The appointment was announced in a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister on July 18, 2025.
Uwase had been serving as Deputy CEO of RMB since June 14, 2024, a position she assumed after previously heading Head of the Mining, Petroleum, and Gas Exploration Department at the same institution.
Before joining RMB, she served as the Project Manager of Gold Mining and Trading at Ngali Mining, a subsidiary of Ngali Holdings.
Airtel Rwanda announced on Thursday, July 17, 2025, that whenever suspicious messages are detected, customers will receive them with a warning label advising caution.
Airtel Rwanda’s Managing Director, Emmanuel Hamez, said the system was launched in response to the growing number of cybercrimes, particularly mobile money fraud.
“This is part of our commitment to enhancing safety and protecting our customers from internet-related crimes and financial fraud. In recent months, we’ve seen a rise in mobile money theft, particularly through SMS scams. Today, we’re pleased to announce that, as of two weeks ago, we’ve implemented a system that flags potentially fraudulent SMS messages with a warning.”
The AI system analyses messages for characteristics common in scam texts, such as frequently used words by fraudsters, patterns of mass messaging, and other indicators.
Once the AI detects suspicious activity, it flags the message with a warning before delivering it to the customer.
If the sender’s number continues to distribute fraudulent messages and is confirmed as suspicious, that number may be blocked.
Gaaga Jean Claude, Managing Director of Airtel Money Rwanda, stated that Airtel worked closely with various government agencies to understand the nature of mobile money fraud, leading to the decision to develop and implement a proactive solution.
He emphasised that using AI to combat cyber fraud is timely, given the growing reliance on digital systems and the evolving tactics of fraudsters.
“AI is an advanced technology that enables machines to mimic human intelligence, and it is widely used around the world. That’s why we adopted it, to enhance the security of our customers’ funds,” he said.
Gaaga added that Airtel already had a system in place to help customers recover stolen money when reported, and it has proven effective. Statistics show that mobile money fraud incidents involving Airtel customers remain below 2% of total reported fraud cases nationwide.
The new fraud detection system is free of charge and doesn’t require customers to register, as it has been automatically activated for all Airtel users.
Airtel Rwanda also plans to expand the warning system to detect fraud not only in SMS, but also in phone calls and social media messages used by scammers to steal money.
A high-level delegation from SUNY, comprising senior leaders and university presidents, concluded a two-day visit to Kigali on Friday, July 18, 2025, with a declaration of intent to collaborate, made in partnership with Rwanda’s Ministry of Education.
Speaking during the event held at Serena Hotel Kigali, Dr. Melur K. “Ram” Ramasubramanian, SUNY’s Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost, emphasised the institution’s long-term commitment to fostering mutually beneficial relationships with African nations.
“We’re here to explore the possibility of deploying our Africa initiative and building long-term collaborations with the education system of Rwanda,” he said. “We’ve been impressed by the commitment of the people and the opportunities we’ve encountered.”
The SUNY Africa Initiative is an intentional global strategy aimed at deepening academic and cultural ties across the continent. The delegation’s visit to Rwanda followed an earlier stop in Kenya and will continue to other countries, including Nigeria and Ghana.
Dr. Ramasubramanian outlined key areas of interest, including student and faculty exchange programmes, joint research, online education offerings, and workforce development initiatives.
“We call this the SUNY Africa Initiative… Our goal is to build long-standing academic programmes where students from Rwanda can come to the United States to study at one of our 64 campuses,” he said.
“At the same time, we want our students to experience the culture and innovation happening here in Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills and a thousand smiles.”
Research collaboration is another key priority, particularly in fields aligned with Rwanda’s national development goals. SUNY officials expressed interest in partnering in areas such as energy, mining, and materials science.
“We have research interests aligned with Rwanda’s priorities, such as energy and minerals,” said Dr. Ramasubramanian.
“At SUNY Poly, for instance, Professor Soboyejo, an international expert in materials science, and his team, along with other material scientists within the SUNY system, are planning to collaborate with Rwandan counterparts to not only support the immediate use of extracted minerals but also innovate and modify these materials for future applications.”
Rwanda’s Minister of Education, Dr. Joseph Nsengimana, welcomed the collaboration, noting that the government prioritises such partnerships in pursuit of its Vision 2050 goals.
“To achieve that vision, we must ensure that we have a workforce capable of delivering on it,” he said. “Collaborations like this bring significant value to the country and help us build the Rwanda we want and deserve.”
The discussions also highlighted Rwanda’s interest in tapping into SUNY’s expertise in areas such as materials science, advanced manufacturing, and e-learning. Dr. Nsengimana noted that Rwanda is exploring “e-internships” that would allow students to gain international experience virtually, expanding access to global opportunities without leaving the country.
Dr. Winston “Wole” Soboyejo, President of SUNY Polytechnic Institute and Chairman of the Council of the Institute of Applied Sciences at the University of Rwanda, stressed the importance of aligning education with industrial needs.
“We listened to industry here in Rwanda articulate their needs for skilled human capacity to scale, and we believe SUNY can play a role in bridging that gap,” he said. “We’re thinking not just of students travelling to New York, but also of short courses and online education tailored to Rwanda’s needs.”
Dr. Peter O. Nwosu, President of SUNY Oswego, pointed to SUNY’s involvement in major U.S. industrial development projects as a model for collaboration.
“In Central New York, we’re working with Micron Technology on a $100 billion investment in semiconductor manufacturing,” he said.
“This kind of transformation requires talent — the right kind of workforce. That’s where universities come in, and we want to explore what we can learn from Rwanda and what we can offer in return.”
Rwanda’s openness to innovation was another key point of interest. “One intriguing idea we heard is Rwanda being open to acting as a proof of concept,” said Dr. Ramasubramanian. “We have faculty developing new ideas, and Rwanda could offer a place to test and refine these ideas before scaling them globally.”
The SUNY delegation included university presidents from SUNY Oswego, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and SUNY Fredonia, as well as senior officials in international education and external relations. Among them were Dr. Joshua S. McKeown, Associate Provost for International Education and Programs at SUNY Oswego, and Wayne Westervelt, Vice President for External Relations at SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
During their visit, the delegation engaged with the University of Rwanda, Rwanda Polytechnic, and various private industry stakeholders.
Dr. Stephen H. Kolison Jr., President of SUNY Fredonia, expressed appreciation for the hospitality and vision he witnessed during the visit. “The potential to do things here is just tremendous,” he said. “We hope to return.”
The collaboration, still in exploratory stages, is expected to lead to a range of academic activities, including co-developed programmes, research partnerships, and expanded student mobility between Rwanda and the SUNY system, which serves over 375,000 students across 64 campuses in New York State.
“We believe in starting small and executing quickly,” said Dr. Ramasubramanian. “It’s only a matter of time before we return and move to the next phase of implementation.”
According to the ruling, the court found reasonable suspicion that Ingabire may have committed six serious offenses, including the creation of a criminal gang, inciting public disorder, spreading false information intended to undermine the government, and conspiracy to harm state authority and organizing protests.
The prosecution argued that the suspect’s continued liberty would pose a risk to public order and the integrity of the investigation, adding that the gravity of the alleged offenses and existing preliminary evidence justified her remand.
Ingabire, through her lawyer Gatera Gashabana, contested the charges and requested release on bail, arguing that she posed no flight risk and was willing to comply with judicial proceedings. However, the court ruled that her release could result in the destruction of evidence, interference with ongoing investigations, or an attempt to flee.
The court cited testimony from a former combatant of the RUD-Urunana militia who alleged that Ingabire’s former political party, FDU-Inkingi, had provided support to the group ahead of its 2019 attack in Musanze. It further noted that the formation of her new party, DALFA-Umurinzi, may have been intended to mask her involvement.
Additionally, the court referenced intercepted audio recordings between Ingabire and Cassien Ntamuhanga, a convicted fugitive, in which they allegedly discussed organizing public protests.
Although Ingabire described the exchanges as hypothetical ideas, the court determined they constituted credible grounds for the charge of incitement to civil unrest.
In regard to the charge of disseminating rumors, the prosecution presented material evidence that the court deemed sufficient to sustain the allegation at this stage.
The court also found Ingabire’s statements about celebrations of a self-declared “Ingabire Day” concerning, particularly as she failed to provide context or justification. The bench held that such behavior, combined with her political activities, could threaten public order if left unchecked during the investigation.
Concluding its ruling, the court found that the legal conditions for pre-trial detention had been met, citing risks of obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence, and the potential for absconding.
Ingabire was reminded of her right to appeal the decision within five working days.
She was arrested on June 19, 2025, by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), following a formal request from the National Public Prosecution Authority.
Ingabire will remain in custody at Nyarugenge Prison, commonly known as Mageragere, as investigations proceed.
The disclosure followed a report from the Office of the Auditor General for the fiscal year ending June 2024 which highlighted significant concerns. Nyabihu Potato Company received Frw 180 million from NIRDA but continued to report losses.
Rwamagana Banana Wine, which had already been allocated Frw 1.4 billion, also failed to turn a profit, with the agency still investing additional funds into its operations.
In the 2024/2025 financial year alone, NIRDA disbursed over Frw 430 million into companies where it holds equity, in an attempt to cover recurring costs such as salaries, raw materials, utilities, and general upkeep.
Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on July 15, 2025, NIRDA Director General Dr. Christian Sekomo Birame admitted that the factories were performing far below expectations.
He said Nyabihu Potato Company is operating at less than 10 percent of its installed capacity, Rwamagana Banana Wine at roughly 20 percent, and Rutsiro Honey somewhere between 30 and 40 percent.
Dr. Birame said that Nyabihu Potato Company, which was originally designed to produce a range of potato-based products, only processes French fries.
He noted that the factory has struggled due to a key machine that was supposed to handle peeled, roasted, and raw fries but never operated properly. At the close of the 2023/2024 fiscal year, the factory was still in the process of working with the equipment supplier to conduct training and installation.
Although the agency maintains that production is ongoing, the Auditor General’s report indicated that the factory had not been operational. Dr. Birame clarified that it only functions intermittently, often just two days at a time, because the products cannot be stored indefinitely.
Once a batch of fries is processed and packaged, production halts until the stock is sold. He emphasized that this cautious approach is intended to prevent waste and further loss.
Recognizing the consistent underperformance of the factories, Dr. Birame said that the government’s continued financial involvement is unsustainable and not yielding results. He stressed that these facilities would be better off under private ownership, where there is greater incentive and capacity to run them efficiently.
Efforts to privatize the factories are not new. NIRDA was instructed five years ago to begin divesting its shares to private investors. However, just as some promising negotiations were nearing conclusion—such as one with a local beekeeping cooperative and another with a Chinese investor—the process was interrupted.
The disruption occurred following the creation of the Ministry of State-Owned Investments (Mininvest), which temporarily halted the privatization push in favor of injecting more funds to stabilize the factories before any sale could proceed.
According to Dr. Birame, this change in direction brought several advanced discussions to an abrupt end. In the case of Rutsiro Honey, where there was a viable cooperative ready to take over, conversations facilitated by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) were suddenly stopped. The same happened with a Chinese investor who had shown interest. These missed opportunities, he noted, resulted in the loss of potentially committed buyers.
Even before this policy shift, earlier negotiations with other prospective investors had also failed to yield results. In the case of Rwamagana Banana Wine, technical issues remain unresolved, further delaying the possibility of a smooth transfer to private ownership.
NIRDA has since notified the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning that there is no foreseeable path to make these factories fully functional under public management. Dr. Birame said that continuing to fund them only adds to government losses, and privatization is the most practical and urgent solution.
He emphasized that while the factories are not completely dysfunctional, their output is so limited that no return on investment can be expected in the current form. The most responsible move, he added, is to sell them “as-is” rather than continue draining public funds.
By the end of July 2025, the Ministry of Finance is expected to convene shareholders of the three factories to ask whether they are willing or able to purchase the government’s shares. If they cannot, the shares will be placed on the open market.
Commenting on the broader issue of state-run businesses, economic analyst Straton Habyarimana recently told IGIHE that governments rarely succeed when they try to run commercial enterprises directly.
He explained that public officials tend to manage state companies as administrators, not entrepreneurs. Without a profit-driven mindset, accountability suffers and so does efficiency.
He added that while private investors treat businesses as personal assets, public managers often behave like caretakers of public property, which significantly affects performance.
Rwanda boasts more than 1,300 factories, including 85 large-scale agro-processing plants.
The deals, signed on Thursday, July 17, in New York, include a visa waiver for all passport holders and two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering health and tourism.
Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Martin Ngoga, and Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Walton Webson, signed the agreements on behalf of their respective countries.
The visa waiver agreement allows nationals of both countries to travel without the need for entry, transit, or visitor visas. Officials say the move will ease travel restrictions, promote cultural and economic exchange, and enhance mobility between the two nations.
The MoU on health outlines areas of collaboration including disease prevention, HIV/AIDS and malaria programmes, maternal and child health, health insurance systems, pharmaceutical cooperation, and epidemiological surveillance. The agreement is expected to support knowledge exchange and capacity building in both countries’ health sectors.
In tourism, the two nations committed to working together to promote sustainable travel and eco-tourism, and to explore innovations in green energy and climate-resilient tourism strategies. The MoU also provides a framework for joint marketing and tourism development initiatives.
The agreements are part of Rwanda’s broader strategy to deepen engagement with the Caribbean and advance South-South cooperation.
According to Leavitt, ultrasound exams performed on Trump’s legs revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a condition frequently found in individuals over the age of 70.
Leavitt said additional exams identified Trump with “no signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness.”
Trump, 79, was recently photographed at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where visible swelling around his ankles sparked public speculation about his health.
Speaking on July 18, 2025, Kanyuka stated that despite ongoing political negotiations between the DRC government and other stakeholders in Qatar, military preparations are continuing on the ground with the help of foreign forces, notably Burundian troops.
He alleged that Burundi is once again engaging in hostile military activities in the region, disregarding past defeats.
“Burundi’s army is repeating the same mistakes as before. It has deployed a battalion of 520 soldiers through Nzibira toward Bukavu to reinforce its forces in the Rusizi Valley,” Kanyuka revealed.
He said this move is part of a broader military coalition mobilized by Kinshasa, which has positioned troops in key areas of South Kivu, while others are arriving from Pinga in Walikale, Lubero, and Kisangani in Tshopo Province to attack AFC/M23 positions.
“Many soldiers are moving from Kalemie to Uvira, and from Bujumbura to Shabunda and Kisangani. This week, their coalition launched intense assaults on our positions,” Kanyuka stated.
He emphasized that AFC/M23 retains the right to defend itself and protect civilians, vowing to neutralize any threats to the stability of areas under its control.
Kanyuka’s warning comes as UN experts, in a May 2025 report, confirmed the presence of 7,000 to 9,000 Burundian troops operating in the Rusizi Valley and near the Minembwe highlands in eastern DRC.
Meanwhile, Burundi’s Minister of Defense, Alain Tribert Mutabazi, speaking on July 15, insisted that his country’s forces are only present in eastern Congo to preserve peace, secure borders, and fight armed groups operating in North and South Kivu.
AFC/M23 sees these deployments as a direct provocation and a threat to the fragile stability of the region.
The agreement, signed on July 17, was represented by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB).
The new plant is expected to reduce Rwanda’s dependence on cement imports, create jobs, and support the country’s infrastructure development with sustainable quarrying practices.
Clinker, a vital component in cement production, will be produced locally for the first time at scale. Cement imports into Rwanda reached $94 million in 2024, marking a 41.5% increase from $67 million the previous year, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
RDB said the investment would “generate employment and support Rwanda’s infrastructure development through sustainable quarrying practices.”
This development follows the government’s recent approval of mineral, quarry, and exploration licences as part of efforts to boost the mining sector.
The clinker plant is expected to play a crucial role in meeting growing local demand for cement, cutting foreign exchange outflows, and driving economic growth in the country.
In his keynote remarks, Fu Hua, forum chair and president of Xinhua News Agency, said greater BRICS cooperation has played a critical role in unifying Global South countries, boosting their influence in global affairs, and driving reform in global governance.
As the forum enters its second decade, Xinhua is committed to working with its BRICS counterparts to tell the Global South’s stories more effectively, promote joint research on major issues, and deepen professional collaboration, Fu added.
Zhu Qingqiao, Chinese ambassador to Brazil, in a congratulatory letter, praised the forum’s inclusion of discussions on artificial intelligence and highlighted its role in advancing the outcomes of the 17th BRICS Summit.
Zhu expressed hope that the event would further position BRICS as a platform for South-South cooperation and a voice for reform in global governance.
Other speakers echoed their calls. Carlos Hernandez, president of the Central American Parliament, said global governance is in urgent need of new models and new voices.
“The countries represented here today have shown the way forward: one grounded in equitable development, dignity, and multilateralism,” he said.
Mikhail Gusman, first deputy director-general of TASS Russian News Agency, noted that BRICS nations reflect the diversity of emerging economies.
Facing growing global media challenges, BRICS media cooperation has an important role in defending truth, justice and peace, he said.
Tia Ju, vice president of the Legislative Assembly of the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, praised China’s efforts to unite Global South countries and emphasized the need for media collaboration to increase international visibility and influence for BRICS.
Yeidckol Polevnsky Gurwitz, chair of the Asia-Pacific Foreign Relations Committee of the Mexican Senate, said that Mexico shares with BRICS a vision of inclusive growth and fair trade.
“We cannot allow external interference in our development paths. Together, we must build a multipolar world,” she said, referencing China’s concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
The forum concluded with the release of a think tank report titled “BRICS Cooperation: Advancing the Collective Progress of the Global South” and the launch of two major initiatives: Global South Joint Communication Partnership Program and “Tapping into BRICS, Voices from the South” Content Collaborative Project.
The forum marked the first full meeting of the BRICS media mechanism since the bloc’s historic expansion and was co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency and Brazil Communication Company under the theme “BRICS United: Forging a New Chapter for the Global South.”
