The two-day Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) public-private dialogue on mobilizing the private sector for sustainable trade and investment in Africa’s agrifood sector brought together over 100 delegates, including government officials, industry executives, and representatives from regional economic blocs.
Themba Khumalo, director of the private sector unit at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, said that the continent’s rising food import bill continues to strain fiscal balances and expose millions of Africans to external shocks.
“These realities underscore the urgency of the private sector to support governments in enhancing agricultural output and incomes for farmers, processors, traders, and consumers,” Khumalo said.
He added that the AfCFTA will catalyze private investments because it provides a platform to unlock Africa’s vast agricultural potential through trade.
Florian-Emil Dumitru, secretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Romania, added that private companies often invest in innovations, such as climate-smart technologies and mechanization.
Yemi Osinbajo, former vice president of Nigeria, revealed that private investors can support African governments to enable small-holding farmers to overcome challenges such as access to affordable credit and agricultural extension services.
Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide called the resignation “right and necessary,” saying Juul’s contact with the convicted sex offender showed a “serious failure of judgment” and made it difficult to restore the level of trust required for the post, the ministry said in a statement.
Juul had been relieved of her work obligations last week while the ministry reviewed her knowledge of and contact with Epstein, according to the ministry.
The ministry said its internal fact-finding will continue even after Juul’s resignation, with particular attention to the rules that apply to state employees and officials both in and outside service.
Separately, the ministry said it had launched a review of its grants to and contacts with the International Peace Institute during the period when Juul’s husband, Terje Rod-Larsen, led the organization. Eide described information that has emerged about Rod-Larsen’s contact with Epstein as “very extensive” and “highly concerning,” adding that there was “no doubt” he had shown poor judgment.
Epstein, who died in 2019, was a U.S. financier accused of sex trafficking. The U.S. Department of Justice said on January 30 that it had published more than 3 million additional pages of materials under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which it said was signed into law by President Donald Trump in November 2025.
Okokrim, Norway’s national authority for investigating and prosecuting economic and environmental crime, said on Thursday that it had opened an investigation into former Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption based on information contained in the Epstein files, noting his past roles, including chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and secretary general of the Council of Europe.
He was speaking to journalists during a briefing marking the launch of the judiciary’s anti-corruption week on February 9, 2026.
“He was a senior leader in the FDLR and holds extensive knowledge of his own activities and those of the group, including its current operations,” Col Sumanyi said. “Security organs are still interrogating him, but in the near term, neither very soon nor far off, he will be handed over to military justice. As you know, our trials are public, and interested parties will be able to follow the proceedings.”
Brig Gen Gakwerere, who ranked third in the FDLR’s leadership hierarchy, was arrested in Goma in January 2025. Fighters from the AFC/M23 coalition, which is engaged in conflict against the Democratic Republic of Congo government, handed him over to Rwandan authorities on March 1, 2025.
Upon his transfer to Rwanda, Gakwerere told the media he was born in the former Kigali Ngali province and hails from Kanyinya in Shyorongi sector.
During the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Gakwerere held the rank of Lieutenant and served at the Non-Commissioned Officers School (ESO) in Butare, where he was reportedly a trusted subordinate of Captain Ildephonse Nizeyimana, the school’s deputy commander.
He is alleged to have commanded newly recruited soldiers known as the “New Formula,” who were responsible for killing numerous Tutsi at roadblocks and other sites in the former Butare region.
Gakwerere is also suspected of leading soldiers sent by Capt Nizeyimana to the residence of Queen Rosalie Gicanda on April 20, 1994, where she was killed. He is further implicated in the death of Jean Baptiste Habyarimana, the former prefect of Butare.
The update was shared on February 8, 2026, during events held at the hospital to mark the International Day of the Sick, where staff and stakeholders reflected on ways to further improve patient care.
CHUB’s Acting Director General, Dr. Christian Ngarambe, said the hospital has acquired a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine used to diagnose internal health conditions.
He added that the hospital has also strengthened its cancer care services by introducing new diagnostic equipment, which is expected to significantly reduce referrals to Butaro Hospital in Burera District for cancer-related examinations.
“To ease access for patients, services such as CT scanning, cancer diagnostics, and other procedures that previously required referrals to distant hospitals are now available closer to them. We thank our leadership for this milestone, which will improve the quality of care we provide,” he said.
Dr. Ngarambe noted that patient transfers to Kigali will drop significantly, as more than 75 percent of those previously referred outside CHUB were seeking MRI examinations. “We expect these journeys to decrease considerably, which is a positive development for patients,” he added.
Alphonse Nzabihimana from Nyamagabe District shared that he had suffered from an intestinal condition that had persisted since 2022 despite treatment.
After being examined using the newly installed equipment at CHUB, doctors identified the illness and treated him without surgery. He is now preparing to return home without needing treatment far from his district.
“We appreciate the Government of Rwanda for improving our lives and investing in technology. In the past, patients like us had to travel abroad or to Kigali for treatment, which was very difficult. Now advanced healthcare services are available in our Southern Province,” he said.
Eugénie Niyitegeka, a mother from Ruhango District receiving treatment at CHUB after being referred from Kinazi Hospital for an abdominal tumor, expressed similar gratitude. She said patients previously feared being referred to Kigali, far from their families and in unfamiliar surroundings, but now receive care closer to home at a lower cost.
“There is now a machine that scans the entire body. Even someone like me with limited means was examined with it, and doctors clearly identified my condition. There is no illness they fail to handle here at CHUB anymore. It is truly valuable,” she said.
The equipment, valued at over Rwf 12 billion, is expected to significantly enhance specialized healthcare services at CHUB, which serves more than four million residents across the Southern Province and much of the Western Province. The hospital receives at least 40,000 patients each month.
Abdelatty made the appeal during a phone call with his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis, as the two diplomats discussed escalating regional tensions, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Abdelatty emphasized the critical need to advance the second phase of the U.S.-proposed peace plan, including deploying the International Stabilization Force to Gaza, which was endorsed by the UN Security Council in November last year.
He reiterated Egypt’s support for the newly formed Palestinian technocratic National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, describing it as a vital transitional body to address daily administrative and humanitarian needs.
The committee, established in mid-January, is intended to pave the way for the Palestinian Authority’s full return to governance in the territory, he affirmed.
The minister also stressed the importance of ensuring a continuous flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and laying the groundwork for early recovery and reconstruction.
The current ceasefire, in effect since Oct. 10, has initially focused on prisoner exchanges and aid delivery. The proposed next phase envisions a full Israeli military withdrawal, the disarmament of Hamas, and the start of reconstruction under transitional governance.
Verás, known for her work with Angola’s national broadcaster, TPA (Televisão Pública de Angola), where she was praised for giving a voice to African perspectives, saw her reporting shift in early 2025 when President Tshisekedi began seeking U.S. support to stop the war in his country.
In recent months, Verás has repeatedly framed the DRC conflict in ways that echo accusations from the Tshisekedi government. Claims such as “Rwanda is supporting AFC/M23,” “Rwanda attacked the DRC,” and “Rwanda’s aggression” began appearing in her coverage, with calls for the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Rwanda.
Since April 2025, Verás has largely ignored crises affecting other African nations, including Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Sahel region, despite claiming to cover continental issues. Her posts on platforms like X and YouTube have focused almost exclusively on DRC.
Neo Africa reported on February 6 2026, that “Verás has turned the DRC issue into her personal and professional battle.” The journalist has not denied these claims, instead continuing to amplify them.
Her approach has drawn sharp criticism from fellow journalists and officials. Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda said:
“Please don’t insult journalism by calling this woman one. She is a political hack paid to tarnish the name of Rwanda. What she doesn’t know, if she cares at all, is that her lies cannot hide the truths about DRC’s violations of the accords.”
Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, also condemned her actions:
“She pretends to speak for ‘the African people’ in Washington. Yet, she travelled to Kinshasa twice in a year, where she met President Tshisekedi; she accepted a gift from him before cameras, and broadcasted her interview with President Ndayishimiye only on DRC public television (RTNC),” Nduhungirehe said on Saturday, responding to a video showing the journalist holding a microphone of the Congolese state media RTNC, where officials have been making ethnically charged statements and anti-Tutsi rhetoric.
He added, “Lately, she was going around at the Capitol with extremely biased questions, displaying her unprofessionalism and obsession against Rwanda. And today, we are now discovering that she was holding a RTNC microphone at the White House; yet, she had never revealed that she was on Kinshasa payroll. Someone should have to explain this fraud.”
Verás’ reporting intensified even after Rwanda and the DRC signed peace and economic cooperation agreements on December 4, 2025, facilitated by the United States. Observers noted that her questions at the White House appeared to be prompted by the DRC government, as she seemed to allege and push President Donald Trump to comment on the alleged presence of Rwandan troops in the DRC.
Following her recent trips and interviews with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Burundi’s Evariste Ndayishimiye, analysts warn that Verás appears unaware of key facts, such as the identity and local presence of AFC/M23 fighters.
Verás’ coverage has been criticised for amplifying the DRC government’s claims without independently verifying them on the ground or posing balanced questions to leaders accused of lacking good faith in resolving the eastern DRC challenges.
Observers warn that Verás’ reporting exemplifies the risks when journalists become tools for political agendas rather than independent observers of conflict.
He made the comments in a post on X, highlighting the indirect negotiations between Iranian and U.S. delegations in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Friday.
Pezeshkian said that the discussions took place as a result of the follow-up efforts by “friendly” governments in the West Asia region, emphasizing that dialogue has consistently been Iran’s chosen strategy for resolving issues peacefully.
Meanwhile, speaking at a national conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who headed the country’s delegation at Friday’s talks, said, “No one can tell us what to have and what not to have.”
He assured that Iran has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, while firmly rejecting any form of bullying.
Araghchi said: “If they speak to Iranian people using the language of force, we will respond to them with the same language. However, if they talk to us using the language of respect, their response will be given with the same language.”
The Friday talks were held amid heightened regional tensions between Washington and Tehran, including a recent U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and Iran’s stepped-up preparations.
After the conclusion of negotiations, Araghchi said: “In general, I can say that it was a good start. However, the continuation of the process depends on the two sides’ consultations in their capitals and their decisions about how to continue it.”
State-owned SABC reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa informed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres last month of South Africa’s decision to withdraw its troops from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
South Africa is among the top 10 troop-contributing countries to MONUSCO, with over 700 soldiers currently deployed to support the mission’s peacekeeping mandate. According to the president, the decision to withdraw is driven by the “need to consolidate and realign the resources of the South African National Defence Force”, following 27 years of supporting UN peacekeeping efforts in the DRC.
The move comes after Pretoria had earlier repatriated several hundred troops from a Southern African Development Community (SADC) military mission in the DRC, following the deaths of 17 South African soldiers amid escalating conflict between Congolese government forces and the M23 rebel group.
SADC’s intervention force, SAMIDRC, which included troops from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi, was deployed in December 2023 to combat M23 and other armed groups. Despite a one-year extension in November 2024, the mission struggled to achieve its objectives and suffered significant battlefield losses, including during the capture of Goma in early 2025.
The withdrawal of South African troops from MONUSCO is expected to be completed before the end of 2026, marking a major shift in the peacekeeping landscape in eastern DRC amid ongoing efforts to achieve a political solution.
“The Americans are proposing that the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer, and they will likely exert pressure on the parties in line with this timetable,” Zelensky told reporters.
He suggested that the proposal deadline is linked to the start of the U.S. Congress election campaign.
Currently, there are four documents that will form the basis of security guarantees for Ukraine after the end of the hostilities, Zelensky said.
He said the documents include a security guarantees agreement between Ukraine and the United States, an agreement on the creation of the Coalition of the Willing, a document on prospects for Ukraine’s membership in the European Union, and a short framework document that links the other three.
The disclosure was made by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, during the National Dialogue Council (Umushyikirano) held on February 5–6, 2026.
Rwanda’s health sector has long faced staffing shortages, at times leaving a single health worker responsible for as many as 1,000 patients.
Dr. Butera said the government responded to this challenge by launching an ambitious strategy aimed at quadrupling the number of health workers within four years under the 4×4 programme, which is already showing positive results.
“Our biggest challenge was the shortage of health professionals. Before 2024, only about 1,600 people joined the health sector each year. In the most recent year alone, that number rose to 6,400, nearly four times higher, in line with our goal of expanding the health workforce fourfold within four years,” he said.
The growth has been particularly significant among nurses and midwives. Training capacity for nurses has expanded from around 200 students per year to nearly 2,000, while the annual intake of midwives has increased dramatically from 72 to about 1,000. This expansion is intended to bring maternal and general health services closer to communities across the country.
“With this momentum, we expect health services to become more accessible to citizens in the near future,” Dr. Butera noted.
He also highlighted progress in specialized healthcare services. Over the past three years, Rwanda has carried out kidney transplants for 83 patients, resulting in savings of approximately USD 800,000. In cardiac care, 543 children and 318 adults have undergone heart surgery.
Rwanda currently has 15 teaching hospitals that combine service delivery with medical training. The 2025/26 academic year also saw an increase in secondary schools offering nursing programs, rising from 12 to 18. In addition, both public and private universities and higher learning institutions are enrolling large numbers of students expected to help bridge remaining workforce gaps.
Launched in 2024, the 4×4 programme aims to improve the doctor-to-patient ratio from one doctor per 1,000 people to four doctors per 1,000. As of early July 2024, Rwanda had more than 25,000 health professionals, a figure projected to reach 58,582 by 2028 once the programme is fully implemented.
The initiative is supported by an investment exceeding USD 395 million, allocated to scholarships, training resources, medical equipment, infrastructure development and rehabilitation, and other key components aligned with the programme’s objectives.
