According to Rwanda’s Presidency, the two leaders held private discussions, before being joined by members of their respective delegations for an expanded meeting.
Rwanda and Egypt have a strong bilateral relationship, with each country maintaining an embassy in the other’s capital. The two nations recently signed several agreements in various sectors, including healthcare, transportation, trade, and others, on August 12, 2024.
As part of these agreements, both countries committed to exchanging land for business purposes. Rwanda has been granted land in Egypt, while Egypt has been provided with 10 hectares of land in the Kirehe District of Rwanda, near the border with Tanzania.
Rwanda and Egypt have multiple cooperation agreements across various sectors such as technology, industrial development, trade, agriculture, education, youth, healthcare, and military cooperation, among others. In 2017, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi visited Rwanda with the aim of further strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Both Rwanda and Egypt are also members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
The partnership between Rwanda and Egypt has been long-standing, with Egypt having opened its embassy in Kigali in 1976, and Rwanda reopening its embassy in Cairo in March 2015.
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 celebration took place in Bweramana Sector, Ruhango District, marking the 16th World Bamboo Day. The event is observed every year on September 18.
The theme for this year’s celebration highlighted bamboo as a solution for both environmental sustainability and innovative applications in the craft industry.
EcoPlanet Bamboo Rwanda was lauded for its contributions to environmental protection, with a particular focus on its efforts to restore land along riverbanks in eight districts. Notably, 307 hectares of land in Ruhango District were restored, and bamboo was planted to combat soil erosion.
In addition to land restoration, EcoPlanet Bamboo Rwanda created employment for 1,000 people and established 60 kitchen gardens to help combat malnutrition in the region. The organization also partnered with local communities to promote modern farming techniques that contribute to soil restoration, with efforts covering seven hectares in Bweramana.
Furthermore, EcoPlanet Bamboo Rwanda supported 270 farmers through various initiatives aimed at improving their livelihoods. The organization also renovated five houses for vulnerable families and built a daycare center to support community well-being.
Sharon Higiro Umuratwa, the General Manager of EcoPlanet Bamboo Rwanda, expressed the organization’s commitment to advancing bamboo cultivation to protect riverbanks and improve the livelihoods of people in Ruhango District. She also extended her gratitude to the community for their partnership over the past three years, which has been instrumental in the restoration of the 307-hectare area.
The Vice Mayor for Economic Development of Ruhango District, Jean Marie Vianney Rusilibana, highlighted EcoPlanet’s significant role in improving the community’s quality of life through erosion control measures and emphasized the importance of bamboo conservation for providing sustainable livelihoods.
Remy Songa, representing the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), emphasized how bamboo plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by reducing carbon emissions and combating soil erosion and landslides.
Divine Cyambarantama, Forest Extension Officer at Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA), also urged the residents of Ruhango to continue preserving bamboo and thanked EcoPlanet for its ongoing contributions to environmental conservation.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Naviair, Denmark’s air traffic control company, said operations were suspended at around 20:30 local time (1830 GMT).
Copenhagen police confirmed a “massive presence” at the airport.
According to DR, fire trucks from the Tarnby Fire Department were seen heading toward the Vilhelm Lauritzen Terminal, used for VIP traffic. No immediate police activity was observed at the main passenger terminals 2 and 3.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 urgent aid comes as part of the UAE’s global humanitarian initiatives aimed at ensuring early recovery and stability.
The UAE aid included a package of medicines for chronic diseases, along with essential medical supplies such as bandages, sutures, and necessary surgical equipment.
Dr. Tareq Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, said, “The dispatch of medical aid to Botswana comes within the framework of the UAE’s global humanitarian role in responding swiftly to health crises, strengthening the health systems of friendly African countries, and enhancing their capacity to curb the spread of epidemics and infectious diseases.”
He added, “The UAE’s medical assistance will help support the stock of medicines and essential medical supplies for surgical operations, while also enhancing the capacity of the health sector to provide medical services to a large segment of the population who directly rely on the public healthcare system, especially children, women, and the elderly.”
In a joint statement issued in Bamako, the three countries said they had ratified the Rome Statute between 2000 and 2004 and had since cooperated with the ICC under the treaty as well as related agreements.
However, over time the ICC had “become a neo-colonial instrument of repression in the hands of imperialism” and “a global symbol of selective justice,” they said.
According to the statement, the court has failed to prosecute clear cases of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression, remaining “inexplicably, confusingly and complacently silent” toward perpetrators of such crimes, while targeting actors outside what it called the “institutionalized circle of impunity” in violation of its own statute.
The three governments said their sovereign decision to quit the Rome Statute “reflects the will of the Sahel Confederation member states to safeguard their sovereignty.” They pledged to strengthen peace and justice through home-grown mechanisms, while reaffirming their commitment to promoting and protecting human rights in line with their social values and rejecting all forms of impunity.
The statement also expressed gratitude to the United Nations and its member states, reaffirming that the Sahel Confederation countries would continue to cooperate in other appropriate frameworks to advance human rights and respect for state sovereignty.
In September 2023, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter in Bamako, agreeing to establish the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
On July 6, 2024, the three countries announced the creation of the Confederation of the AES in Niamey, marking a significant step toward establishing an economic-military bloc.
“I declare today that France recognizes the State of Palestine,” Macron said at the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.
“The time has come. We can no longer wait,” he said, adding that “we want two states in peace and security side by side.”
With France’s recognition, over 150 countries have announced their recognition of the State of Palestine.
On Sunday, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal formally recognized the State of Palestine to push for a “two-state solution,” as Israel pressed ahead with its offensive and annexation in Gaza despite mounting global condemnation.
“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has gone unresolved for generations,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in remarks at the meeting, held on the opening day of the UN General Assembly’s High-level Week.
“Dialogue has faltered. Resolutions have been flouted. International law has been breached,” he said.
The situation is intolerable, and it is deteriorating by the hour, said the UN chief.
“We are here today to help navigate the only way out of this nightmare: A two-state solution, where two independent, sovereign, democratic states — Israel and Palestine — live side-by-side in peace and security within their secure and recognized borders on the basis of pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states — in line with international law, UN resolutions and other relevant agreements,” said Guterres.
Annalena Baerbock, president of the 80th UN General Assembly session, said the General Assembly has been very clear: “We need an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Israel must immediately facilitate the full, rapid, safe and unhindered entry and delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians. Hamas must immediately and unconditionally release all hostages.”
She emphasized that the decade-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be resolved by endless war, permanent occupation and recurrent terror, and the only way to ensure that future generations of both Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace, security and dignity is the two-state solution.
This directive comes as Israeli forces intensify their ground offensive in Gaza City, targeting Hamas infrastructure. The evacuation order exacerbates the already dire humanitarian crisis, leaving thousands without access to critical medical care.
According to the Associated Press, over 297,000 people have fled southern Gaza, though Israeli officials claim that more than 500,000 have been displaced.
Despite these efforts, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. The United Nations reports that over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, with 90% of Gaza’s population displaced and widespread famine reported in Gaza City.
Internationally, the evacuation order has prompted a surge of countries recognizing a Palestinian state.
Britain, Canada, Australia, Portugal, and soon France have joined nearly 150 nations in formal recognition.
France has stated that diplomatic relations will depend on Hamas releasing hostages. In solidarity, tens of thousands have protested across Italy, and several French towns have hoisted Palestinian flags despite government restrictions.
In response to the escalating violence, Pope Leo XIV criticized the forced displacement of Palestinians and advocated for peace.
He called for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of civilians, emphasizing the need for dialogue and reconciliation.
