More than 7.89 million voters were registered, with turnout reaching 58.75 percent. The results show Wadagni, the incumbent Minister of Economy and Finance, backed by the ruling coalition, defeated opposition candidate Paul Hounkpe of the Cowry Forces for an Emerging Benin.
Wadagni’s running mate, Mariam Chabi Talata, will serve as vice president.
During the campaign, Wadagni pledged to build on reforms of the past decade and pursue a shift from a primary industry-driven model to a modern economy focused on industrialization, digitalization and regional integration. He said the emphasis would move from expanding economic scale to achieving higher-quality growth.
Political figures, electoral institutions and observers said the voting process was generally smooth and orderly. Benin’s Constitutional Court is expected to announce the final results within five days. Under the electoral code, the president and vice president are elected by direct universal suffrage for a seven-year term.
Wadagni, 49, previously worked at Deloitte before joining the government after Patrice Talon was elected president in 2016. He has since served as Minister of Economy and Finance. Wadagni was reappointed in 2021 and promoted to senior minister, playing a key role in implementing Talon’s economic policies.
Romuald Wadagni casts his ballot at a polling station in Lokossa, Benin, on April 12, 2026. Romuald Wadagni won Benin’s presidential election held on Sunday, according to preliminary results released Monday by the country’s Autonomous National Electoral Commission.
He made the remarks on April 13, 2026, during the closing of the Commemoration Week at national level, as politicians and leaders gathered to honor fellow politicians who were killed during the Genocide against the Tutsi for opposing the extermination campaign.
The commemoration took place at the Rebero Genocide Memorial, a site dedicated to preserving the memory of politicians who stood against injustice and resisted divisionism.
Kalinda explained that discriminatory politics rooted in ethnic division played a central role in leading Rwanda to genocide, stressing the need for vigilance among current political actors.
“The Genocide against the Tutsi was the outcome of a series of poor leadership decisions, starting with colonial rule that fractured Rwandan unity and institutionalized ethnic divisions, followed by the First and Second Republics which entrenched discrimination against Tutsis as state policy,” he said.
He emphasized that remembrance is essential in preserving truth and countering genocide denial.
“Remembering is crucial to uphold the truth about the Genocide against the Tutsi, to show that it was planned, and to fight against denial and minimization while preventing its recurrence in Rwanda and elsewhere,” he added.
Kalinda noted that, in the aftermath of the genocide, Rwandans chose a path of unity, building a nation free from discrimination as enshrined in the Constitution.
“Good governance that prioritizes unity and equal opportunities for all Rwandans is the path we chose. The progress made over the past 32 years is remarkable and gives hope for the future of our country,” he said.
He, however, warned that elements of genocide ideology, denial, and minimization still exist and must be actively confronted. He called on politicians to take the lead in combating such tendencies and in educating the youth about the country’s history.
Kalinda also reminded attendees that although the Commemoration Week has concluded, the 100-day commemoration period of Kwibuka32 continues.
Frank Habineza, spokesperson for the National Consultative Forum of Political Organizations (NFPO), said the politicians being remembered were killed for their courage in rejecting injustice and authoritarian rule.
“The politicians we honor today were killed because of their bravery in resisting oppression and injustice. They stood for a country governed with dignity and equality for all,” he said.
He highlighted that Rwanda’s 11 registered political parties currently work together toward national development, stressing that differing opinions should not be equated with conflict.
“Having different views is not fighting or undermining the achievements made over the past 32 years. Our role is to contribute ideas and solutions while remembering the painful history that led to the Genocide against the Tutsi,” he noted.
Habineza urged political party members to reject any attempts to reintroduce divisive politics.
“We will not accept anyone who seeks to take the country backward under any pretext,” he said.
Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Jean-Damascène Bizimana, outlined how politics of hatred were institutionalized under former leaders such as Juvénal Habyarimana and Grégoire Kayibanda.
He explained that although Habyarimana initially justified his rise to power by citing injustices, including discrimination in education, his regime went on to reinforce ethnic division and exclusion.
Dr. Bizimana noted that refugees who had been persecuted were denied the right to return and reclaim their property.
“Even those who attempted to secretly visit their families were chased away,” he said.
He also criticized ongoing efforts by some individuals, including Jean-Luc Habyarimana, to sanitize the legacy of the former regime, insisting that evidence of its role in persecuting Tutsis remains overwhelming.
Dr. Bizimana called on political leaders to prioritize educating young people about Rwanda’s history to prevent them from being misled.
“It is essential to properly educate the youth within political parties so they understand this history and engage in politics that unites Rwandans, supports national cohesion, and prevents the country from falling back into division,” he said.
He further urged young people to reject hate speech still propagated by some politicians influenced by past discriminatory ideologies.
“Hate speech persists among some politicians shaped by ethnic-based politics that deny the country’s inclusiveness. This ideology continues to influence them,” he said.
The minister stressed that unity cannot be built without understanding what destroyed it.
“We cannot build unity without first understanding what broke it and those responsible. That is what helps protect it and prevents the country from returning to divisive ideologies like those that characterized the regime which planned the Genocide against the Tutsi,” he said.
He concluded by urging today’s politicians to learn from Rwanda’s history and from past leaders who upheld integrity, emphasizing the need to safeguard national unity through truth and shared values.
François-Xavier Kalinda, President of the Senate, has warned that the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was the result of a long history of bad governance.Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Jean-Damascène Bizimana, outlined how politics of hatred were institutionalized under former leaders such as Juvénal Habyarimana and Grégoire Kayibanda.Habineza urged political party members to reject any attempts to reintroduce divisive politics.The commemoration took place at the Rebero Genocide Memorial.Senior officials including Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva and Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe attended the event.
Speaking to reporters aboard the papal aircraft on Monday, the U.S.-born pontiff responded to Trump’s recent criticism by insisting that his messages should not be interpreted through a political lens.
“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” Leo said. “And I’m sorry to hear that, but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the Church in the world today.”
The pope, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, stressed that his appeals for peace and reconciliation are not directed at any individual leader. He said his repeated warnings against what he called a “delusion of omnipotence” driving global conflicts were meant as a moral, not political, critique.
“I will not enter into debate. The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone,” he said. “The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’”
In remarks to other reporters, Leo added plainly: “I have no fear of the Trump administration.”
The exchange comes after Trump launched a forceful attack on the pope over the weekend, criticizing Leo’s comments on the Iran war and accusing him of being “very liberal” and “weak on crime.” The president also suggested the pontiff should “stop catering to the Radical Left” and condemned his opposition to aspects of U.S. foreign policy.
“I’m not a fan of Pope Leo,” Trump said while traveling back from Florida to Washington, escalating his criticism in both social media posts and comments to reporters.
In his posts, Trump also objected to the pope’s earlier remarks suggesting that talk of overwhelming military force in Iran reflected dangerous thinking, arguing that Leo had overstepped by commenting on geopolitical strategy. He further claimed the pope should avoid political issues altogether.
The White House’s criticism followed a period of heightened tensions between Washington and the Vatican, as Leo increasingly warned against escalating rhetoric around the Iran conflict. The pope has previously described threats of large-scale destruction as “truly unacceptable” and cautioned against what he sees as the religious justification of war.
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, later said he was “disheartened” by the tone of the president’s remarks, stressing that the pope speaks as “the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel.”
Trump, however, doubled down on his criticism, reiterating that he was elected “in a landslide” to carry out his foreign policy agenda and suggesting the pope had been elevated in part due to his American nationality.
“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump said.
Despite the escalating rhetoric, Pope Leo emphasized that he would continue his global tour of Africa, which began Monday with a visit to Algeria, where he is expected to meet civil authorities and later travel to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
“I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel,” he said. “And inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible.”
Pope Leo XIV addresses journalists during the flight heading to Algiers on April 13, 2026. Pope Leo XIV embarks on April 13 on an 11-day visit to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea for his first major international trip since becoming pontiff in May 2025.
He made the remarks on April 13, 2026, during the 32nd commemoration ceremony for politicians who were killed in the Genocide against the Tutsi.
The event marked the closure of the Commemoration Week and was held in Rebero, Kigali City, at Rebero Genocide Memorial, where the remains of 21 politicians are interred. The politicians were killed for opposing discrimination that culminated in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Senator Dr. Habineza emphasised that Rwanda has 11 political parties, each guided by its own ideology. He noted that while their ideas may differ, they all operate peacefully within the national governance framework, and each maintains its own independent political stance.
“All 11 political parties are represented in Parliament and in other leadership institutions of the country. It should be clearly understood that meeting and sharing views on national issues does not remove the independence of each political party,” he said.
He further explained that this independence naturally includes differing political opinions, commonly referred to as “opposition.”
“It does not prevent each political party from having different views from others, what some call ‘opposition.’ Opposition to the government in Rwanda is not about fighting or destroying what has been achieved in the 32 years since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Our opposition is about presenting ideas and proposing solutions to existing challenges, while keeping in mind Rwanda’s difficult history,” he said.
Dr. Habineza added that such political differences should always align with the principles the country has adopted to promote unity among Rwandans.
He also criticised politicians based abroad, whom he accused of misleading the public about governance in Rwanda, stating that their actions should not be tolerated.
“We support our leadership, led by the President of the Republic. We will not allow anyone who seeks to take us backwards, regardless of the means they use,” he said.
Referring to the ongoing period of commemoration, Dr. Habineza noted that some Rwandans remain abroad, including exiles and individuals who were involved in the 1994 destruction of the country, among them members of the FDLR. He reiterated that Rwanda’s policy is that no Rwandan should remain in exile indefinitely.
“Rwanda’s policy is that no Rwandan should remain in exile forever. The Forum of Political Organizations calls on Rwandans still in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere in the world to distance themselves from those who hold them hostage and return home, especially given the crimes they committed in Rwanda, including the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Let them come home in peace […]. We have chosen to pursue a constructive, inclusive form of politics that values all Rwandans,” he said.
On the closing day of the Commemoration Week, tributes were paid to politicians who opposed the plans for the Genocide against the Tutsi, up to the point of losing their lives.Senator Dr. Habineza said Rwanda has 11 political parties with different ideologies, all operating peacefully within the national governance framework while maintaining independent positions.
The office said Netanyahu signed the appointment letter following approval by an advisory committee.
Gofman is set to assume the role on June 2 for a five-year term, after current director David Barnea completes his tenure.
The appointment has drawn criticism, including from current and former Mossad officials who raised concerns over Gofman’s lack of intelligence experience.
The advisory committee, which reviews senior government appointments in Israel, voted 3-1 in favor of the appointment, with its chairman, former Supreme Court president Asher Grunis, voting against.
“In light of the integrity-related shortcomings for which Maj. Gen. Gofman is responsible, it is not appropriate to appoint him to the position of head of the Mossad,” Grunis wrote in an appendix to the decision.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed his military secretary, Roman Gofman, as the next head of the Mossad intelligence agency
“After all, we want a sustainable peace. And sustainable peace can only be achieved once we have safeguarded our interests and attained the objectives that have been in place since the very beginning,” he said.
Peskov noted that the key point of disagreement in the Russian-Ukrainian negotiation process is a small area of the Donetsk People’s Republic currently controlled by the Ukrainian army.
He said that substantive talks on resolving the conflict can only begin after Russian troops reach the administrative borders of Russia’s new regions.
“In any case, we are talking about very complex, meticulous, and not quick negotiations,” Peskov said.
The law, which declares France’s colonization of Algeria from 1830 to 1962 a crime, was described by officials as “a step to preserve national memory and honor the sacrifices made during the colonial period.”
In December 2025, the lower house unanimously adopted the draft law calling for an official apology from France and affirming Algeria’s right to reparations.
However, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune later clarified that Algeria seeks France’s recognition of its crimes rather than financial compensation.
To this end, a joint parliamentary committee was established to resolve differences between the two houses and produce a unified text.
The final version adopted by both houses reportedly removed broad reparations clauses and apologies from France, while retaining provisions related to victims of French nuclear tests in the Sahara.
The diplomatic rift between Algeria and France has deepened recently, fueled by disputes over immigration, historical grievances, and France’s backing of Morocco regarding Western Sahara.
Tebboune has maintained that direct talks with French President Emmanuel Macron are the only path to resolving these bilateral issues.
In 2021, Macron acknowledged that the colonization of Algeria was a “crime against humanity,” but stopped short of offering a formal state apology.
Algeria’s Council of the Nation (upper house of parliament) on Sunday adopted a draft law criminalizing French colonization.
The blockade, in accordance with U.S. President Donald Trump’s proclamation, will be enforced “impartially” against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, according to the statement, which was posted on social media platform X.
U.S. Central Command forces “will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports,” it added.
The statement came a few hours after Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. Navy would begin blocking ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said that the United States and allied countries would deploy minesweepers to the strait to clear sea mines and secure shipping lanes.
After Trump’s statement on Strait of Hormuz naval blockade, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Command warned Sunday that any “wrong move” in the Strait of Hormuz would trap its enemies in “deadly whirlpools.”
A demonstrator holds a placard in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 7, 2026.Iranian soldiers patrol the Strait of Hormuz in southern Iran, April 30, 2019
He made the remarks on April 11, 2026, during a commemoration event marking the 32nd anniversary of the killing of Tutsis at ETO Kicukiro, where Belgian peacekeepers withdrew and left behind more than 2,000 Tutsis who had sought their protection, leaving them vulnerable to attack by Interahamwe militia.
Nduhungirehe said no professional soldier should have acted in the way the Belgian contingent did.
“Sometimes we soften it because saying that Belgian soldiers abandoned the Tutsis is an understatement,” he said. “When those troops were ordered to withdraw from ETO, they packed their equipment and even their dogs. Outside ETO there were Interahamwe waving machetes. Any professional soldier who carries out such an action, leaving civilians behind while seeing armed killers, is not merely abandoning them, it is handing them over to killers.”
He argued that the incident reflects a broader pattern of international responsibility in the events leading up to and during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which he said began long before 1994, during the colonial period under Belgian administration.
Colonial roots and early violence
According to Nduhungirehe, the first phase of foreign involvement began with colonial-era policies that institutionalised ethnic divisions, introducing identity-based classifications and governance systems that deepened divisions among Rwandans.
He said these policies contributed to violence against Tutsis in the post-colonial transition period, including the 1959 crisis, and subsequent killings between 1961 and 1963. He described this period as an early genocide in Rwanda in which more than 35,000 Tutsis were killed and many others fled into exile, with Belgian authorities implicated.
Preparation phase of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi
The second phase, he said, involved the preparation of the 1994 genocide. From 1990, when the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) began its liberation struggle, multiple foreign military presences were deployed in Rwanda.
He specifically cited French forces, noting that they remained in the country and contributed to training elements of the Rwandan army (ex-FAR) and the Interahamwe militia.
Nduhungirehe also referenced reports from UNAMIR forces, including communications by its commander, Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire, who warned of planned mass killings and requested authority to seize weapons caches.
“On January 11, he sent warnings to the United Nations saying there was a witness reporting that weapons were being prepared in Kigali to kill Tutsis,” Nduhungirehe said. “He asked for permission to seize those weapons, but he was told to report it to President Habyarimana. That decision, to inform a leadership involved in the preparations, reflected the UN’s failure.”
He said the international response amounted to inaction despite clear warnings.
Withdrawal of UN forces during the genocide
Nduhungirehe also cited the UN Security Council’s decision on April 21, 1994, adopting Resolution 912, which reduced UNAMIR forces in Rwanda from 2,548 troops to about 270.
“At that time the country was in mourning and genocide was ongoing,” he said. “But instead of intervening, the UN decided to withdraw its forces from Rwanda.”
The minister said that a third phase concerned the international recognition of the Genocide against the Tutsi, which he said was long delayed due to resistance from powerful states that preferred the term “genocide in Rwanda” instead of explicitly acknowledging its targeting of Tutsi.
He noted that it took 26 years for April 7 to be officially recognised as the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide against the Tutsi, a designation only formally adopted in 2020.
Call to youth
Nduhungirehe urged young people to remember that genocide ideology still exists and that it is their responsibility to fight it.
“All Rwandans are not yet fully liberated,” he said. “There are young people, especially those outside Rwanda, who still hold genocide ideology. I call on their peers to educate them, and if necessary, confront them with the truth.”
The 32nd commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi included the “Walk to Remember” and wreath-laying ceremonies at mass graves in Nyanza, where remains of more than 2,000 Tutsis who had sought refuge at ETO Kicukiro and were later killed are buried.
Participants took part in a commemorative walk in remembrance of Tutsis who had sought refuge at ETO Kicukiro and were killed after Belgian troops withdrew.The French Ambassador to Rwanda, Aurélie Royet-Gounin, laid wreaths at the memorial site.The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, laid wreaths at the memorial site.Officials from various institutions attended the commemoration.The Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Jean-Guy Africa, also attended the 32nd commemoration of the Tutsi killed in Nyanza, Kicukiro.
Delegations from both countries departed Islamabad on Sunday without a breakthrough, each side blaming the other for the collapse of talks aimed at ending a war that has killed thousands and disrupted global energy markets.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, acknowledged the outcome shortly before leaving Pakistan.
“We’ve had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians,” he said. “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement.”
Vance emphasised that Washington’s key demands had not changed, particularly regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He said the U.S. had sought firm guarantees that Tehran would not pursue nuclear weapons or the capability to rapidly develop them.
“We just could not get to a situation where the Iranians would accept our terms,” he added, describing the proposal on the table as the United States’ “final and best offer.”
Vance also revealed the level of direct coordination with Washington during the talks, saying he had spoken with President Donald Trump as many as a dozen times throughout the negotiations. Even as discussions continued, Trump downplayed the necessity of reaching an agreement.
“We’re negotiating. Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me, because we’ve won,” President Trump told reporters on Saturday.
Iranian officials, however, pushed back, accusing Washington of making unreasonable demands. A spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry described the talks as “intensive” but said progress depended on “seriousness and good faith” from the U.S. side. Iranian media reported that disagreements over the country’s nuclear programme and control of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz were among the main obstacles.
The negotiations, held over two days and stretching overnight, marked the first direct high-level engagement between the two countries in more than a decade. They followed a temporary ceasefire agreed earlier in the week, which Pakistani officials have urged both sides to maintain despite rising tensions.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister stressed the importance of preserving the truce, calling it “imperative” for regional stability. Officials in Islamabad had hoped the talks would pave the way for a broader de-escalation, but signs of strain were evident throughout the discussions. One source familiar with the negotiations described “mood swings” and fluctuating tensions as talks progressed.
Beyond nuclear concerns, broader geopolitical issues complicated the negotiations. Iran has reportedly demanded the release of frozen assets, war reparations, and greater control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s energy supply passes. The U.S., meanwhile, has insisted on ensuring free navigation through the strait and curbing Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities.
The failure to secure a deal leaves the region in a precarious position. Although some oil tankers have begun moving through the Strait of Hormuz following the ceasefire, many vessels remain stranded, and global markets continue to react nervously to the uncertainty.
Adding to the volatility, fighting linked to the broader conflict continues elsewhere in the region. Israel has carried out strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, underscoring the risk of further escalation beyond the immediate U.S.-Iran confrontation.
Despite the setback, officials on both sides have not ruled out future negotiations. For now, however, the breakdown in Islamabad highlights the deep divisions that remain, and the challenges ahead in turning a temporary ceasefire into lasting peace.
Images showed Vance, who headed the US delegation, along with other members, boarding a plane back to the United States, just minutes after a brief press conference in which he announced that the round of negotiations in Islamabad had ended without an understanding.
