In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) said the latest group, the 24th to arrive under the programme, was received in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The group comprises 68 Sudanese, 66 Eritreans, 26 South Sudanese, 15 Ethiopians and two Somalis.
According to the ministry, the asylum seekers will be accommodated at the Gashora Transit Centre in Bugesera District, which hosts other evacuees who previously arrived in Rwanda under the humanitarian initiative.
The Emergency Transit Mechanism was established in September 2019 through a partnership between the Government of Rwanda, UNHCR and the African Union to provide temporary protection to vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya while durable solutions, including resettlement, are pursued.
MINEMA said that since the programme began, Rwanda has received more than 3,000 refugees and asylum seekers from Libya.
Of these, 2,681 have been successfully resettled in third countries, including Canada (927), France (332), the United States (325), Sweden (297), Finland (271), Norway (229), Germany (132), the Netherlands (94) and Belgium (72).
The ministry reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to providing protection to people fleeing conflict and persecution, saying the country remains committed to offering refuge to people in need.
The group comprises 68 Sudanese, 66 Eritreans, 26 South Sudanese, 15 Ethiopians and two Somalis.The asylum seekers will be accommodated at the Gashora Transit Centre in Bugesera District, which hosts other evacuees who previously arrived in Rwanda under the humanitarian initiative.
MINEMA data shows that 8,905 Rwandans had already been repatriated before 285 more arrived on Wednesday through the La Corniche border post linking Rubavu and Goma.
More than 300 others also crossed into Rwanda through the Rusizi-Bukavu border.
Upon arrival, the returnees were transported by buses waiting at the border to Kijote Transit Centre in Nyabihu District, where they will receive initial assistance before being reunited with their communities.
Among those who entered through the Rubavu border were 177 children, 71 women and 37 men.
Speaking to IGIHE, François Bizumuremyi, who left Rwanda in 1994, said misinformation had kept him away from his homeland for more than three decades.
“We were constantly told to wait because nothing was happening in Rwanda and that one day we would all return together. Later, we realised we had been lied to. I decided to return home to Gikongoro, and I am ready to join fellow Rwandans in building our country,” he said.
Welcoming the returnees, Rubavu District Mayor Prosper Mulindwa urged them to embrace their Rwandan identity and avoid the divisions that had forced many into exile.
He noted that many had lived difficult lives as refugees through no fault of their own and reminded them that ethnic division was one of the factors that had driven people from the country.
“You did not choose to live as refugees, and you did not live well there. Some people fled without even understanding why. Embrace your Rwandan identity and stay away from the divisions that led to your displacement because they did not bring you a better life,” he said.
Mulindwa assured the returnees that the government would continue to support them throughout the reintegration process and provide assistance to help them rebuild their lives.
Each returnee aged 18 and above will receive an initial reintegration grant of US$188, while those under 18 will receive US$113. In addition, every returnee will receive basic food supplies valued at Rwf45,000 to support their resettlement.
Rwandan returnees formerly held by FDLR arrive at the La Corniche border post in Rubavu after returning from eastern DR Congo.Children and adults were among the latest group of returnees welcomed back to Rwanda after years away from their homeland.Rubavu District Mayor Prosper Mulindwa welcomed returnees and urged them to embrace unity and their Rwandan identity as they rebuilt their lives.
Trump’s comments came one day after a CNN report on U.S. weapons shortages following intensive military campaign against Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that “large amounts are being manufactured and shipped to the U.S. as needed. Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history.”
On Tuesday, CNN, citing two sources familiar with the latest inventory report, disclosed that the U.S. military has burned through nearly four-fifths of its THAAD missile inventory compared to pre-war numbers and roughly half of its Patriot interceptors since the start of the Iran war.
The inventory report also noted that the stockpile issue was raised again prior to Trump’s decision last weekend to cancel new strikes on Iran, said CNN.
The U.S. Army has also used “virtually all” of its highly accurate long-range, surface-to-air weapons during the conflict, the news report said.
According to a report by the Washington Post on Wednesday, Trump at the presidential retreat Camp David last week vented anger at U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth that he thought the munitions issue “had been fixed.”
Trump demanded answers from Hegseth on why he had apparently been misled on extreme munitions shortages that threaten to limit military options with Iran, the newspaper said.
“The ‘leakers’ of these treasonous statements are being hunted down. Long term jail sentences will be sought,” Trump warned in his Thursday Truth Social post.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States has “massive” amounts of munitions, especially of certain types.
In a performance update issued on August 5, BNR Governor Soraya Hakuziyaremye said eKash has maintained an average transaction success rate of 98.6%, highlighting the growing use of interoperable digital payments across Rwanda’s banking and mobile money ecosystem.
The central bank boss also revealed that the number of active users of interoperable digital payment services increased by 166% within weeks of the launch, rising from 740,787 users during the corresponding period in June to 1,971,522 by the end of July.
The central bank attributed the strong uptake to public confidence in the new payment system and thanked customers for their trust and constructive feedback, noting that user input has helped identify areas requiring further refinement.
While the majority of transactions have been completed successfully, NBR acknowledged that some customers experienced delays and failed transactions during the initial rollout.
The regulator said participating financial institutions and the system operator are working under its oversight to resolve the issues, with ongoing measures aimed at strengthening system performance and improving customer service.
“NBR acknowledges the positive response to eKash and thanks the public for their continued trust and constructive feedback, which has contributed to the ongoing improvement of the service,” the governor said in a statement.
She added that a nationwide public awareness campaign is underway to help the public better understand the interoperable instant payment system and the changes it introduces.
Customers who experience challenges while using eKash have been encouraged to first contact their bank or mobile money provider for assistance.
“If the issue is not resolved, they may submit a complaint to the National Bank of Rwanda through the Intumwa chatbot, available via SMS (6005), WhatsApp (+250791700721), and NBR website and official social media platforms,” the governor added.
Launched nationwide on July 14, the unified national digital payment system enables instant person-to-person transfers between bank accounts and mobile wallets across licensed financial institutions, regardless of the service provider.
The interoperable platform allows customers to transfer money from a bank account to a mobile wallet, from a mobile wallet to a bank account, or between accounts and wallets held with different financial institutions without opening new accounts or downloading additional applications.
NBR has capped the maximum transfer amount at Rwf 10 million per transaction, while the highest fee that financial institutions can charge customers is Rwf 20 per transfer, although providers are free to charge less or waive the fee altogether.
The central bank expects eKash to strengthen Rwanda’s payment ecosystem by making digital transactions faster, more accessible and affordable, while advancing financial inclusion across the country.
Governor Hakuziyaremye affirmed that the regulator will continue working with banks, electronic money issuers and other stakeholders to ensure eKash delivers a secure, reliable and seamless payment experience for all users.
In a performance update issued on August 5, BNR Governor Soraya Hakuziyaremye said eKash has maintained an average transaction success rate of 98.6%, highlighting the growing use of interoperable digital payments across Rwanda’s banking and mobile money ecosystem.
Commenting on the results, NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora said: “The first half of 2026 was marked by a dynamic operating environment with pressure on inflation and a cautious policy approach by the regional Central Banks. Our focused execution of the UBUNTU strategy has ensured that we delivered a resilient total income growth of 15.1 per cent reflecting healthy business volumes, improved margins and continued customer activity.”
“Our balance sheet momentum remained strong, anchored on disciplined growth in quality lending demonstrated by well-managed non-performing loans of 10.5 per cent compared to the market`s 15.3 per cent (Kenya) and stable funding provided by customer deposit growth. We have increased provisions to KES 5.2 billion reflecting the realities of the current operating environment which positions us well to absorb potential risks.”
“We are also encouraged by the strength of our return on average equity at 19.0 per cent while maintaining a strong capital adequacy position of 21.7 per cent providing a solid foundation to support future growth and strategic investment opportunities.”
Subsidiary performance
The Kenya Bank subsidiary continued to be the Group’s key profit driver powered by disciplined cost of funds management and grew profitability by 24.3 per cent year-on-year to reach KES 13.7 billion. The regional subsidiaries (Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda) delivered a combined KES 1.6 billion in profitability on the back of strong lending growth + 25 per cent year-on-year, income momentum +11 per cent and recovery opportunities.
The Non-banking subsidiaries (NCBA Investment Bank, Leasing, Bancassurance and NCBA Insurance) continued their strong performance momentum delivering profitability of KES 1.1 billion collectively, a growth of 40 per cent year- on- year reinforcing the value of NCBA’s diversified business model.
Strategic Priorities Highlights
The Group invested KES 2.4 billion in technology infrastructure to accelerate AI adoption, strengthen cyber resilience and fortify its core operations. This resulted in strengthened service resilience, delivering 99.68 per cent system uptime and higher customer advocacy with Digital Net Promoter Score rising to 69 per cent. NCBA ConnectPlus, the recently launched best in class business banking platform was scaled across the region to create a seamless and standardized offering.
The Group scaled high-growth segments by expanding its wealth Assets Under Management to KES 101 billion and surpassing 60,000 active wealth clients. Simplified automated customer journeys accelerated digital adoption with mobile banking accounting for 94 per cent of transaction volumes.
Embedding insurance in every relationship contributed to the growth of NCBA Insurance and Bancassurance Gross Written Premiums to KES 2.1 billion and KES 2.3 billion respectively. The priority on deepening focus in supporting small scale businesses contributed to a 12 per cent year-on-year growth in the Group`s SME loan book to KES 44.7 billion up from KES 39.9 billion.
NCBA unlocked new growth through strategic partnerships in Asset Finance to accelerate electric vehicle adoption and solar leasing uptake resulting to 30 per cent Asset Finance market leadership in Kenya. The digital marketplace CarDuka sold vehicles worth KES 1.94 billion while the KOMIUT digital transport platform processed over KES 117 million in collections.
In Retail Banking, the 123 branches across the region, digital onboarding and campaigns including BOOSTA for SMEs, EasyBuild for property finance, diaspora banking and segmented engagements helped acquire +10,000 new core bank customers per month and expand the retail loan book by 54 per cent.
The proposed Nedbank transaction is progressing as planned with the tender offer successfully closing on 10 July 2026, attracting strong shareholder support of a 121 per cent oversubscription. Completion of the transaction remains subject to the fulfilment of remaining conditions and regulatory approvals.
On building a Future-Ready organization, NCBA improved its operating efficiency reflected in a 130-bps cost-to-income ratio growth year-on-year. The Group scaled its Change The Story sustainability agenda through green financing including the oversubscribed KES 3 billion KMRC bond and regional electric vehicle financing.
Over 340,000 trees were nurtured and planted and more than 400,000 livelihoods impacted through community engagements including sports activations in golf and cycling. The momentum to build an iconic regional brand resulted to brand health growing to 7.1 per cent demand power and 49 per cent consideration in Kenya. As a certified Top Employer of the Year, NCBA invested +100,000 learning hours for its +4,000 employees and achieved a 91 per cent retention rate.
Looking forward
Looking ahead, Mr. Gachora said: “While the global macroeconomic environment signals uncertainty leading to a softer growth projection of 3.1 per cent for 2026, the investor landscape remains vibrant with major regional expansion transaction deals expected to close in the second half of the year.”
“We remain confident in the strength of our UBUNTU strategy enabled by a projected optimistic business outlook (Kenya private sector credit growth at 9.3 per cent) and our ability to unlock new growth opportunities which will generate enduring value for customers, shareholders, and the communities we serve.”
About NCBA Group PLC
NCBA is a full-service banking group providing a broad range of financial products and services to Corporate, Institutional, SME and Consumer banking customers.
NCBA operates a network of more than 100 branches across five countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Ivory Coast. Serving over 60 million customers, NCBA is the largest banking group in Africa by customer numbers.
NCBA Bank Kenya is among the leading banks by assets. The Group continues to play a key role in empowering Africa’s economic ambitions. NCBA is a Market Leader in corporate banking, asset finance, and Digital Banking.
NCBA Group CEO John Gachora attributed the strong H1 2026 performance to the execution of the bank’s UBUNTU strategy, which supported business growth, improved margins and customer activity.
The designation followed the recommendation of the Joint Committee for the World Capital of Architecture.
Established jointly by UNESCO and UIA, the World Capital of Architecture program highlights the transformative role of architecture, urban planning, culture and heritage in advancing sustainable urban development. Every three years, UNESCO designates the host city of the UIA World Congress as the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture.
According to UNESCO, Beijing was selected for its “exceptional ability to bring together one of the world’s richest architectural heritages with a forward-looking vision of sustainable urban development.”
“Its historic urban fabric, successful regeneration projects and vibrant architectural culture demonstrate how heritage, innovation and community life can reinforce one another in shaping resilient and livable cities,” UNESCO said in a press release.
Looking ahead to Beijing 2029, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany expressed confidence in the press release that the city’s extraordinary architectural heritage, dynamic urban transformation and forward-looking vision would inspire new international dialogue on the power of architecture.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, became the first city to be designated the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture in 2020, followed by Copenhagen and Barcelona.
A rainbow appears in the sky after rain in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Du Juanjuan)
Approximately 100 billion dollars of refunds, including duties plus interest, have been completed as of July 31, said Brandon Lord, an official with the U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Meanwhile, around 128.68 billion dollars in both potential and certified refunds have been accepted for processing through the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries system, said the official.
The Trump administration started to issue the first tariff refund payment around May 11 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Feb. 20 that President Trump’s tariff policies under IEEPA are unconstitutional.
The CBP was projected to hand out up to 175 billion dollars of IEEPA tariffs in total, according to an earlier estimate issued by Penn Wharton Budget Model at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has refunded about $100 billion in tariffs since the Supreme Court struck down a wave of his duties this year, court filings show.
In a public announcement issued on Wednesday, August 5, Rwanda FDA said the suspension takes immediate effect in the interest of protecting public health.
The regulator directed importers to immediately recall all affected products and instruct distributors to withdraw them from retailers and consumers. Importers must submit recall reports within three working days.
Distributors and retailers have been ordered to immediately stop selling the listed products and return all remaining stock to importers, while consumers have been advised to stop consuming the affected alcoholic beverages.
Rwanda FDA also ordered the immediate removal of all advertisements and promotional materials for the listed products.
The suspended products originate from Burundi, India, Kenya, Poland, Tanzania and Uganda.
Among the most recognisable brands affected are Gilbeys Gin, imported from Kenya and Uganda, as well as Tanzania’s Konyagi and Kiwingu Spirit. The suspension also covers Safari Gin, Kenya King, Bond 7 Whisky, Magic Moments Chocolate Vodka, Club 5 Gin, Tembo Liqueur, Campfire Gin, X5 Gin and several other spirits, whiskies, vodkas and liqueurs.
Among the most recognisable brands affected are Gilbeys Gin, imported from Kenya and Uganda.
The latest move comes a day after Rwanda FDA shut down 27 additional alcoholic beverage manufacturers, bringing the total number of manufacturers closed in the past three days to 136. The regulator has also ordered the recall of all products manufactured by the affected companies as part of an intensified enforcement campaign.
“Non-compliance with all the above will result in measures under applicable regulatory provisions,” the regulator warned.
The crackdown follows growing concerns over toxic alcoholic beverages, locally known as ibyuma, which authorities say have claimed more than 50 lives this year.
Konyagi from Tanzania has also been blacklisted.
Speaking to IGIHE earlier this week, Minister of Health Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana said investigations found links between unsafe alcoholic drinks and more than 50 deaths recorded between January and July. He added that more than 500 people sought medical treatment after consuming the drinks, over 100 people lost their eyesight, and a nationwide assessment identified nearly 11,000 people struggling with alcohol addiction.
Rwanda FDA said additional products could also face regulatory action as enforcement continues.
The report released on Tuesday, August 4, shows that manufacturing drove the expansion, growing 21.5% year-on-year and contributing 1.9 percentage points to the overall index. The sub-sector carried a weight of 68.1% within the general index, making it by far the largest component of industrial activity.
Electricity output rose 16.5%, contributing 3.3 percentage points to the annual change despite holding a smaller 12.8% weight in the index, the single largest contribution of any activity tracked. Water and waste management increased 11.3%, while mining and quarrying grew 6.9%.
Within manufacturing, chemicals, rubber and plastic products rose 6.3%, non-metallic mineral products increased 6.1%, food processing grew 2.2%, wood, paper and printing rose 2.5%, and metal products, machinery and equipment increased 2.3%. Furniture and other manufacturing was the only sub-sector to contract, falling 5.3% and shaving 0.2 percentage points off the annual change.
On a month-on-month basis, the general index fell 1.9% against May 2026, with manufacturing down 2.7% and electricity down 2.0%. Mining and quarrying rose 37.4% on the month.
The Index of Industrial Production is one of the earliest indicators of economic activity, providing insights into the performance of Rwanda’s industrial sector before broader economic growth data is released. It is closely watched by businesses, investors and policymakers to assess production trends and guide investment and policy decisions.
Workers package fertilizer at the Rwanda Fertilizer Company (RFC) in the Bugesera Special Economic Zone.
The agreement was signed through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) and will support interventions in Gakenke, Burera, Musanze, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Rutsiro, Ngororero and Muhanga districts, benefiting more than 2.3 million people living in areas exposed to climate-related risks, including floods, landslides and soil erosion.
The project will finance activities such as flood risk reduction infrastructure, watershed restoration, landscape rehabilitation, biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood programmes for communities in the region.
The VCRP is coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and implemented in partnership with the Rwanda Water Resources Board, Rwanda Meteorology Agency, Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).
Communities living around Volcanoes National Park and surrounding areas have for years faced challenges linked to floods, landslides and land degradation, which have affected livelihoods, agricultural production and infrastructure.
The €65 million financing adds to broader efforts under the Volcanoes Community Resilience Project, which was launched in 2023 with support from development partners, including the World Bank.
The wider initiative, valued at more than $300 million, aims to reduce climate-related risks, restore degraded landscapes, improve disaster preparedness and strengthen livelihoods in communities surrounding Volcanoes National Park.
The project includes efforts to improve watershed management, restore degraded landscapes and strengthen communities’ ability to cope with climate impacts.
Among the planned interventions are forest restoration, tree planting, sustainable agriculture support and measures to reduce risks from flooding and soil erosion.
The project also supports the conservation of the Volcanoes ecosystem, including efforts linked to the protection and sustainable management of the national park and surrounding landscapes.
The agreement was signed through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN).Rwanda and EIB have signed a €65 million financing agreement to strengthen climate resilience, biodiversity conservation and livelihoods under the Volcanoes Community Resilience Project.
