Category: News

Speaking to IGIHE, Dr Uwituze, who was recently appointed alongside Dr Telesphore Ndabamenye, the new Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, said the new leadership at MINAGRI will focus on streamlining irrigation projects and ensuring that established schemes deliver tangible results in both food production and export-oriented crops.

She said particular emphasis will be placed on fast-tracking irrigation projects in areas already earmarked and funded for such interventions.

“We will put strong emphasis on ensuring that areas designated for irrigation and already financed move quickly through technical processes, procurement and implementation, so that national targets set for citizens are achieved without delay,” she said.

“Secondly, we will work to ensure that the irrigated schemes we have established produce sufficient food crops, as well as cash crops that earn foreign exchange for the country.”

Dr Uwituze noted that increased production must go hand in hand with improved market access, citing instances where farmers harvest produce only for it to spoil due to lack of buyers.

“If we do this well, we can achieve sufficient, high-quality production. That must be matched with market access, because there are times when produce is harvested but ends up spoiling at collection centres. These issues must be addressed in a coordinated manner,” she said.

She added that the ministry will also intensify efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change on agriculture by promoting climate-smart farming practices and strengthening measures to address the impact of excessive rainfall or prolonged dry spells.

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The issue of hunger has recently drawn attention in Kayonza District, where prolonged drought has affected residents in the sectors of Ndego, Mwiri, Kabare and Rwinkwavu.

The situation was among the factors that led to the dismissal of district officials, following reports that residents in the affected areas were facing acute food shortages due to persistent dry conditions.

The drought, marked by limited rainfall and dry conditions, has forced some residents to migrate in search of food.

This challenge is not new, as the government has often had to provide food assistance to these communities on an annual basis. However, reports indicate that local authorities failed to submit timely reports on the situation, allegedly concealing the severity of hunger in the affected sectors.

Once the central government became aware of the situation, emergency food assistance was immediately deployed. Each household is receiving beans and maize sufficient to last approximately 15 days.

A household of five people, for instance, is being provided with 37 kilograms of maize and 15 kilograms of beans. Distribution has already started across all four affected sectors.

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Kayonza District is also home to the Kayonza Irrigation and Integrated Watershed Management Project (KIIWP), a government-funded initiative that was expected to significantly improve agricultural productivity and livelihoods.

Despite substantial investment, the project has yet to deliver the anticipated results.

Dr Uwituze acknowledged the long-standing climatic challenges in the area, noting that Kayonza is known for receiving limited rainfall.

“This is an area that is naturally prone to low rainfall. What we have committed to do is to put in place daily monitoring to understand what is likely to happen and how best to prepare,” she said.

“In particular, we will allocate crop varieties that require less water and mature quickly.”

She explained that agricultural interventions in the area will be tailored to local climatic conditions rather than applying standard national programmes.

“If maize takes five months to mature, yet rainfall in the area lasts only about two months, then we must design programmes that reflect the local climate. The goal is to ensure communities do not continue to lose harvests or suffer hunger while we are present,” she said.

Dr Uwituze said that while immediate food assistance has stabilised the situation, longer-term solutions are already being implemented.

“At the moment, residents have food to eat, but we are also introducing fast-maturing crops such as sweet potatoes. We are also considering short-cycle bean varieties that mature in about 45 days, so that alongside the food aid, communities can grow and harvest their own food within a short period.”

In a statement dated December 15, 2025, and signed by its coordinator Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo, the AFC/M23 said the decision follows recent progress within the Doha Peace Process, including the signing of the Doha Framework Agreement on November 15, 2025. The group stated that the withdrawal was carried out at the request of United States mediation, which it described as part of broader international efforts to facilitate a lasting political solution to the conflict.

According to the communiqué, the alliance said it opted for the withdrawal despite what it described as continued provocations and abuses by the Congolese army (FARDC) and its allied forces. AFC/M23 maintained that the move was intended to give the peace process “the maximum chance” to succeed and to demonstrate goodwill toward dialogue.

However, the group also expressed concern over past experiences in which it claims its previous trust-building measures were exploited by FARDC, Wazalendo militias and allied forces to retake territory and target civilians perceived as sympathetic to AFC/M23. In this context, the alliance called on the guarantors of the peace process to put in place concrete measures to manage the situation in Uvira following its withdrawal.

These measures, according to the statement, should include the demilitarisation of the city, protection of civilians and infrastructure, and the monitoring of the ceasefire through the deployment of a neutral force. AFC/M23 said such mechanisms are necessary to prevent a security vacuum and to ensure that the withdrawal does not result in renewed violence against the local population.

The communiqué also addressed the presence of armed groups hostile to the Government of Burundi operating in eastern DRC. AFC/M23 stated that it would not allow areas it previously controlled to be used as rear bases for attacks that could undermine relations between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, stressing the importance of good-neighbourly relations between the two countries.

The AFC/M23 group captured Uvira last week, describing the move as an effort to liberate the city from what it called ethnic atrocities being committed against the local population by coalition forces aligned with the Kinshasa government.

“For more than three months, we have denounced the spread of hate speech, targeted attacks, and massacres in areas previously liberated by the coalition forces of the Kinshasa regime and their ally, Burundi. Today, the threat has been removed, and Uvira is now liberated,” AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka announced.

The withdrawal from Uvira marks a significant development in the evolving conflict dynamics in South Kivu, where control of strategic cities has frequently shifted amid fighting between government forces, local militias and armed movements. While the AFC/M23 framed its move as a step toward de-escalation, the situation on the ground remains fluid, with the durability of the withdrawal likely to depend on the implementation of agreed security arrangements and the credibility of ongoing peace talks.

Observers say the coming days will be critical in determining whether the withdrawal contributes to renewed momentum for dialogue or opens a new phase of contestation over control of Uvira and its surroundings.

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Speaking to The Athletic, Afrika shared that the country is “in the race to possibly hold a Formula One event here in 2029,” with progress being made but the talks “not yet concluded.”

He highlighted that these negotiations are tied to the development of a new international airport, which will support the creation of a “new city” alongside the F1 racetrack.

“We actually want to use the airport as an opportunity to practically develop an entire new city,” Afrika explained.

The project could extend beyond F1, with potential for hosting Formula Two and Formula Three races as well.

Afrika emphasized the broader vision, stating, “F1 as a whole is a sport of great interest for us, even beyond bringing the racetrack, in terms of what we could do in the future because it’s the sport of global CEOs, tech entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals, and it is far more targeted.”

According to F1 sources, Rwanda is emerging as Africa’s most advanced contender to host a future F1 race, with 2030 also being considered as a possible date.

Minister of Sports Nelly Mukazayire expressed confidence, saying, “Talks are going well.” “F1 is something huge, so you as a country really need to prepare in terms of different aspects. Their calendar is getting busier and busier, but we have proven to be a trustable partner and a strategic partner, so we believe we will get there.”

With Rwanda positioning itself as a trusted partner in sports, the F1 event is seen as an opportunity to boost the country’s global profile and open doors to investments in both sports and business.

“It opens doors for investment into the nation but also into sport,” Mukazayire added.

The new Bugesera Airport is expected to open in phases, with the first phase set to be completed by 2027.

This phase will have the capacity to accommodate up to 7 million passengers annually. The second phase, scheduled for completion by 2032, will expand the airport’s capacity to 14 million passengers per year.

President Paul Kagame confirmed Rwanda’s bid to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix in the country on Friday, December 13, 2024.

The Head of State made the announcement during the FIA General Assembly held at the Kigali Convention Center, following months of reports of Rwanda’s push to host the high-profile sporting event.

In his speech, Kagame expressed delight at the progress made so far, acknowledging the positive discussions with Formula 1 officials, led by CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Rwanda’s bid to host the Grand Prix is part of a broader strategy to attract high-profile sports events to Africa—a continent that has not hosted a Formula 1 race since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.

“I am happy to formally announce that Rwanda is beginning to bring the thrill of racing back to Africa by hosting the Formula 1 Grand Prix. A big thank you to Stefano Domenicali and the entire team at Formula 1 for the good progress in our discussions so far,” President Kagame stated.

“I assure you that we are approaching this opportunity with the seriousness and commitment it deserves. Together, we will build something we can all be proud of,” he added.

For Rwanda to host an F1 event, it requires race tracks that meet global standards, including both “Street Circuits” and specialized “Race Tracks.”

The cost of building a new track typically starts at $400 million, depending on the design and scale of the project.

Addressing Council members on Friday, December 12, during a briefing on the DRC and the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO, Amb. Ngoga urged the Council to base its decisions on verified facts from the field, particularly amid worsening violence targeting the Banyamulenge and other Kinyarwanda-speaking Tutsi communities in South Kivu.

He stressed that as MONUSCO’s mandate comes up for renewal, Rwanda expects a mission firmly anchored in the Washington Peace Agreement and the Doha Framework, which he described as the only viable pathways to sustainable peace.

Critics say MONUSCO has failed to stabilize eastern DRC, despite more than 20 years of UN peacekeeping and tens of billions of dollars in funding.

Amb. Ngoga said the next MONUSCO mandate must prioritise strict impartiality and political neutrality, effective support to ceasefire implementation, political dialogue, and robust compliance with human rights due diligence policies.

He cautioned against offensive operations targeting parties previously engaged in political processes and called for a realistic, resource-conscious focus on stability, accountability, and political solutions.

“MONUSCO’s effectiveness will depend on how well it aligns its operations with the political tracks that offer the only viable path forward,” he said, reiterating Rwanda’s commitment to fully implement its obligations under the Washington Peace Agreement.

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Turning to the situation in South Kivu, Amb. Ngoga delivered a detailed account of what he described as systematic persecution of the Banyamulenge community dating back to 2017.

He told the Council that more than 85 percent of Banyamulenge villages in South Kivu have been destroyed, while an estimated 700,000 cattle, the community’s main economic lifeline, have been raided or killed.

He cited multiple incidents from 2025, including ultimatums issued by Wazalendo militias and elements of the Congolese army (FARDC) demanding that Banyamulenge civilians leave Uvira or face death, denial of access to water points, abductions, killings, and attacks accompanied by chants calling for the community’s extermination.

“These are early warning indicators of atrocity crimes, discrimination, dehumanisation, forced displacement, and the denial of basic services,” he said.

Amb. Ngoga also raised alarm over the deployment of tens of thousands of Burundian soldiers into South Kivu at the invitation of the Congolese government, operating alongside FARDC, the FDLR, and allied militias.

He said coordinated military blockades imposed on Banyamulenge areas, particularly in the Minembwe Highlands, have deprived civilians of food, medicine, and humanitarian access for nearly a year.

He further highlighted repeated air attacks carried out by Congolese government forces and their allies, including drone strikes near internally displaced persons’ camps in Mikenge and Nzibira, and said at least 50 air attacks were recorded between March and December this year.

“No one is speaking about this,” he told the Council, adding that Rwanda has repeatedly raised these concerns with mediators, Council members, and regional mechanisms without response.

Drawing on historical parallels, Amb. Ngoga recalled how diplomats in the same chamber spoke out during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, despite never having been on the ground, and said their courage saved lives.

“As a former investigator, I know the importance of recreating the scene,” he said, urging the Security Council to use its authority to establish the factual reality in South Kivu rather than rely on silence or denial.

He also reiterated Rwanda’s long-standing concern over the continued presence of the FDLR in eastern DRC, describing it as an existential threat to Rwanda and its people, and accusing successive Congolese governments of supporting the group despite existing UN resolutions. The militia group comprises remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi who fled to eastern DRC.

Amb. Ngoga’s remarks come against the backdrop of rapidly changing dynamics in South Kivu. On 10 December 2025, the rebel coalition AFC/M23 confirmed the capture of the strategic city of Uvira, marking its deepest advance in the province this year.

The group described the takeover as a liberation and accused Kinshasa of repeated ceasefire violations, hate speech, and attacks against Kinyarwanda-speaking communities. It also cited direct military involvement by Burundi and cited the prolonged blockade of Minembwe, which has forced thousands of civilians to flee, many seeking refuge in Rwanda.

Addressing the escalating situation, Amb. Ngoga stressed that Rwanda is not seeking war and has no intention of engaging in conflict with Burundi. He called for renewed international support to ongoing mediation efforts, particularly those led by the United States and Qatar, and urged all parties to implement agreed commitments in good faith.

“This conflict has gone on for too long,” he said. “If we all commit to the Washington Agreement and fully support the Doha process, there is still a possibility for a peaceful solution.”