The move follows what Algerian authorities called “serious and repeated violations” by the French side, including the appointment of diplomatic and consular staff without prior notification or formal accreditation, in violation of international norms and bilateral agreements.
According to APS, Algerian authorities recently identified at least 15 French employees assigned to missions in Algeria without completing the required procedures. Some had previously held service passports and were later issued diplomatic passports to ease their entry into the country.
Among the 15 were two officials from France’s Interior Ministry, reportedly dispatched to take over the duties of 12 embassy staff expelled by Algeria last month after being declared personae non gratae.
Algeria condemned the appointments, citing broader strains in bilateral ties, including repeated denials of entry to Algerian diplomatic passport holders by France and prolonged delays in accrediting Algerian consuls-general assigned to Paris and Marseille, along with seven other consular officials.
In response, Algeria has demanded the “immediate expulsion” of all French personnel appointed under what it called “irregular” conditions and their prompt return to France.
This marks the second expulsion of French diplomatic staff in less than a month. On April 14, Algeria ordered the removal of 12 French embassy employees following the detention of an Algerian consular officer in France — a move that prompted reciprocal action from Paris.
The expulsion came as the diplomatic rift between Algiers and Paris has deepened in recent months due to disagreements over immigration issues and policies, historical grievances, and France’s backing of Morocco in disputes over Western Sahara, among others.
The commemoration event took place on May 9, 2025, at the Ntarama Genocide Memorial located in Bugesera District.
The visit began with a historical briefing about Bugesera, especially the events leading up to the Genocide, highlighting how the area had been designated as a settlement for Tutsi with the intent of extermination.
Participants were taken through some of the tragic history, including how Bugesera was once considered a cursed, uninhabitable place, suitable only for relocating Tutsi with the hope that they would perish due to the Tsetse fly.
Mukabucyeri Angélique, a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, shared her harrowing testimony. She recounted how survival was incredibly difficult as they were hunted by neighbours who knew them personally, making hiding nearly impossible.
“I had a baby strapped to my back when they struck me on the head with a club. I lost consciousness and fell. They slashed the child on my back. When I woke up, I was carrying a dead baby and had nine stab wounds and scars all over my body,” she recounted.
Aditya Chacko, General Manager of Kigali Marriott Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Kigali, stated that they joined Rwandans in commemorating the 31st anniversary of the Genocide to honour the innocent victims who were brutally murdered in 1994.
“We gather to honor the memory of the victims, recognize the incredible courage and resilience of the survivors, and acknowledge their tireless efforts to rebuild this nation,” he noted.
“As representatives of Kigali Marriott Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton, we stand united with all Rwandans in supporting genocide survivors. It is crucial that we reflect on our roles to ensure that such atrocities and their ideologies are never repeated in Rwanda or anywhere else,” added Chacko.
He also expressed gratitude to the Rwandan leadership, particularly to President Paul Kagame, for making the decisive choice to halt the genocide and for laying the groundwork for national unity.
In a statement released Saturday, May 10, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said that Burundi has been deploying troops in support of the Kinshasa government’s military campaign while covertly equipping Wazalendo fighters via the town of Uvira, near the Burundian border.
Kanyuka said the allegations were substantiated after the Congolese Revolutionary Army (ARC), the military wing of M23, captured and presented to the media several combatants affiliated with the Congolese army (FARDC), the Wazalendo militia, and the FDLR. The fighters were reportedly apprehended while destabilising areas around the city of Goma.
“We commend the professionalism of ARC,” said Kanyuka, “whose actions not only helped halt the massacre of civilians in Goma and South Kivu but also exposed Burundi’s role in the violence.”
In recent weeks, Wazalendo militias have been engaged in deadly clashes with the Twirwaneho armed group in Uvira territory, South Kivu, committing atrocities against civilians, including killings. AFC/M23 blames these actions on foreign-backed support, particularly from Burundi.
The accusations come barely a month after AFC/M23 and the DRC government announced a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar on April 23, 2025, intended to pave the way for peace talks in Doha. However, M23 now claims the Congolese government has violated the agreement multiple times.
“We alert the national and international community to the repeated violations of the April 23 joint declaration and the unilateral ceasefire declared by AFC/M23,” Kanyuka stated.
M23 reaffirmed its readiness to protect civilians and “eliminate the threat at its source,” signalling a possible escalation in hostilities if diplomatic avenues fail.
“The Secretary-General welcomes the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan as a positive step toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN chief, said in a statement.
“He hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries,” Dujarric said.
The spokesman added that the United Nations stands ready to support efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region.
Pakistan and India announced earlier Saturday a ceasefire with immediate effect, following days of military strikes on each other.
As part of his visit, Gen. Muganga delivered a lecture to senior officers attending the Senior Command and Staff Course in Jinja, a move hailed as a significant step in regional military cooperation.
The lecture titled “The Pursuit of African solutions to African problems: A case of Rwanda’s bilateral interventions on the African continent” examined Rwanda’s contributions to finding solutions to security problems affecting allies and partners on the continent.
He reiterated the need for African countries to address continental security challenges by harnessing opportunities of both bilateral and multilateral arrangements in order to build internal resilience.
“I thank General Muganga for responding to my invitation positively and coming to deliver a lecture of opportunity to officers… Long live the brotherly relations between UPDF and RDF! God bless Uganda and Rwanda!” Gen. Muhoozi posted on X.
The visit comes just weeks after Gen. Muhoozi concluded a three-day trip to Rwanda, from March 20 to 22, during which he met with President Paul Kagame, First Lady Jeannette Kagame, and RDF senior leadership.
The Uganda military chief’s visit included a lecture at the RDF Senior Command and Staff College in Nyakinama, Musanze District, where he spoke on peacekeeping and security in Africa.
At the time, Muhoozi underscored the importance of defence diplomacy in securing regional peace.
“When we combine the strength of our powerful armies, there is no challenge we cannot overcome together,” he said.
His Rwandan visit also featured high-level talks with RDF commanders and Ugandan military officials, where the two sides explored avenues for enhanced cooperation in defence and regional security.
The back-to-back visits between the two military chiefs reflect a renewed momentum in military engagement and diplomatic relations between Uganda and Rwanda, two countries whose cooperation is seen as vital to the region’s stability.
The public display took place on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in what M23 described as a direct response to violations of a recently agreed ceasefire.
In a statement, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the captured individuals were responsible for recent insecurity in and around Goma and South Kivu.
The group praised the ARC for its “professionalism” and claimed their actions had halted civilian massacres in the region.
AFC/M23, which controls large swathes of eastern Congo, also accused Burundi of playing a destabilising role by deploying troops in support of the Kinshasa regime and by financing and arming Wazalendo militias via the eastern Congolese town of Uvira.
“We commend the professionalism of the ARC, whose actions not only brought an end to the massacres of civilians… but also exposed Burundi’s involvement,” the statement read.
The rebel group further accused the Congolese government, led by President Félix Tshisekedi, of repeatedly violating the April 23 joint declaration and the unilateral ceasefire announced by AFC/M23.
“We alert the national and international community to the repeated violations by the Kinshasa regime,” the group stated, reaffirming its commitment to protecting civilians and “eliminating the threat at its source.”
Ce samedi 10 mai 2025, l'Armée Révolutionnaire Congolaise (ARC) a capturé et présenté aux médias des éléments des forces du régime de Kinshasa, notamment des FARDC, des Wazalendo et des FDLR, responsables de l'insécurité à Goma.
— Lawrence KANYUKA (@LawrenceKanyuka) May 11, 2025
The developments come just weeks after the two parties issued the rare joint statement, signalling a mutual willingness to halt hostilities and work toward a permanent truce.
The Qatar-mediated talks raised cautious optimism after years of failed ceasefires in the volatile eastern region, where more than half a dozen such agreements have collapsed since 2021.
Saturday’s public parading of captured combatants and the subsequent accusations could undermine fragile progress and reignite tensions, casting doubt on the durability of the current peace efforts.
In a public notice released on Saturday, RGB stated that Grace Room had engaged in prayer-related activities inconsistent with its registered mission, leading to the decision to revoke its legal status.
The move underscores RGB’s commitment to ensuring that all registered organizations adhere strictly to the mandates under which they were approved.
“Grace Room has been engaging in prayer-related activities that are inconsistent with its stated mission,” the notice reads.
RGB emphasized that any deviation from an organization’s declared objectives can trigger administrative action, including the withdrawal of legal recognition.
RGB reiterated its message to all faith-based entities, urging them to uphold the integrity of their legal status by aligning their operations with approved objectives and national laws.
The agency assured continued oversight and enforcement across the sector.
“The Rwanda Governance Board reminds all Faith-Based Organisations of their obligation to uphold the integrity of their legal personality,” the statement said. “Continued oversight and enforcement will be applied to ensure accountability and lawful conduct within the sector.”
Grace Room Ministries is led by Pastor Julienne Kabirigi Kabanda and is based in Nyarutarama. It is currently one of the most attended ministries in the country and has recently held high-profile events at the BK Arena, attracting large crowds.
Attempts to reach Pastor Kabanda by phone for comment were unsuccessful.
Pastor Julienne Kabanda has previously stated that she founded Grace Room Ministries in 2018 after receiving a divine revelation.
According to her, the ministry was established with a vision to help two million people receive Jesus Christ and support the vulnerable within a span of seven years.
This journey offers meaningful parallels for Rwanda, where tea remains a vital contributor to both rural livelihoods and national export revenues.
Jason Choi, Director of Sunwah Group and President of its GBA and Southwest Region, described the early challenges in Malipo: “Each household made tea in its own way—sometimes in a barbarous way. Some would cut down the tea tree entirely, harming both the environment and sustainability.” To change this, Sunwah Group invested in a modern tea processing facility.
Since its October 2023 launch, the Malipo Sunwah Tea Factory has processed over 60 tons of tea leaves, created 28 products, and introduced 11 varieties of “International Friendship Tea.” It now collaborates with 15 cooperatives and supports over 8,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The factory’s goals are two-fold: improving local livelihoods and building a standardized, globally recognized tea industry. Malipo’s tea is now being positioned for both domestic and international markets, including Africa.
Rwanda’s own tea journey, though unique in context, shares striking similarities in ambition and reform. Rwanda’s tea production has steadily increased from 5,910 tons in 1980 to 40,003 tons by June 2024.
Smallholder farmers contribute about 65 percent of the green leaves used in production, while industrial blocs account for the rest. In 2023/2024 alone, Rwanda earned 114.8 million USD from 38,467.7 tons of tea exports, according to the Rwanda Development Board.
Notably, about 97.3 percent of Rwanda’s tea exports remain in raw form. However, the distribution of these exports offers insight into the evolving market dynamics.
Eighty percent of Rwanda’s tea exports are sold via auctions, where prices can fluctuate based on demand and quality. 17.3% are sold directly to buyers, enabling a more stable price and fostering long-term relationships with international tea importers.
A modest 2.7 percent is consumed locally, a figure that reflects the nation’s commitment to expanding its export markets.
Despite these figures, Rwanda is working to shift the focus toward value-added products and greater market diversification. For instance, initiatives to increase the processing of tea into ready-to-sell products, such as tea bags, are in progress to reduce dependence on raw exports and increase revenue per unit.
The government’s drive to plant 40 million new tea seedlings as part of a broader sustainability and industry transformation strategy further underlines Rwanda’s vision to build a globally competitive tea industry.
In Malipo, the transformation was accelerated by both private investment and proactive local governance. “Even at night, government officials would offer help—talking to villages and farmers the next day,” said Choi. Diana Yinan Dai, Chief Representative of Sunwah Tea in Beijing and Yunnan, highlighted the transition from informal, manual production to a more mechanized, skill-based industry.
“We teach the locals how to make the tea properly, and they get paid… Now tea has become an industry,” she said.
This modernization has had a tangible economic impact. By 2024, Malipo’s GDP hit 11.05 billion yuan, with agriculture and related sectors contributing 3.06 billion. The average rural income rose by 7.4 percent to 16,679 yuan. Chaping Mountain’s 133-hectare ancient tea garden now stands as a cultural and economic icon.
Rwanda has similarly invested in modernizing agriculture. Digital transformation, rural infrastructure, and strategic investor partnerships are enhancing productivity and export readiness.
Digital payment systems are being rolled out across the sector to improve efficiency and transparency. These changes are expected to yield long-term cost savings and reinvestment opportunities.
Rwanda’s tea industry has also gained international recognition. Rwanda Mountain Tea Ltd won first prize for BP1 (Kitabi) at the 2015 Gold Medal Tea Competition hosted by the Tea Associations of the USA and Canada, affirming the country’s quality credentials.
Drawing a compelling parallel, the experiences of Rwanda and Malipo underscore the potential for even geographically challenging regions to emerge as significant players in the global agricultural landscape. Both their journeys highlight the transformative power of innovation, strategic partnerships, and the modernization of agricultural value chains.
Celebrating Mass in the Sistine Chapel alongside the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV opened with heartfelt words before switching to Italian and Latin, the traditional liturgical languages of the Vatican.
“I’ll begin with a word in English, and the rest is in Italian,” he said gently, pausing for a moment before continuing: “But I want to repeat the words from the Responsorial Psalm. I will sing a new song to the Lord because he has done marvels.”
With those words, [the new pontiff->https://en.igihe.com/news/article/catholic-church-gets-new-pope]—Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV—invited the Church to recognize the grace and wonders of God not only in his own election, but in the collective journey of the Church itself.
“And indeed, not just with me, but with all of us, my brother cardinals, as we celebrate this morning, I invite you to recognize the marvels that the Lord has done, the blessings that the Lord continues to pour out upon all of us.”
In his brief English introduction, Pope Leo XIV emphasized themes of gratitude, humility, and shared mission, calling on the cardinals to accompany him in service to the Church and the world.
“Through the ministry of Peter, you have called me to carry that cross and to be blessed with that mission. And I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me as we continue, as a church, as a community of friends of Jesus, as believers, to announce the good news, to announce the gospel.”
“God has called me by your election to succeed the Prince of the Apostles, and has entrusted this treasure to me so that, with his help, I may be its faithful administrator…” he added.
The choice to begin in English—spoken in his native Chicago and around the globe—was not only personal but pastoral, offering a sign of accessibility to a global audience at a time when the Catholic Church is increasingly diverse and interconnected.
By invoking the image of the Church as a “community of friends of Jesus,” Pope Leo XIV set a tone of closeness, fraternity, and evangelization for his pontificate.
His words echoed across the chapel and beyond, offering a message of hope, unity, and spiritual renewal as he steps into the role of shepherd to more than a billion Catholics worldwide.
Xi made the remarks when he and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly met the press after their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow.
In the face of the changes of the world, of the times and of historical significance, China and Russia should keep a firm grasp on the development direction of bilateral ties and the general trend of the development of human society, Xi said.
Noting that his talks with Putin were in-depth, cordial and fruitful, Xi said he and Putin reached many important new consensus, signed a joint statement on further deepening China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era and witnessed the exchange of multiple bilateral cooperation documents, which injected new impetus into the development of China-Russia relations.
Xi said this is his 11th visit to Russia, the country he has visited the most since becoming the president of the People’s Republic of China. On Friday, he will attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War, his second time attending the grand commemoration event in ten years.
Xi said the past decade has witnessed major turbulence and transformation in the international situation, as well as great leapfrog in China-Russia ties. The two countries have jointly witnessed the continuous consolidation and deepening of political mutual trust, and the continuous improvement of cooperation in various fields.
Xi said that China and Russia must uphold long-standing friendship from generation to generation and remain true friends forged through trials and tribulations. Eighty years ago, in the face of brutal aggression of militarism and Nazism, the Chinese and Russian peoples stood united, fighting side by side against a common enemy and writing a remarkable and heroic chapter in history, he said.
The great friendship forged between the two peoples through the trials of war and bloodshed has laid a solid foundation for the high-level development of bilateral relations, Xi said, adding that the two countries should deepen political mutual trust, enhance strategic coordination and advance bilateral ties toward a more mature and resilient future.
Xi said that the two countries should uphold mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and be good partners who help each other prosper.
From overcoming hardships to deliver urgently needed supplies to each other during World War II, to the current record-breaking bilateral trade volumes, the “high-speed train” of China-Russia mutually beneficial cooperation has taken an extraordinary journey through mountains and valleys, overcoming challenges and obstacles, he said.
China and Russia should continue to deepen practical cooperation in various fields and solidify the material foundation for their comprehensive strategic coordination, bring more benefits to the people of both countries and give stronger momentum to global development, he said.
Xi noted that the two countries should uphold fairness and justice and defend the international order. China and Russia, as main theaters of Asia and Europe in WWII, have made decisive contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and laid a solid foundation for the establishment of the post-war international order, he said.
As forces for stability, progress, and development in the international community, China and Russia should continue to firmly stand together, resolutely safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and continuously promote an equal and orderly multipolar world, said Xi.
China and Russia must uphold solidarity and mutual assistance and act as leading forces in global governance, Xi noted, stressing that the future of the world should be decided by all countries together, and the fruits of global development should be shared by all.
As major countries and key emerging market economies, China and Russia both shoulder the lofty mission of advancing global governance toward greater equity and justice, and the two sides should enhance coordination within multilateral platforms such as the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, remain committed to true multilateralism, guide global governance in the right direction, and promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, he said.
Xi emphasized that in the face of a turbulent and complex international situation, China and Russia must firmly uphold the spirit of lasting bilateral good-neighborliness and friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation.
The two countries should stand together to overcome challenges, comprehensively elevate the level, scope and resilience of China-Russia relations, inject greater stability into world peace and security, and provide stronger momentum for global development and prosperity, said Xi.
