The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund will help more than 90,000 people. Additional funds from other donors are helping to kick-start response efforts.
With the storm raging across eastern and central Madagascar, local authorities have reported 31 people dead, four missing and 35 injured. Preliminary reports indicated that more than 250,000 people have been affected, with nearly 7,000 people displaced.
The office said more than 65,000 homes were flooded, damaged, or destroyed, and about 600 classrooms were rendered partially or completely unusable.
OCHA said the government has called for international support and is leading search-and-rescue, evacuation, shelter and food assistance efforts, including the distribution of some 800 metric tonnes of rice, with support from the world body and partners.
OCHA said the cyclone could affect central and southern Mozambique in the coming days.
The Rwanda Formed Police Unit three (RWAFPU3-7) rotation seven commanded by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Devotha Nyinawumuntu, was operating serving in the capital, Juba.
They were replaced by RWAFPU3-8 under the command of SSP Dative Iribagiza, which was deployed earlier in the day.
The officer’s mandate in South Sudan focuses on restoring peace and stability, protecting civilians, safeguarding UN personnel and facilities, and promoting community well-being.
At Kigali International Airport, the contingent was received by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Yahaya Kamunuga, on behalf of the Rwanda National Police (RNP) leadership.
ACP Kamunuga commended them for their dedication and professionalism throughout the mission.
“You return to Rwanda to continue serving your country. You may find certain changes. However, your discipline and commitment should remain constant,” ACP Kamunuga said.
Speaking on behalf of the returning contingent, Superintendent of Police (SP) Vincent Mwine Rubimbura, the Deputy Contingent Commander, outlined the key responsibilities undertaken during their deployment.
In addition to the protection of civilians, UN personnel, and facilities, the contingent implemented community-oriented initiatives aimed at strengthening relations with the local population.
These included community work activities, rehabilitation of schools, distribution of mosquito nets, provision of scholastic materials to vulnerable students, and support to disadvantaged families through medical assistance and access to clean water.
SP Rubimbura noted that such initiatives enhanced trust and cooperation between peacekeepers and the communities they served.
The budget cut follows the government’s securing of cheaper concessional and domestic financing for major projects, including Kigali’s new international airport, reducing the funding requirement by Rwf 168.2 billion.
Minister Murangwa said external financing is expected to increase by Rwf 250.5 billion, mainly from grants and concessional loans, while projected tax and other domestic revenues have been revised upward by Rwf 41 billion, signalling confidence in Rwanda’s growing economy.
The recurrent budget has been revised downward by Rwf 198 billion to Rwf 4,114.9 billion. This adjustment, the minister said, reflects changes in public debt servicing, subsidies, and expenditures on goods and services.
At the same time, investment in capital and development projects has been increased by Rwf 253.2 billion, reaching Rwf 2,115.8 billion.
The revised budget has been submitted to Parliament, which approved it for detailed review by the Finance Committee before final adoption.
Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, sent the greetings while attending an annual gathering with non-CPC personages at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Addressing the gathering, Xi noted that 2025 was an extraordinary year. He said that facing profound and complicated changes at home and abroad, the CPC Central Committee united and led the entire Party and all Chinese people to overcome difficulties and work hard to achieve the year’s main economic and social development targets and tasks.
These hard-won achievements stemmed from the Party’s strong leadership and the joint efforts of all Chinese people, including those from non-CPC political parties, the ACFIC and personages without party affiliation, Xi said.
Noting that 2026 marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Xi urged non-CPC political parties, the ACFIC and personages without party affiliation to actively fulfill their duties and responsibilities, contributing to the implementation of the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and plans.
He called on them to strengthen political guidance, forge unity, contribute to the country’s development in the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and strengthen their own development to show a fresh look as political parties and forces participating in state governance under socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Xi also urged them to rigorously improve their conduct and enforce discipline, with the aim of consolidating a sound political environment.
The gathering was also attended by Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. Wang, Cai and Ding are also members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent instruction on work related to the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
Noting the NSFC’s positive role in advancing basic research and nurturing innovators over the past four decades, Xi urged the foundation to seize the opportunities presented by the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and deepen the reform of the science funding system to further refine the funding framework and enhance funding efficiency.
He called on the NSFC to help foster a sound research ecosystem and expand international collaboration, thereby empowering scientists and researchers to yield a greater output of original innovations, and to contribute more to achieving greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology.
The NSFC was established in February 1986 and has become a major channel for national funding of basic research.
Briefing journalists Wednesday on the sidelines of the ongoing 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, Mataboge called on African nations to enhance domestic resource mobilization to address the funding shortfall to support the continent’s infrastructure development.
“We find that globally capital is more expensive and even more so for the African continent, and that our development assistance is declining,” she said. “Africa needs to unlock domestic resources, including pension funds to meet its core infrastructure needs.”
The funding shortfall not only affected infrastructure development across the continent, but also held back the continent’s growth, slowed competitiveness and trading among AU members, Mataboge said.
According to the AU, Africa’s infrastructure needs are estimated at 130-170 billion U.S. dollars annually, and the funding gap is costing the continent a 2 percent annual reduction in its gross domestic product growth.
The commissioner called for the adoption of innovative financing solutions through domestic resource mobilization, strengthening African multilateral institutions, and negotiating effectively with international partners to tap into its resources and finance infrastructure development projects.
“It’s about strengthening our ability to negotiate with partners better so that our infrastructure projects are anchored on local content, local skills and local products. Whether we’re talking about steel or cement, that is going to be actually delivering the infrastructure needed to the continent,” she said.
Finance has been a critical challenge for infrastructural development in Africa and many African countries are in a financial dilemma, Mataboge said.
“Many African countries are unable to tap into domestic resources for infrastructural development, and international loans are expensive. Besides, many countries are experiencing poor credit rating, which means the cost of borrowing is much higher for them in the financial markets,” she added.
The 25-year-old is the engine of the national team, a floor general who has traded the skyscrapers of Queens for the thousand hills of Rwanda, becoming the face of a new era for the sport in East Africa.
In a candid and heartfelt sit-down with IGIHE, Philoxy opened up about the remarkable transition from her American upbringing to her role as the captain of Rwanda’s national women’s basketball team.
Since joining the squad in 2023, she has undergone a profound transformation, balancing her identity as a professional athlete with a newfound “cultural awakening” that has redefined her sense of purpose.
{{The call that changed everything
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Philoxy’s story begins in the United States, where she established herself as a legend at the University of Massachusetts (UMass). She left the program as its all-time leader in assists and games played, a “pure” point guard with a high basketball IQ. Despite her mother hailing from Rwanda, Philoxy admitted, “I was just an American in my eyes.”
That changed just two weeks after her college graduation in 2023. An unexpected call invited her to represent her mother’s homeland. The prospect was as terrifying as it was thrilling. “I was scared,” she admits, recalling her first solo trip to Africa. “Everything was like a whole new part of the world.”
However, that initial fear quickly evaporated. In her debut at the 2023 Women’s AfroBasket, she didn’t just fit in; she dominated, leading the tournament in several categories and guiding Rwanda to a historic fourth-place finish.
Her leadership isn’t just a title; it’s backed by a resume of domestic dominance. Before taking the reins of the national team, Philoxy proved she could win on Rwandan soil. She was instrumental in leading REG (Rwanda Energy Group) to a national championship and famously set a record by scoring 41 points in a single game during the Africa Women’s Basketball League.
Now representing APR Women Basketball Club, Philoxy continues to bridge the gap between international experience and local talent.
“I feel like I was always a captain without the title,” she explains, noting that her teammates voted her into the role because of the genuine connections she builds off the court.
Philoxy is optimistic but realistic about the trajectory of Rwandan basketball. “It’s not expanding fast, but slow motion is better than no motion,” she notes. She points to the construction of world-class training facilities and the growing fan base as catalysts for change.
Reflecting on recent international performances, she identifies communication as the hurdle the team must clear to reach the next level. “If everyone’s not understanding each other, everything falls apart,” she says, emphasising that heart and talent must be matched by tactical cohesion.
{{Unique, selfless, and beautiful
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Outside the courts, Philoxy has embraced the Rwandan way of life, which she describes in three words: unique, selfless, and beautiful. She enjoys the country’s fresh, healthy food and has adopted local staples into her diet. Her favourite meal? Chicken legs with white rice and red sauce, steamed greens, and chapati. ‘I love chapati,’ she adds with a laugh.
Her journey is also etched into her skin. She sports a tattoo of Romans 8:18: “What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” It is a mantra that has carried her through professional stints in Greece and Mexico, and now anchors her as she mentors the next generation of Rwandan stars like Ramla Umunezero.
{{Dreams beyond the court
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In her mid-20s, Philoxy’s ambitions remain global. Within five years, she hopes to test her skills in the elite leagues of Japan or China, following the path of the world’s top WNBA stars. But regardless of where her career takes her, her bond with Rwanda, symbolised by her cherished dreadlocks and her mother’s name tattooed on her arm, is permanent.
Her message to young girls who aspire to take on basketball on the global stage is: “Keep pushing. No matter what people tell you… It’s only possible if you believe it’s possible.”
The 14th edition of Africa’s premier conservation prize will recognise individuals and ranger teams whose work protects wildlife, landscapes, and community livelihoods.
Held in partnership with global investment firm Ninety One, the Awards provide both international recognition and funding to help winners scale proven conservation solutions across the continent. This year, prize money of £225,000 will be awarded across three categories: the Prince William Award (£100,000), the Tusk Award (£75,000), and the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award (£50,000).
In a statement on Thursday, the organisers said the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award has been expanded to recognise ranger teams alongside individual rangers, reflecting the collaborative nature of modern conservation efforts in Africa’s protected areas.
“The Awards shine a light on the remarkable courage and commitment of individuals working tirelessly to safeguard Africa’s natural heritage, often in challenging and dangerous conditions,” said Nick Bubb, CEO of Tusk.
“We encourage anyone who knows an individual or ranger team who has made a significant impact on wildlife conservation to nominate them for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have their achievements recognised on a global stage.”
Rwandan ranger Claver Ntoyinkima has previously made a mark at the Tusk Awards. In 2024, the Senior Ranger Guide and Trainer at Nyungwe National Park was honoured with the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award for his exceptional work in primate and bird conservation. Born near the forest he now protects, Ntoyinkima has played a key role in primate habituation, anti-poaching patrols, scientific research, and youth conservation education initiatives.
“I am truly grateful to be a finalist for the 2024 Tusk Conservation Awards; there are no words to describe how proud I am to win this award,” Ntoyinkima said. “The acknowledgement of my dedication and efforts to give back to the community is truly inspiring.”
Since its launch in 2013, the Tusk Conservation Awards have recognised 61 winners from 23 African countries, helping expand ranger patrols, secure critical habitats, build community conservancies, and create sustainable livelihoods linked to conservation. Past winners have protected gorillas in eastern Congo, turtles in Sierra Leone, and restored forests in Madagascar, among other achievements.
Nominations for the 2026 Awards are open until April 26, 2026 and can be submitted online at [www.tuskawards.com/nominations->www.tuskawards.com/nominations]. Nominees must be entered by someone familiar with their work, such as a colleague, mentor, partner, lecturer, supervisor, or collaborator.
The Tusk Conservation Awards are held in partnership with Ninety One and supported by the Nick Maughan Family Foundation and other generous donors.
It also emphasized its ability to meet larger financing needs through partnerships with other Bank of Africa subsidiaries across Africa, as part of the broader BMCE Group.
The event drew leaders from various institutions, including Morocco’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Youssef Imani. Jean Havugimana, the Executive Head of Business at Bank of Africa Rwanda, described the past decade as one of steady growth and client trust.
“The past 10 years in Rwanda have been very positive and marked by growth, culminating in the inauguration of our headquarters,” he said.
“More importantly, the trust our clients and shareholders have placed in us confirms that Rwanda is a place where we can build profitable business while contributing to national development.”
He attributed this progress to the bank’s responsiveness to client needs and robust lending capabilities.
“In Rwanda, we can provide loans of up to Rwf 6 billion at once. More broadly, there is no financing level beyond our reach, as we are part of the BMCE Group, which includes around 20 Bank of Africa subsidiaries that can pool their capacity,” Havugimana explained.
Looking forward, he outlined priorities for the next decade: accelerating service delivery, deepening client partnerships, expanding engagement with the Rwandan diaspora, and supporting private sector growth.
Managing Director Serge Atikossie emphasized the institution’s evolution. “Through the dedication of our teams, professionalism, and accountability, we have built more than a bank, we have built a trusted institution,” he said. “Today’s inauguration is not just about a building; it represents modernization and confidence in the future.”
National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) Deputy Governor Nick Barigye praised the bank’s trajectory.
“As BNR, we view its journey as a positive example of how a financial institution can perform strongly in the market while strengthening our financial sector,” he said. “Banks in Rwanda do more than provide financial services; they support investment, job creation, and broader national economic transformation.”
Barigye urged the bank to further prioritize support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), advance financial inclusion, and invest in technology, key areas aligned with Rwanda’s development goals.
Businessman Eugène Higiro, a client for five years, shared his positive experience. The bank has provided him with loans exceeding Rwf 1.4 billion.
“Bank of Africa understands that in business, speed matters,” he said. “Their loan processing is fast, you receive financing and can immediately move forward with your projects.”
Bank of Africa Rwanda began operations in 2015 following its merger with the former microfinance institution Agaseke Bank.
Today, it serves over 25,000 clients through 14 branches nationwide (including eight in Kigali) and has disbursed loans totaling more than Rwf 80 billion across various sectors.
As part of the BMCE Group, Bank of Africa operates in 20 countries, primarily across Africa, with additional presence in Asia and France.
Speaking after landing at Goma Airport, Ms. van de Perre highlighted the symbolic and operational significance of her visit, signalling the gradual reopening of the airport, which has remained closed since late January 2025.
“Over a year ago, on January 26, 2025, I was on the last plane to land in Goma. And today, I am on the first helicopter to land again, and I hope this marks the beginning of the gradual reopening of Goma airport for the benefit of the population,” she said.
The interim MONUSCO chief said her visit aims to operationalise the ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism agreed upon by the DRC government and the AFC/M23 rebel alliance.
“Verification procedures, coordination, communication, and practical conditions will be put in place to ensure the mechanism functions credibly. MONUSCO will continue to support the ongoing peace process,” she stated, adding that her visit aims to engage relevant stakeholders and advance practical preparations.
Ms. van de Perre confirmed that MONUSCO plans to deploy its first aerial reconnaissance mission to Uvira in the coming days, stressing that all operations remain strictly within the UN Security Council mandate and respect DRC sovereignty.
The visit follows months of diplomatic efforts to consolidate peace in eastern DRC. In October 2025, the DRC government and the AFC/M23 rebel alliance signed a ceasefire agreement in Doha, establishing a joint monitoring and verification mechanism to investigate and prevent violations. Observers from the United States, the African Union, and Qatar are also part of the mechanism.
Goma International Airport has been closed since January 2025, when M23 rebels took control of the city following clashes with government forces.
