His remarks came after AFC/M23 forces took control of Nzibira town in Walungu Territory, South Kivu, on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
Brig. Gen. Kapend, who also commands the army in Katanga, said the situation does not pose a major threat as long as Katanga remains untouched.
“All the pressure is in eastern DRC. If we fail to stop the enemy there, we will be the first to face its heavy weapons,” he said.
He added that the rebel coalition could expand further without endangering national stability.
“They may take over other areas, but as long as they do not take Katanga, the country will endure,” he stated.
Heavy fighting between AFC/M23 and the Congolese army coalition flared again late last week, with clashes reported in Cisaza, Cibanda, Muyange, Karhuliza and Kalongo in South Kivu, as well as in Masisi and Walikale in North Kivu.
The conference, held under the theme “Innovate – Integrate – Insure,” brought together industry leaders, regulators, and practitioners to reflect on the role of brokers in promoting inclusive and customer-focused insurance services in Rwanda.
Several companies stood out for their achievements in different categories. MUA Insurance Company ® Ltd was recognised as the best provider of general insurance, while SONARWA Life emerged top in the life insurance category.
Eden Care received the award for health insurance, with Prime Insurance celebrated for its innovation in the sector. MayFair Insurance was recognised for outstanding customer service.
RIBA President Mendies Mhiribidi highlighted the crucial role brokers play in making insurance accessible and understandable.
“Insurance can often seem like a foreign language, filled with complex terms and deep explanations. Brokers help simplify these concepts, guide clients to the right cover, and stand by them throughout the process,” he said.
{{Embracing innovation and technology
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Mhiribidi also emphasised the evolving nature of the industry, noting that new risks linked to climate change, cyberattacks, and rapid technological shifts demand advanced solutions. He pointed to the need for insurance brokers to adopt digital tools such as data analytics and collaborate with InsurTech companies to simplify processes like purchasing and claims management.
In a step toward strengthening industry communication, RIBA launched the RIBA Magazine, an [online publication->https://riba.rw/riba-magazine/] designed to provide timely information and market insights with a strong focus on customer needs.
{{Brokers hailed as key partners
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The National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) reinforced the importance of professional insurance brokers, describing them as vital partners who connect clients with insurers and expand access to insurance. BNR noted that engaging brokers is a key strategy to raise insurance penetration rates, in line with Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
Practitioners also shared their experiences. Jean de Dieu Katabogama of Zion Insurance Brokers Ltd, with two decades in the field, stressed that brokers ensure clients receive quality services and support during claims.
Similarly, James Nteziryayo of Alpha Insurance Brokers Ltd called for increased awareness campaigns to attract more young people to the profession, while urging that insurance studies be made more accessible in Rwanda.
{{Regional cooperation
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Speakers at the conference applauded RIBA’s efforts in uniting industry stakeholders to tackle challenges and enhance collaboration. They also emphasised the growing opportunities for regional integration, which will allow Rwandan clients to access quality insurance services across the East African Community.
The 2025 RIBA Annual Conference reaffirmed the association’s commitment to promoting innovation, professionalism, and customer-centred practices in Rwanda’s insurance sector.
The deal was signed in New York on September 22, 2025, by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, and Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó.
The agreement follows Minister Nduhungirehe’s visit to Hungary in May 2025, alongside Rwanda’s Minister of Sports, Nelly Mukazayire. During that trip, the delegation toured the famed Hungaroring Formula 1 circuit, which has hosted races since 1986, and also took part in the launch of the Tour de Hongrie, one of Europe’s major cycling races.
Beyond sports, both governments reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation in diplomacy, water resource management, education, and investment.
This latest accord signals Rwanda’s growing interest in expanding international partnerships in sport, while Hungary gains a new African ally in advancing global sporting exchanges.
🎥It’s official! @RwandaMFA Min. @onduhungirehe and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary🇭🇺, H.E Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto) have signed an MoU on cooperation in #Sports.
Rwanda🇷🇼 and Hungary🇭🇺’s partnership also continues in diplomacy, water management,… pic.twitter.com/7zoQRKgywF
— Permanent Mission of Rwanda to The United Nations (@RwandaUN) September 22, 2025
The 28-year-old Frenchman delivered 35 goals and 14 assists in 53 appearances last season, spearheading PSG’s historic treble of the Champions League, Ligue 1 and the French Cup. He was also named Ligue 1 and Champions League player of the year, and played a decisive role in PSG’s run to the Club World Cup final.
Dembele, who received the award from Brazilian legend Ronaldinho, was visibly moved on stage. His mother joined him as he delivered an emotional speech.
“What I have just experienced is exceptional, I have no words for it, what happened with PSG,” Dembele said. “I feel a bit of stress, it’s not easy to win this trophy, and to have it presented to me by Ronaldinho, a legend of football, is exceptional.”
It is the first Ballon d’Or for Dembele and makes him the sixth Frenchman to win the award, following in the footsteps of Karim Benzema (2022) and Zinedine Zidane, among others.
{{PSG dominate Ballon d’Or night
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Dembele’s triumph underlined PSG’s dominance at this year’s awards. The club was named Team of the Year, while manager Luis Enrique received the Best Coach award after guiding the Parisians to their first Champions League title. Enrique, who was managing PSG’s Ligue 1 fixture against Marseille that evening, became only the second coach after Pep Guardiola to win trebles with two different clubs.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was also honoured, winning the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper after keeping 17 clean sheets across the campaign. Donnarumma has since moved to Manchester City, but his performances in PSG’s treble run proved decisive.
{{Bonmatí achieves historic hat-trick
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On the women’s side, Spain and Barcelona star Aitana Bonmatí won the Ballon d’Or Féminin for the third year in a row. The midfielder, who was hospitalised with viral meningitis just days before the Women’s European Championship last summer, helped Barcelona to a domestic treble and was named the tournament’s best player despite Spain’s shootout loss to England in the Euro 2025 final.
“Third time in a row here, and I still can’t believe it,” Bonmatí said. “I owe Barcelona everything. This is the club of my life.”
Her win extends Barcelona’s streak of women’s Ballon d’Or winners to five consecutive years.
{{Youth and scoring honours
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Eighteen-year-old Lamine Yamal, runner-up to Dembele in the Ballon d’Or voting, collected the Kopa Trophy for best player under 21. He became the first footballer to win the award twice, following another standout season for Barcelona and Spain.
In the goalscoring category, Arsenal’s new striker Viktor Gyökeres claimed the Gerd Müller Trophy after netting 54 goals for Sporting CP and Sweden across 2024–25. On the women’s side, Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor received the same prize.
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The Socrates Award went to the Xana Fundación, a charity set up by Luis Enrique’s family in memory of his daughter, who died of bone cancer in 2019. The foundation supports children with life-threatening illnesses.
{{A French revival
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Dembele’s Ballon d’Or completes a remarkable turnaround for a player once plagued by injuries and inconsistency at Barcelona. Signed by PSG in 2023 for £43.5m, he was transformed mid-season by Enrique’s tactical switch to a central striker role. From December onwards, he scored 30 goals in all competitions, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most lethal forwards.
The competition saw Söderqvist dominate the course, finishing more than a minute ahead of New Zealand’s Nate Pringle, who took home the silver, and France’s Maxime Decomble, who secured the bronze.
At just 22 years old, Söderqvist’s victory marked the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. He posted a remarkable time of 38:24.43, averaging 48.741 km/h on the 31.2 km course.
Racing for Lidl-Trek Future Racing, Söderqvist had his eyes set on this event all year. His gold medal in Kigali marked the culmination of an intense season of preparation, and he was overjoyed with the achievement.
“This is the one thing in the U23 category that I care about the most, so it was preparations all year round to make this one as good as possible,” he said after the race.
The win in Rwanda was a personal milestone for Söderqvist, who had previously earned silver in Zurich (2024) and placed seventh in Stirling (2023). This victory, however, propels him into the elite ranks of U23 time trialists and solidifies his status as one of the sport’s rising stars.
{{A strong silver for Pringle
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New Zealand’s Nate Pringle had an impressive showing in his first World Championships, earning the silver medal with a time of 39:28.39, just 1:03.96 behind Söderqvist.
The 2025 national under-23 time trial champion, Pringle demonstrated his strength and potential, finishing ahead of some of the most accomplished riders in the field. His solid performance throughout the season, including a 7th-place finish in the general classification at the Sibiu Cycling Tour earlier this year, confirms his rising prominence in the world of cycling.
{{Decomble’s narrow defeat for silver
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Maxime Decomble, the French national under-23 time trial champion, was just a fraction away from claiming silver. With a time of 39:28.56, Decomble finished 0.17 seconds behind Pringle, taking the bronze.
Despite the razor-thin margin, Decomble’s third-place finish was a testament to his skill and determination. The 2024 French champion has consistently been a strong competitor, with top results in the Tour de l’Avenir and Alpes Isère Tour.
{{The top performers in the U23 time trial
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The top 10 finishers in the Men’s U23 Individual Time Trial at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships were as follows:
1. Jakob Söderqvist (Sweden) – 38:24.43
2. Nate Pringle (New Zealand) – 39:28.39 (+1:03.96)
3. Maxime Decomble (France) – 39:28.56 (+1:04.13)
4. Lorenzo Mark Finn (Italy) – 39:33.06 (+1:08.63)
Two Rwandan riders, Samuel Niyonkuru and Etienne Tuyizere, took part in the U23 time trial, representing their nation at home in Kigali. Niyonkuru finished in 28th place with a time of 43:15.35, while Tuyizere secured 30th place with a time of 43:36.51.
Though they didn’t place near the top, both riders showed remarkable spirit and perseverance, competing on one of the sport’s grandest stages.
With a dominant performance on the 22.6 km course, Bäckstedt clocked an impressive 30:56.16, securing not only the gold medal but also the coveted Rainbow Jersey. Her victory marks a milestone in women’s cycling as the U23 category was given its own dedicated race for the first time in the event’s history.
“I gave it everything I could. My legs didn’t feel 100%, so I was just giving everything I could with what I had in the tank today. So I’m really happy to have such a gap at the end,” she remarked after her victory.
Reflecting on the challenging course, she remarked: “The cobble climb just before the finish was really brutal, really super hard. I knew it was possible to gain some time there but also to lose time if something went wrong. So I had to make sure I had enough energy left at the end to go up this climb as fast as possible.”
The 20-year-old’s triumph capped off a remarkable season, adding this prestigious title to her already impressive list of accomplishments, including the 2025 National ITT Championship.
Slovakia’s Viktória Chladoňová secured the silver medal with a time of 32:47.01, just 1:50.85 behind Bäckstedt.
Federica Venturelli of Italy rounded out the top three with a solid bronze medal performance, finishing in 33:07.74.
Competing on home turf, Rwandan cyclists Martha Ntakirutimana and Claudette Nyirarukundo also took to the course in the Women’s U23 Time Trial. Despite facing a challenging route, both showed incredible resilience and determination. Ntakirutimana finished 27th with a time of 36:27.39, while Nyirarukundo took 32nd place with a time of 37:14.33.
{{Women Under 23 Individual Time Trial – Top 10 results
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The championships kicked off on Sunday, September 21, 2025, with both elite men and women showcasing their strength, precision, and determination.
Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel set the bar high in the Men’s Elite Individual Time Trial, producing a blistering performance that earned him his third Rainbow Jersey in the discipline. His display of power and precision further elevated the stakes for the competitors across all categories.
Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser made history by claiming her first-ever rainbow jersey in the Women’s Elite Individual Time Trial, proving her elite status in the sport.
According to media reports, since September 14, SANDF aircraft — a Boeing 737 and an Il-76 — have been transporting soldiers and materiel from Lubumbashi and Kinshasa to Pretoria.
The phased withdrawal comes as SANDF faces disputes with the South African National Defence Union over unpaid allowances for troops deployed in the DRC.
South Africa’s troops were part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the DRC. The block decided to end its deployment in March 2025, with repatriation formally starting in May. At that time, a large number of soldiers and equipment transited through Rwanda en route to South Africa.
The drawdown came amid concerns over worsening insecurity and humanitarian challenges in eastern Congo.
SADC had deployed its military intervention force, SAMIDRC, in December 2023 with an offensive mandate to defeat M23 and other armed groups. The force consisted of troops from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi.
Although the mission was extended by one year in November 2024 due to persistent hostilities between M23 rebels and the Congolese army, it struggled to meet its objectives and suffered significant battlefield losses, particularly during the offensives that led to the capture of Goma earlier this year.
The fighting escalated on Sunday, September 21, 2025, but ended with M23 defeating government forces and the Wazalendo militia.
According to Radio Okapi, heavy battles took place in Cisaza, Cibanda, Muyange, Karhuliza, and Kalongo.
Reports indicate that the clashes were so intense that M23 deployed armoured vehicles and other heavy weaponry.
Nzibira is one of the key towns in South Kivu, known for its mining activities, particularly coltan and gold. It had been an important area under FARDC control, meaning its loss would carry significant consequences.
On the same day, heavy fighting was also reported in North Kivu, particularly in the Masisi and Walikale areas.
The capture of Nzibira adds to other territories now controlled by AFC/M23 in South Kivu, including Bukavu. The group is also reported to be present in Mwenga, Kabare, Fizi, and Uvira.
“I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the terrible massacre of October 7,” Netanyahu said, referring to Hamas’ attack on southern Israel in October 2023. “You are giving a huge reward to terrorism.”
He added, “It will not happen, there will not be a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River.”
He added that he will give a response to the latest recognition after his return from the United States. “Wait for it,” he said.
Welcoming the move by the three countries, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said, “It constitutes an important and necessary step toward achieving a just and lasting peace in accordance with international legitimacy,” according to a statement by his office.
Earlier in the day, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a video statement that Britain “formally recognizes the State of Palestine,” calling for a shift back to a two-state solution.
Meanwhile, a joint media release by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong said “Australia recognizes the legitimate and long-held aspirations of the people of Palestine to a state of their own.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday also issued a statement on Canada’s recognition of the State of Palestine.
The 25-year-old star completed the 40.6-kilometre route in 49:46.03, averaging an impressive 48.9 km/h. His performance reaffirmed his dominance against the clock and ensured Belgium’s flag flew highest on the opening weekend of competition.
Evenepoel’s ride was a test of both physical strength and mental resilience, as Kigali’s steep climbs and cobbled sections pushed every rider to the limit.
“It felt pretty good right away on the first flat part; I could feel my legs turning. I held my pace without going over the limit. The first climb of the day was quite hard, along with the last two, so I really pushed it there,” he reflected on the effort required to secure gold.
“After that, I saw I had a big gap, so I kept a pace I could sustain until the bottom and then went flat out on every climb. I must say, the cobbles were brutal—I hated them at some point. It was so hard to push through them toward the end, but winning was the most important thing,” he added.
{{Vine takes silver, Van Wilder bronze
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Australia’s Jay Vine rode strongly to secure the silver medal, clocking 51:00.83 — over a minute behind Evenepoel, but still clear of the chasing pack. The bronze went to Evenepoel’s compatriot Ilan van Wilder, who stopped the clock at 52:22.10, giving Belgium two riders on the podium in Kigali.
{{Pogačar and Del Toro in the mix
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Pre-race favourite Tadej Pogačar, fresh from his fourth Tour de France title earlier this summer, had to settle for a disappointing fourth on his birthday. The Slovenian finished in 52:23.76, narrowly missing a medal. Rising Mexican sensation Isaac Del Toro followed closely in fifth with 52:26.89, adding another strong result to his breakout season.
Dutch rider Thymen Arensman, considered a podium contender, placed ninth in 53:25.71, while Swiss specialist Stefan Küng completed the top ten.
Rwanda’s cycling fans had plenty to cheer as two local riders lined up in the world championship field of 54 participants. Shemu Nsengiyumva delivered a spirited ride to take 25th place in 56:41.13, while Moise Mugisha came home 31st in 58:40.67
{{Men elite individual time trial – top 10 results
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