations involving Bajinya, who was among five genocide suspects living in the UK.
Bajinya arrived in the UK in 1999 with his family. In 2004, he changed his name from Bajinya to Brown after obtaining British citizenship.
He was arrested by UK police in December 2006 alongside three other genocide suspects as part of an extradition case. In 2008, a Westminster Magistrates’ Court judge ruled that the four could be extradited to Rwanda, but the decision was overturned on appeal by the Divisional Court in 2009.
A second extradition attempt began in 2013. In 2015, a UK court ruled that Bajinya and the other suspects could not be extradited to Rwanda on the grounds that they were at risk of not receiving a fair trial. The decision was upheld by the High Court in 2017.
Following a request from Rwandan officials in 2018 for the UK to investigate the five suspects, the Metropolitan Police began assessing available evidence in 2019.
Four of the five suspects, including Bajinya, were voluntarily questioned by police in September 2020 over allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity.
The CPS said criminal proceedings against Bajinya are now active and warned against reporting or sharing information that could prejudice the proceedings.
Vincent Bajinya, who was born in Kigombe Cell, Karago Commune, in the former Gisenyi Prefecture, now lives in Islington, north London, and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, September 22.
The Independent International Scientific Panel on AI issued the warning in its first thematic brief, an assessment of July’s breach of U.S. AI company Hugging Face’s systems by AI agents under evaluation at OpenAI, another U.S. AI company.
The panel finds that stopping this incident is no assurance that humans can reliably keep AI agents under control today, particularly as they become more capable, harder to monitor and better at finding loopholes or hiding their activity.
“The default interpretation and immediate lesson is that basic cybersecurity practices were overlooked, and safeguards are not advancing at the pace of capabilities,” said the panel in a press release. “The more insidious and grave concern is that current training methods can lead agents to adopt goals of their own, knowingly violate safety instructions, and conceal their actions.”
It leaves open whether safeguards designed today will work once agents can understand them and plan around them. In simple terms, the traditional model of safeguarding is unraveling, said the panel.
The panel also finds that the governance challenge is moving from AI models to AI agents. A local failure could spread across organizational and national boundaries. AI safety may be becoming a matter of collective security as well as corporate governance.
The panel, established by the UN General Assembly, is made up of 40 independent experts from all regions.
The panel is publishing an advance unedited version to make the brief available to world leaders gathering in New York for this year’s General Assembly’s High-level Week.
A UN panel on artificial intelligence (AI) warned on Monday that traditional safeguards for AI agents are unraveling.
According to an advisory from the Office of the Prime Minister, Nsengiyumva will use the address to outline Rwanda’s perspectives and priorities on key global and regional issues.
The 81st session officially opened on September 8, with the high-level General Debate taking place from September 22 to 28 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The debate brings together heads of state, heads of government and other high-level representatives from UN member states.
The session is being held under the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.” Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is presiding over the session as president of the General Assembly.
The agenda includes discussions on multilateral cooperation, peace and security, sustainable development, climate action, public health and human rights.
Several high-level meetings are also scheduled during the session. These include a meeting on the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development and a high-level event on climate action and the just transition on September 23, a meeting on the threats posed by sea-level rise on September 24, and a summit on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response on September 25.
The UN says the General Debate provides an opportunity for world leaders and other senior representatives to present their countries’ positions and priorities on major international challenges.
Beyond his national statement, Nsengiyumva is scheduled to participate in high-level meetings, side events and bilateral engagements with various partners during his time in New York.
The engagements are expected to provide opportunities for Rwanda to exchange views with other countries and international partners on issues of mutual interest, while strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
The UN General Assembly comprises all 193 UN member states, with each country having an equal vote in the body.
Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva will represent President Paul Kagame at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York, where he is expected to deliver Rwanda’s national statement on September 23.
The case seeks to legally end their marriage and will be heard at the Kicukiro Primary Court.
Information obtained by IGIHE shows that the hearing will consider the requests and arguments raised by both parties during a preliminary hearing held on September 14, 2026.
Vestine, through her lawyer, told the court that she was seeking a divorce because Ouedraogo had concealed from her that he already had a family in Burkina Faso.
She told the court that after discovering this and confronting him about it, Ouedraogo began assaulting and beating her.
IGIHE has also learned that Vestine was informed that Ouedraogo had a family in Burkina Faso by his sister, who called her by phone.
During the preliminary hearing, Vestine said she was not seeking a share of any property with her husband.
She also told the court that she would continue raising their child, who lives with her and is still young.
Ouedraogo, however, denied the allegations through his lawyer and said he did not agree to the divorce.
“We do not accept the allegations made against us, and we also do not agree to the divorce because the grounds on which it is being sought never happened,” his lawyer told the court.
Ouedraogo’s side argued that if the court decides to grant the divorce, it should be based on grounds attributable to Vestine, including what it described as her abandonment of the marital home and other grounds presented to the court.
The lawyer also told the court that Ouedraogo believes the child is his but wants a DNA test conducted because there are doubts about their biological relationship.
Beyond the question of paternity, Ouedraogo’s side said he was concerned that he had not been able to see the child and asked the court to order Vestine to allow him to do so.
The court is expected to consider the arguments from both sides when it hears the case on December 3.
Vestine and Ouédraogo married on July 5, 2025, after their relationship became public. The couple had earlier formalised their union through a civil marriage.
