The discussions could see Rwanda added to the list of countries hosting Formula 1 races, potentially as early as 2030.
Rwanda has for some time expressed interest in hosting one of the world’s biggest motorsport events, which has not been held in Africa for 33 years.
President Paul Kagame reinforced Rwanda’s bid in 2024 when the country hosted the General Assembly of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the governing body for world motorsport.
In 2025, Kagame held further talks with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has backed Rwanda’s bid, and Formula 1 President Stefano Domenicali on plans to bring the race to the country.
Rwanda is not the only African country seeking to host Formula 1, with Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa also expressing interest in bringing the championship back to the continent.
According to motorsport publication RacingNews365, discussions between Rwanda and Formula 1 have reached an encouraging stage, with details of a potential agreement expected to be announced before the end of 2026.
Under the proposed arrangement, Rwanda could be included on the 2030 Formula 1 calendar and become one of the countries hosting a Grand Prix.
A permanent circuit is reportedly being planned about 40 kilometres from Kigali, near the new Kigali International Airport under construction in Bugesera District.
The circuit could be designed by former Formula 1 driver and renowned racetrack designer Alexander Wurz through his company, WurzDesign.
Formula 1 is the highest level of single-seater motor racing, combining high speeds, advanced technology and a global fan base.
The championship is contested across a series of races, held on purpose-built circuits or temporarily closed public roads.
Drivers and teams earn points based on their finishing positions in each race, with the points accumulated throughout the season determining the annual drivers’ and constructors’ champions.
Rwanda hosted the FIA General Assembly, which featured the Formula One awards ceremony.Formula One is the world’s premier motorsport championship.
In a statement issued in Nairobi, WHO said the Kenyan government is strengthening response coordination and case investigation while monitoring and listing contacts for enhanced disease surveillance.
Screening at high-risk points of entry, clear risk communication and community engagement are at the core of the response, it said.
Mohamed Janabi, WHO regional director for Africa, said Kenya has put important outbreak control measures in place and that the priority now is to move swiftly to detect any further cases before the virus has an opportunity to spread.
“We’re supporting the ongoing efforts to strengthen the response, and with rapid and coordinated action, we can prevent the virus from gaining a foothold and stop a potential larger outbreak,” Janabi said.
Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale on Tuesday confirmed the death of the patient, a Kenyan national who had been residing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for the past seven years.
WHO and its partners have supported Kenya with Ebola simulation exercises and the training of a national pool of rapid response trainers, the statement said. Isolation units across 27 high-risk counties have been identified and assessed, case managers trained and Ebola surveillance tools updated.
The global health agency has also delivered about 1,000 Ebola tests and 1,000 personal protective equipment kits to high-risk counties in Kenya.
WHO said it advises against any restriction of travel to, or trade with, the DRC, Uganda or Kenya based on currently available information.
Following the confirmation by Kenyan authorities of the country’s first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), the World Health Organization (WHO) is working closely with the Government of Kenya to intensify key control measures to prevent further spread of the virus.
France on Tuesday test-fired a strategic ballistic missile without a nuclear warhead from a submarine off the coast of Finistere in western France, French media reported.
The missile was launched from the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine Le Vigilant and landed in the North Atlantic Ocean, several hundred kilometers from any coast, French news channel BFM TV reported, citing French Ministry of Armed Forces.
The ministry emphasized that the test was conducted without a nuclear warhead and in strict compliance with France’s international commitments.
French President Emmanuel Macron observed the test firing from a French Navy frigate, it reported.
In service since October 2025, the M51.3 missile has been deployed on France’s four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, with at least one submarine continuously at sea somewhere in the world to ensure France’s ability to launch a nuclear strike at any time, BFM TV reported, citing French Ministry of Armed Forces.
French ballistic missile submarine Le Vigilant launches an M51.3 strategic ballistic missile without a nuclear warhead in a test firing off Finistère in western France on October 6, 2026.
The September 30 incident on Flight FZ1073 began when the co-pilot attacked the captain with an emergency axe while the aircraft was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The injured captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and two off-duty pilots travelling on the aircraft to intervene. The plane then made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
All 172 passengers, mostly Israelis and crew members on board, survived. The captain and co-pilot were taken for medical treatment, with the suspect later transferred to the United Arab Emirates, where he is being questioned as part of the investigation.
Speaking exclusively to IGIHE, Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to Rwanda, Ron Margalit, said the incident exposed a failure in the implementation of security requirements governing foreign airlines operating flights to Israel.
The aircraft had plunged more than 16,000 feet during the attack before control was restored.
Margalit praised the passengers and crew who intervened, saying their actions prevented what could have been a major disaster.
Speaking exclusively to IGIHE, Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to Rwanda, Ron Margalit, said the incident exposed a failure in the implementation of security requirements governing foreign airlines operating flights to Israel.
Israel investigating how Omani pilot cleared security
A central question is how an Omani national was permitted to operate a flight to Israel.
Israel and Oman do not have diplomatic relations, and Israeli authorities have said pilots from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel are subject to restrictions on operating flights to the country. Israeli officials have questioned how the suspect passed the relevant checks.
“There was a failure,” Margalit said, while stressing that the investigation would have to establish where the failure occurred.
The investigation is examining whether responsibility lay with Flydubai, security authorities in the United Arab Emirates or other parts of the system.
The issue has gained further attention as reports have emerged that the suspect had previously worked for Oman Air and had been moved away from flying duties following concerns over his views. Investigators are now examining how that history was handled when he was later employed by Flydubai.
The UAE has formally described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack and is leading the investigation. Authorities are also examining the suspect’s motive and whether he acted alone or had outside support.
The September 30 incident on Flight FZ1073 began when the co-pilot attacked the captain with an emergency axe while the aircraft was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu orders review of foreign airline security
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since ordered a comprehensive review of security arrangements for foreign civil aviation operating flights to Israel.
Netanyahu instructed National Security Council chief Shmuel Ben Ezra to appoint an examiner to review “all aspects” of security for foreign civil flights to Israel.
The move came after Netanyahu described the suspect as having undergone Islamist radicalisation.
“As time passes, the picture is becoming clearer; the attacker underwent Islamist radicalization. He came to crash the plane with its passengers,” Netanyahu said in a statement on October 2.
He added that Israel was investigating whether the attacker had been sent by someone else.
Netanyahu had earlier described the suspect as suicidal and said investigators were examining whether he had been directed by others.
Margalit said Israel would now ensure that foreign airlines operating to the country comply fully with its security requirements.
He did not call for sanctions against Flydubai, stressing instead the importance of maintaining the air link between Israel and the UAE while ensuring that required security measures are followed.
Margalit praised the passengers and crew who intervened, saying their actions prevented what could have been a major disaster.
Passengers and crew credited with saving lives
The captain’s actions and the intervention of passengers and other pilots were critical in preventing the aircraft from being brought down.
Margalit said about six Israeli passengers helped overpower the attacker. One of them, a doctor, also assisted the injured captain.
Two off-duty pilots who were travelling on the aircraft subsequently helped regain control and land the plane safely in Tabuk.
Margalit described the passengers as having acted under extraordinary pressure to protect the other people on board.
Despite the security concerns, Margalit said Israel does not want the incident to damage its relationship with the UAE or disrupt flights between the two countries.
He said Israel wants Emirati airlines to continue operating flights to the country, provided they meet the required security standards.
Wider regional security concerns
The Flydubai incident comes against the backdrop of broader tensions in the Middle East, with Margalit identifying Iran and its regional proxies as major security concerns for Israel.
He said Israel was closely monitoring developments in the Gulf, including the activities of the Houthis in Yemen and threats linked to Iran.
Margalit argued that Iran’s activities represented a wider regional and global security issue rather than a challenge affecting Israel alone.
He also said Israel was closely watching international efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
For Israel, Margalit said, the priority is to prevent another attack on the scale of October 7 and ensure that neighbouring countries cannot acquire capabilities that Israel considers an existential threat.
The meeting brought together high-level representatives and high technical teams to review progress since the 9th Session in Kigali in April 2023, assess implementation of existing agreements, address outstanding challenges and identify new areas of collaboration.
The 2023 session produced ten Memorandum of Understanding signed in the presence of Presidents Paul Kagame and William Ruto, who directed that the JPCC meet biennially with annual mid-term reviews.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr. A. Korir Singoei, opened the session by welcoming his Rwandan counterpart, Ambassador Fidelis Mironko, and underscoring the breadth of the relationship.
“Kenya and Rwanda have enjoyed warm and longstanding relations, and over the years our partnership has grown well beyond traditional diplomatic engagement,” he said.
Kenya and Rwanda established diplomatic relations in 1965. Cooperation now spans trade and investment, infrastructure, energy, security, education, agriculture, ICT and institutional capacity building.
Janet Mwawasi Oben, Kenya’s High Commissioner to Rwanda since 2024, highlighted tangible advances during her tenure.
These include the January 2026 Memorandum of Understanding operationalising the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Liaison Office in Kigali, which has improved logistical coordination and trade flows along the Northern Corridor.
That framework delivered results almost immediately. On September 29, 2026 the vessel MT Sea Wolf berthed at Kipevu Oil Terminal 2 in Mombasa with Rwanda’s first consignment of 40,000 metric tonnes of refined petroleum products from Oman.
Ernest Rwamucyo, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Kenya, described the shipment as a concrete demonstration of what partnership can achieve.
“This new route through the Northern Corridor will help strengthen Rwanda’s energy security, make our supply chain more efficient and reduce logistics costs. It also shows what our two countries can achieve when we work together,” Amb. Rwamucyo said.
Both sides also pointed to growing two-way private-sector engagement.
Kenyan institutions including KCB, Equity Bank, NCBA, I&M Bank, Serena Hotels and others maintain a significant footprint in Rwanda across banking, insurance, hospitality, manufacturing and agribusiness.
Rwanda, in turn, has demonstrated confidence in Kenyan infrastructure by acquiring a 1.05 per cent equity stake in the Kenya Pipeline Company through its recent Initial Public Offering and by participating in the launch of major investments such as the Dangote Group project in Lamu.
Kenya has also received land from Rwanda for the construction of a permanent Chancery in Kigali, a gesture both sides described as an important institutional commitment.
An estimated 10,000 Kenyans live and work in Rwanda, roughly 4,000 of them registered with the High Commission and organised under the Association of Kenyans living in Rwanda.
Officials noted that cultural events, diaspora engagement and institutional exchanges including recent collaboration between the Kenya Foreign Service Academy, the Kenya School of Government and Rwandan counterparts continue to deepen mutual understanding.
Teta Gisa Rwigema, the Director General responsible for Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation also called for focus on delivery.
“This 10th JPCC provides us with an important opportunity to move beyond reviewing progress and to ensure that our bilateral commitments translate into tangible outcomes for the people of Rwanda and Kenya,” she noted.
Speakers framed the session as an opportunity to consolidate gains while adapting to a more uncertain international environment.
Kenya and Rwanda have reviewed progress in their bilateral cooperation during the 10th Session of the Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation in Nairobi.Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr A. Korir Sing’oei, has welcomed Rwanda’s delegation to the 10th Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation in Nairobi.Teta Gisa Rwigema highlighted the need for both countries to move beyond reviewing progress and focus on translating bilateral commitments into tangible outcomes. Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Ernest Rwamucyo, has described Rwanda’s first petroleum shipment through the Port of Mombasa as a milestone in bilateral cooperation.Kenya’s High Commissioner to Rwanda, Janet Mwawasi Oben, has highlighted progress in bilateral cooperation between the two countries.Officials from Kenya and Rwanda have identified new areas of cooperation while addressing outstanding challenges in their bilateral partnership.
The patient had lived in the DRC for seven years and fell ill about a month before travelling to Kenya, Health Minister Aden Duale said Tuesday.
The patient was treated at several hospitals in the DRC before travelling by road to Kampala, Uganda. From Kampala, he boarded Jambojet flight 8523 and arrived in Nairobi on October 3.
Duale said the patient underwent routine health screening at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) before being taken by a relative and a friend to Nairobi Hospital.
He was initially isolated in the hospital’s emergency room before being transferred to an isolation facility in the East Wing, which had been used during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Medical tests were conducted after doctors identified symptoms consistent with viral haemorrhagic fever.
The patient presented with fever, intense fatigue, weakness, muscle pain, painful swallowing, sore throat and bleeding under the skin at the injection site.
“Doctors suspected a viral haemorrhagic fever based on his symptoms and travel history and collected samples for testing. The sample tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo virus,” Duale said.
Kenya’s Minister of Health Aden Duale speaks during a press conference on the first case of Ebola in the country, in Nairobi, Kenya, October 6, 2026.
Despite receiving supportive treatment, the patient died at 11:30 pm on Monday.
His burial is planned for Tuesday under public health protocols intended to prevent further transmission.
Kenyan health authorities have identified 28 people who had contact with the patient, including relatives and healthcare workers. They are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who were on the Jambojet flight from Kampala to Nairobi.
Duale said arrangements had been made to quarantine people considered to be at risk as authorities step up efforts to contain the disease.
Kenya’s confirmation comes as the DRC continues to battle an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which was declared in May. As of October 2, the DRC had reported 8,442 confirmed cases and 4,080 deaths, making it the country’s largest Ebola outbreak on record.
Uganda also reported cases linked to the outbreak earlier this year, including two deaths, but was declared Ebola-free in August.
The Bundibugyo virus is a relatively rare strain of Ebola. The disease can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, bleeding.
Kenyan authorities have maintained heightened surveillance since the outbreak was declared in the DRC.
Volunteer health workers at an Ebola emergency response training session conducted by Médecins Sans Frontières in Ongata Rongai, Kenya, in August.
The training, which started on October 5, 2026, will run until December 31 and brings together prisoners from 17 correctional facilities. Half of the participants have spent more than 30 years in prison.
The programme is the 10th cohort of an initiative by the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), implemented with the Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) and other partners.
Kayumba Alice Uwera, Executive Director in charge of National Unity and Community Resilience at MINUBUMWE, said the programme prepares prisoners to return to society peacefully and avoid behaviour that could undermine national unity.
She said some may face challenges after release, including stigma, isolation, loss of confidence and strained relationships with their families or those of people they harmed.
Others may still hold genocide ideology, refuse to acknowledge their crimes, seek forgiveness or reveal the location of victims’ remains for dignified burial.
“This is why participants are taught the country’s history, the consequences of the Genocide against the Tutsi, their role in building national unity and resilience, and how they can contribute to the development of their families and the country,” Uwera said.
The training also helps participants understand their responsibilities after release, adjust to changes within their families and rebuild trust.
Uwera urged them to uphold Rwandan identity and live peacefully with their families, neighbours and survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
“Focus on building on the principle of Rwandan identity and living peacefully with those you will find there: your families, neighbours and survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi, while avoiding reoffending, particularly discrimination and division, as well as genocide ideology,” she said.
RCS Deputy Commissioner General Theos Badege urged the participants to take the training seriously as they prepare to leave prison.
“We ask those benefiting from this training to listen carefully and understand that they are between the correctional facility and the families they are about to rejoin,” Badege said.
He urged them to return to their communities ready to contribute positively and demonstrate behavioural change.
“We do not want to see you again in our records. Start preparing to contribute as much as possible so that people can see that you have changed and have moved away from anything that could lead you back into the correctional system,” he said.
MINUBUMWE said preparing prisoners for release should also involve preparing the families they will return to, to promote peaceful relations and understanding.
By September 2026, 2,103 prisoners had completed the programme through its first nine cohorts. The 10th cohort will bring the total to 2,629 participants.
The 10th cohort will bring the total to 2,629 participants.
The agreement follows discussions between an IMF team led by Rwanda Mission Chief Albert Touna Mama and government officials from September 23 to October 6.
Rwanda will be able to access the funds once the agreement is approved by IMF management and the IMF Executive Board, which is expected to consider the review in December.
Addressing the press in Kigali on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, Touna said Rwanda’s programme implementation has been satisfactory, with all quantitative performance targets for the end of June 2026 met.
The government is also advancing reforms aimed at strengthening the investment framework and deepening the domestic securities and foreign exchange markets.
“Better public investment management and closer monitoring of fiscal risks will reinforce these efforts,” Touna said.
Addressing the press in Kigali on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, IMF’s Rwanda Mission Chief Albert Touna Mama said the country’s programme implementation has been satisfactory.
Rwanda’s economy grew by 9.7 percent in the first half of 2026, supported by strong export and remittance inflows, while foreign exchange reserves remained at about four months of import cover.
However, inflation remains a key concern. Headline inflation reached 15.7 percent in August, well above the National Bank of Rwanda’s medium-term target of 5 percent.
The IMF attributed the elevated inflation to existing price pressures and higher international oil and fertilizer prices, including spillovers from the war in the Middle East.
The central bank has responded by tightening monetary policy, with the IMF calling for an appropriately tight and data-driven approach to bring inflation back towards its target.
The IMF also noted that Rwanda’s fiscal performance had strengthened, with the budget deficit falling to 4.8 percent of GDP in the 2025/26 financial year.
It said strong tax collections and the full pass-through of higher international prices to fuel pump prices helped limit pressure on government finances.
Looking ahead, the IMF urged continued fiscal consolidation to maintain Rwanda’s moderate risk of debt distress and rebuild financial buffers.
It also called for stronger domestic revenue mobilisation, including through the planned second Medium-Term Revenue Strategy, as well as careful prioritisation of foreign-financed capital projects.
Asked whether this would mean higher taxes, Finance and Economic Planning Minister Yusuf Murangwa said Rwanda does not plan to rely primarily on tax increases to repay its loans.
“We do not plan to repay primarily by raising taxes. We aim to repay from an economy that is more productive than the amount borrowed,” Murangwa said.
Finance and Economic Planning Minister Yusuf Murangwa said Rwanda does not plan to rely primarily on tax increases to repay its loans.
Murangwa highlighted that the government already has a tax calendar running to around 2030 and reviews it periodically, adding that some revenue gains could come through improved tax administration rather than new taxes.
Murangwa also noted that the government was not planning to halt major investments because of tighter fiscal conditions. He said any changes in the pace of investment would depend on financing conditions, while stressing that this would not amount to an overall slowdown.
On Bugesera International Airport, he said the project remains on track for completion by the end of 2027 or early 2028.
The IMF projects Rwanda’s economy to grow by 7.8 percent in 2026 and 7 percent in 2027, while identifying global commodity price volatility, geopolitical tensions, climate shocks linked to El Niño and tighter global financing conditions as downside risks.
On the upside, the IMF said Rwanda’s new petroleum procurement framework with Kenya, alongside a separate route through Tanzania, could strengthen fuel supply security and make procurement more competitive.
The IMF said it would continue supporting Rwanda’s efforts to preserve macroeconomic stability, reduce inflation and advance priority reforms.
The agreement follows discussions between an IMF team led by Rwanda Mission Chief Albert Touna Mama and government officials from September 23 to October 6.The officials addressed members of the press in Kigali on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
The couple was photographed arriving hand in hand at Torrisi, an Italian restaurant in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, on Monday, October 5, as Kelce celebrated his 37th birthday.
Swift, 36, chose an elegant black lace-trimmed midi dress for the occasion.
She paired the dress with strappy heels and a black leather bomber jacket, creating a look that combined a more feminine style with an edgier touch.
Kelce, meanwhile, opted for a coordinated black outfit. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end wore an autumnal black cardigan with black trousers and leather dress shoes.
Their matching dark looks gave the couple a polished appearance as they made their way into the restaurant together.
The birthday outing comes as Swift and Kelce continue their new chapter as a married couple.
The pair tied the knot at Madison Square Garden in New York City on July 3 in a star-studded ceremony attended by family, friends and several celebrities.
Swift has also recently released the deluxe edition of her 2025 album, The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, which includes the song “Cleveland!”, an apparent nod to Kelce’s hometown.
Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce, discussed the song during the September 30 episode of their New Heights podcast.
Travis praised Swift for giving Cleveland “a little more life,” while Jason said the song was enjoyable and that he and his wife, Kylie Kelce, had been listening to it at home.
Swift also released a lyric video for “Cleveland!” featuring personal footage of herself and Kelce visiting his hometown.
The couple’s latest appearance continues their frequent public outings since their wedding.
Their relationship has remained a major focus of entertainment and fashion coverage, with fans often paying close attention to their coordinated appearances.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce arrive hand in hand at Torrisi in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood for Kelce’s 37th birthday dinner.
In its weather outlook issued on October 5, 2026, Meteo Rwanda forecast rainfall ranging between 90 and 300 millimetres during the month, which is above the normal average for October.
Daytime temperatures are expected to range between 20°C and 31°C, while nighttime temperatures will range from 9°C to 19°C.
The country is also expected to experience moderate winds that could occasionally become strong, with speeds ranging between four and 14 metres per second.
The expected heavy rainfall will increase soil moisture in many parts of the country. Meteo Rwanda said this is expected to benefit agricultural activities during the 2027 Season A planting period and contribute to increased water availability.
The agency noted that soil moisture had declined in some parts of the country in September 2026 due to below-average rainfall, but is expected to improve in October as more rain falls.
September recorded below-average rainfall
Meteo Rwanda reported that most parts of the country received below-average rainfall in September 2026.
Of the 44 stations used to analyse rainfall during the month, 40 recorded below-average rainfall, while only four recorded above-average rainfall.
Rainfall totals in September ranged from 1.2mm to 124.6mm. The highest amount was recorded at Ntendezi in Nyamasheke District, with 124.6mm, while the lowest was recorded in Nyamata, Bugesera District, with 1.2mm.
In Kigali, Kigali International Airport recorded 38.1mm of rainfall, while the Gitega station in Nyarugenge District recorded 47.1mm.
Meteo Rwanda said the low rainfall in September affected land preparation and crop planting activities for the 2027 Season A, as well as livestock farming due to reduced pasture and water availability.
The rainfall expected in October is expected to improve soil moisture and water availability, supporting agriculture and livestock farming, particularly crop planting activities.
Meteo Rwanda urged residents to continue following weather updates issued at different intervals, including six-hourly, daily, five-day, seven-day and 10-day forecasts.
The Rwanda Meteorology Agency (Meteo Rwanda) has forecasted above-average rainfall in October
