According to a statement from the U.S. State Department, Boulos will commence his visit on Thursday, April 3, 2025, making stops in the DRC, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda.
Accompanying him will be senior U.S. diplomat Corina Sanders. The delegation is set to engage with heads of state and business leaders to advance peace efforts in eastern DRC and encourage U.S. private sector investments in the region.
Boulos, a Lebanese-born American, has been appointed as a senior advisor for Africa in addition to his existing role as a senior advisor to Trump on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.
He has close ties to the Trump family, particularly through his son, Michael Boulos, who is married to Trump’s daughter, Tiffany Trump.
The visit comes amid ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict in eastern DRC, which in recent months has seen M23 rebels seize large swaths of territory, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu.
Significant developments in peace negotiations have been reported, with the DRC government and M23 rebels expected to hold direct talks in Doha, Qatar, on April 9, according to sources.
Efforts toward peace also saw DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame meet in Doha on March 18. The DRC and Rwanda have been at loggerheads over the conflict, with Rwanda denying allegations that it backs M23 rebels in eastern DRC.
Rwanda insists that its primary concern is the insecurity posed by the FDLR militia, which it accuses of collaborating with the Congolese army. The militia consists of remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, with Rwanda maintaining that the group poses a significant security threat due to its genocidal ideology.
Two people were trapped under the debris, and rescue teams from the Myanmar Fire Services Department and Turkey successfully pulled one survivor to safety, the information team said.
The operation at the hotel began at around 3:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, and the man was rescued by approximately 00:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, it said.
Efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining trapped individuals, it added.
As of Wednesday, April 2, 2025, the death toll in Myanmar had risen to 2,886, with 4,639 people injured and 373 still missing.
The TKMD facility, located in the Mwulire industrial zone in Rwamagana District, aims to meet local demand while also supplying other African nations facing syringe shortages.
Established in partnership with Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization pre-qualified facility employs over 100 people—80% of whom are women—enhancing healthcare quality and access.
Dr Nsanzimana described the factory as a game-changer for Africa, addressing a long-standing challenge of syringe shortages across the continent.
“The issue of syringe shortages was not unique to Rwanda; it was a widespread challenge due to reliance on imports and limited global production capacity. With this factory, that problem is now solved—not just for Rwanda, but for Africa as a whole,” he stated.
The first batch of syringes produced was immediately purchased by UNICEF for distribution to Ethiopia, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, and other nations.
Currently, TKMD has a production capacity ranging from 600,000 to one million syringes per day, with plans to scale up based on market demand.
The factory had been operational for five months before its official launch, undergoing stringent quality assessments to ensure compliance with international standards.
The Rwamagana industrial zone is designed to accommodate 51 factories. At present, 19 are fully operational, four have been completed and are awaiting permits, while 11 are still under construction.
The sharp decline is attributed to the challenging economic conditions, particularly in key markets like Nigeria, where inflation has consistently exceeded 30% over the past year.
The company attributes this sharp decrease to economic difficulties, particularly in key markets like Nigeria, where inflation has remained above 30% for much of the past year. Additionally, severe power disruptions in Zambia have worsened the situation, impacting the company’s operations.
MultiChoice revealed that over 84% of the lost subscribers were from regions outside South Africa, with Nigeria being the most affected.
In a statement, the company stated, “The loss in the rest of Africa has been primarily due to the significant consumer pressure in Nigeria, where inflation has remained above 30% for the majority of the last 12 months and, more recently, due to extreme power disruptions in Zambia.”
Adding to its challenges, MultiChoice is also under regulatory scrutiny. Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) recently filed charges against the company for allegedly violating local consumer protection laws, further complicating its position in the region.
According to reports, Wellesley had been battling health issues following a stroke. He was rushed from his home in Trelawny to a hospital in Kingston, where he succumbed to his illness.
Tributes have poured in from across Jamaica, with Prime Minister Andrew Holness acknowledging Wellesley’s impact on his son’s career.
“We have all witnessed the deep love and respect you’ve always shown for your family. As you grieve this great loss, the prayers and support of an entire nation are with you. We mourn with you, we stand with you, and we honor the memory of your father alongside you,” Holness said.
Minister of Sports Olivia Grange also paid tribute to Wellesley, affectionately known as “Gideon” in his community. “Every success that Usain has achieved can be attributed to the confidence given to him by his ever-supportive mother and father. It is going to be a difficult time, but I encourage them to be comforted by the memory of a very good father,” Grange said.
Wellesley Bolt played a key role in shaping Usain’s career, steering him away from cricket and football to focus on track and field. He remained a constant presence in the stands as his son dominated global athletics, winning eight Olympic gold medals.
He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and their three children, Usain, Sadiki, and Christine Bolt-Hylton.
The new digital systems, unveiled in collaboration with the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), aim to enhance transparency in cargo movement, reduce smuggling, and streamline tax collection on goods imported from East African Community (EAC) member states such as Uganda and Kenya.
With the implementation of RECTS, South Sudanese traders can now track their land cargo in real time, from port of origin to final destination with the E-permit system mandating upfront tax payment before cargo is released for transportation.
This dual approach is expected to significantly minimize delays and eliminate revenue leakages.
“These are major milestones in fostering regional integration and enhancing revenue mobilization for our sister country,” said Hajji Asadu Kigozi Kisitu, Acting Commissioner of the URA Customs Department, who represented the URA Commissioner General during the launch in Kampala.
“Back in 2002, we had to escort cargo across borders manually. Today, we embrace technology for safer, faster, and more accountable cargo movement.”
The E-permit system specifically targets high-risk goods including cigarettes, alcohol, electronics, shisha tobacco, cosmetics, and motor vehicles; commodities often linked to smuggling operations.
SSRA Commissioner General Simon Akuei Deng emphasized that the modernization of customs systems is key to improving security, regulatory compliance, and public revenue. “By implementing these systems, we are aligning with international best practices. Our commitment is to end the perception of South Sudan as a smuggling corridor,” he stated.
Both URA and SSRA believe the technology will not only improve accountability but also address long-standing concerns from regional partners such as the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), which have incurred losses due to cross-border smuggling.
As regional trade continues to expand, Kisitu highlighted the critical role of digital solutions in protecting economic integrity. “These systems will ensure that taxes are paid, cargo is monitored, and the region remains secure,” he said.
The launch marks a significant move toward deeper EAC customs integration and is seen as a model for future cooperation among member states.
The center is designed to equip students with deep technical expertise, enabling them to develop locally relevant software that also meets global standards.
“So rather than Africa being just consumers, we now are creators and contribute to the global ecosystem of open-source products and open-source software,” said Conrad Tucker, Director of CMU Africa.
Beyond fostering innovation, the center also aims to enhance Africa’s technological autonomy, allowing governments to develop and maintain their own software rather than relying on external providers.
“For ample, if the government of Rwanda has a software that is developed and implemented domestically. If that software needs to be updated or replaced, rather than always going externally, we have locally homegrown technical talent that can either develop the software, maintain it, and even export it so that this can also be a new source of revenue for our countries.” Tucker explained.
The establishment of the digital public infrastructure labs, has been made possible through a multi-year partnership with the Gates Foundation.
{{A hub for African digital innovation}}
This center is a key initiative supporting Africa’s digital transformation, according to Assane Gueye, Co-Director of the Upanzi Network and an associate teaching professor at CMU Africa.
“Africa is going digital, there are technologies that we need to support that. Often people want to see technology in action, go to India, Europe, or China and this is an opportunity for us as African countries to step up,” Gueye pointed out.
A major objective of the center is to provide a space where African leaders can explore emerging technologies firsthand. “The people working on these solutions are the sons and daughters of Africa. They know the challenges, they build the solutions, and the digital experience center is a place where we showcase them.”
Among the innovations already underway is a digital ID system, which will allow governments to transition from physical ID cards to secure digital identities. “We create a digital ID for the citizen and give them access to services that the government is offering, showcasing how digital ID can help in the country,” Gueye explained.
One of the most promising projects showcased at the center is a Malaria Diagnosis App, co-developed by Eric Maniraguha, a research associate and geospatial analyst at CMU Africa. The app leverages machine learning to streamline malaria diagnosis, reducing the time and effort required for manual testing.
“We are trying to digitalize the malaria diagnosis process. We are working on this by collecting data from health centers, validating it with RBC, and using machine learning to identify and classify malaria parasites,” Maniraguha explained.
While still undergoing optimization, the app is expected to improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. “This will reduce the time required for diagnosis and also automate the process,” he noted.
Another major focus of the center is bridging the digital divide, particularly in rural areas. Unlike traditional research institutions, the digital experience center prioritizes real-world problem-solving.
It is expected set to become a regional hub for digital innovation, allowing policymakers, researchers, and entrepreneurs to explore, test, and implement new technologies.
Her statement shared on X follows a controversial discussion initiated by President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC on March 31, 2025, regarding what he referred to as “Genocide for Economic Gains.”
Tshisekedi claimed that over 10 million Congolese have suffered over the past three decades, blaming neighboring countries like Rwanda and armed groups such as M23 for the devastation. Tshisekedi stressed that the international community should recognize this alleged genocide.
“A week before the commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, so-called leaders from the DRC have openly shown what we have long known: genocide denial has deep roots in DRC’s politics,” Nyombayire remarked.
Nyombayire pointed out the DRC government’s failures, where armed groups have been entrusted with leadership roles while the country’s political elite focused on personal enrichment by plundering national resources.
She also criticized the government’s tendency to externalize blame, rather than address internal problems.
“After decades as a failed state, delegating governance to armed groups because leaders are too busy stealing the nation’s resources to buy castles in Belgium, DRC has traded in threats of ‘à la moindre escarmouche’ for a new low: Inventing a genocide to cover up the truth of their own failures,” Nyombayire explained.
“The deaths that occurred and are still occurring today are the result of the inability to govern, to look beyond personal interest, and to protect citizens,” she added.
Nyombayire reminded the public that the same government now invoking the Genocide Convention was the one that integrated the genocidal group FDLR into its military forces, all while continuing to deny basic rights to its citizens, subjecting them to violence and even death based on their identity.
Since February 2025, leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have been working on solutions to bring peace to eastern DRC and the surrounding region.
However, Nyombayire emphasized that the DRC government continues to evade responsibility, turning victims into perpetrators and distracting from the essential work of finding a lasting solution.
Speaking on Sanny Ntayombya’s Long Form podcast, Rwabukumba revealed that a single government bond, costing just RWF 100,000 and yielding 11% annually, offers a low-risk way to beat bank savings rates and build long-term wealth.
“It’s as easy as opening a bank account,” he told the host.
According to Rwabukumba, a government bond at RWF 100,000 pays 11% a year—far outstripping the 8-9% interest typical savings accounts provide.
“Buy ten bonds for 1 million RWF, and every six months, you’d get about RWF 55,000 —totaling RWF 110,000 yearly,” he explained.
“After three years, you get your 1 million back,” he added.
Reinvesting the interest allows the magic of compounding to kick in, with the CEO disclosing that RWF 1 million doubles to 2 million in roughly six years and climbs toward 3 million in a decade.
For a young Rwandan making RWF 200,000 a month, Rwabukumba suggested setting aside RWF 50,000 regularly. That habit alone could accumulate to RWF 6 million in ten years.
“It’s not about the size of the savings,” he emphasized, “but the discipline behind it.”
While private bonds might tempt with 14% returns, he prefers the government variety for their safety.
“Sure, a government could go broke,” he acknowledged with a shrug, “but a nation keeps going—and Rwanda’s track record is solid.”
{{A Market Hungry for More
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Under Rwabukumba’s leadership, the Rwanda Stock Exchange has demonstrated robust demand. He highlighted that every initial public offering since the exchange’s inception in 2011 has been oversubscribed by at least threefold, citing examples like Bank of Kigali’s $100 million raise and Bralirwa’s RWF 17 billion listing.
“We’ve never seen an undersubscription,” he stated, underscoring the market’s strength.
However, secondary market activity remains subdued, with investors holding onto bonds and shares. This year’s trading volume reached RWF 100 billion, a significant increase from periods of near-zero activity in prior years, though liquidity remains a challenge.
Rwabukumba also noted the $500 million in annual remittances from Rwanda’s diaspora as a potential catalyst.
“That’s capital from our own citizens,” he explained, suggesting it could finance infrastructure projects like roads or the Bugesera Airport, reducing reliance on foreign aid.
He views this as a critical move toward economic self-sufficiency, driven by retail investor participation.
Rwabukumba outlined a streamlined process for investing in RWF 100,000 bond. The first step, he explained, is deciding to prioritize saving over spending—a foundational shift in financial behavior.
Next, investors must open a Central Securities Depository (CSD) account through one of the six active stockbrokers listed on rse.rw. The process is cost-free, requiring only an ID and two passport photos, and is accessible remotely, including for diaspora members.
The final step involves transferring RWF 100,000 to the broker’s client account during a Central Bank bond issuance, yielding RWF 5,500 semi-annually.
“The system is online and straightforward, with no in-person requirement,” he affirmed.
Retail investors benefit from priority access in Rwanda’s oversubscribed primary market, ahead of institutional buyers. Rwabukumba added that mobile-based transactions via USSD codes are in development, signaling further accessibility improvements.
Despite the opportunity, participation remains limited. Rwabukumba identified inadequate public awareness as a primary obstacle.
“The lack of effective communication means many don’t understand what’s available,” he observed.
He noted that spending patterns—such as high consumption in the last week of each month—or investments in non-liquid assets like undeveloped land divert capital from the market. By comparison, he praised savings cultures in other regions, where individuals allocate half their income to investment before discretionary spending.
With only 100,000 active investors against a population of 13 million, he warned that low engagement undermines wealth creation potential.
“Without market participation, financial growth will stall,” he remarked.
Rwabukumba emphasized that bonds are just the beginning. He explained that each bond purchase supports infrastructure development while generating returns, aligning individual and national interests.
The RSE is preparing to launch Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to enable ownership in high-value properties like Kigali Towers, alongside Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and Sharia-compliant instruments to attract Middle Eastern capital.
Dr. Francis Habumugisha, the company’s CEO, expressed his delight at receiving the prestigious accolade.
“This is a moment of great joy for us as a company. Our commitment to providing high-quality services and top-tier products is built on my 20 years of experience in the food supplements industry,” he said.
He attributed the award to the company’s dedication to customer satisfaction.
“Customers are our top priority. We ensure they receive high-quality, effective products that meet their needs,” he added.
Dr. Habumugisha emphasised that respecting customers means delivering exactly what is promised on product labels—whether it’s a remedy for a specific health concern or essential vitamins.
He also highlighted some of the company’s bestselling products that contributed to its recognition. These include Best Man Prime, which helps prevent prostate cancer in men, and Best Lady Care, which supports hormonal balance, uterine health, and libido enhancement in women.
Other popular supplements include Best Kids Brain Gummies, formulated to aid children’s growth and cognitive development. The company also offers Best Fish Oil, Best Fit & Detox Tea, Best X Power Coffee, and Best Brain Booster, all designed to promote overall well-being.
Reaffirming the company’s commitment to quality and reliability, Dr. Habumugisha announced plans to establish a manufacturing plant in Rwanda to produce supplements locally.
He also encouraged business owners interested in partnering with Mega Global Market to reach out, underscoring the company’s mission to provide premium products at affordable prices.
