Earlier this week, media outlets in DRC began reporting that AFC/M23 was withdrawing fighters from areas in the Lubero, Lunyasenge, Bukununu, Musiya, Katondi, and Kipese territories, relocating them to Alimbongo, Kirumba, and Kanyabayonga.
These reports suggested that the move was prompted by pressure from the United States government on AFC/M23.
In a statement released by the Governor of North Kivu Province, Erasto Bahati, these reports were dismissed, with the governor clarifying that what is happening is simply a routine rotation of troops.
The statement read: “The leadership of North Kivu Province reassures all citizens that the activities occurring along the battlefront are part of the regular military troop rotations within AFC/M23.”
“It is completely different from the rumors fueled by social media and the Kinshasa government, which aim to confuse and frighten people who are living in peace and security. AFC/M23 remains committed to protecting all citizens from harm, regardless of its origin.”
Governor Erasto Bahati also urged citizens to continue their daily activities as usual.
AFC/M23 has dismissed reports suggesting withdrawal from occupied positions
In a press conference on Sunday, March 29, 2026, Bizimana shared his thoughts ahead of the final match of the FIFA Series in Kigali.
When asked about facing Estonia, the first European team Amavubi will face, he acknowledged the tough challenge ahead.
“This will be our first time playing against a European team since I joined Amavubi. We closely follow their leagues, and many European players have a similar style of play. As a team, we’ve discussed this, and we’re determined to win the match,” he said.
“Each player is eager to win a big match, especially one that others might think is out of reach for us. What we also hope for is the support of our fans, just like in our last match. We’re committed to giving our all to secure the victory.”
Rwanda’s national team has often given their fans hope with impressive wins, followed by disappointing losses or draws.
However, Bizimana assured that this time, Amavubi are determined to create a new chapter in the team’s history.
“History is history, and the past is behind us. Now, we are preparing for the final game, and we know we must give everything we have to keep the trophy with us because we may never have another opportunity to host it. This is a new moment for us to make our own history,” he emphasized.
The final Group A match of the 2026 FIFA Series will see Amavubi face Estonia on Monday, March 30, at 1:30 PM at Amahoro Stadium.
Rwanda secured their spot in the final after a dominant 4-0 win over Grenada, with goals from Leroy-Jacques Mickels, Kwizera Jojea, Bizimana Djihad, and Hakim Sahabo.
Estonia advanced after defeating Kenya in a penalty shootout, winning 5-4 after a 1-1 draw.
Rwanda secured their spot in the final after a dominant 4-0 win over Grenada,Bizimana assured that this time, Amavubi are determined to create a new chapter in the team’s history.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that while fathers tend to have fewer mental health diagnoses during pregnancy and the first months after birth, the situation changes significantly later on.
The study analyzed national health data from more than one million fathers whose children were born in Sweden between 2003 and 2021.
The researchers looked at when these men received diagnoses for conditions such as depression and stress‑related disorders, beginning a year before pregnancy and continuing until the child reached one year old.
Surprisingly, the results showed that mental health diagnoses were lower than expected during pregnancy and in the months right after birth, possibly reflecting the emotional high and support that often accompany the early stages of becoming a parent.
However, by the time the baby reached about 12 months old, the trend reversed. Diagnoses linked to depression and stress had risen noticeably by more than 30% compared with the year before pregnancy.
One of the study’s authors, Jing Zhou, a PhD student at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet, commented that the transition to fatherhood involves both positive moments and new pressures.
He explained that sleep disruptions, changes in relationships, and the ongoing responsibilities of caring for a growing child may contribute to increasing emotional strain over time.
The researchers say these findings challenge the assumption that fathers’ mental health is mostly stable after a baby is born.
Instead, the study suggests that the emotional toll may build up gradually, with symptoms becoming more pronounced as fathers continue to juggle work, family life, and other responsibilities.
The study was published in JAMA Network Open, a widely respected medical journal.
The authors hope the research will raise awareness about paternal mental health and encourage better support systems for new fathers not just immediately after birth but throughout the first year of parenting and beyond.
Fatherhood’s mental health toll may hit hardest a year after the baby arrives.
The certification ceremony that took place on On March 25, was presided over by Mount Kigali University founder Prof. Simon Gicharu founder of Mount Kigali University, alongside Imbuto Foundation Director General Elodie Shami.
The training is part of a broader effort to improve the quality of care and education for young children in Rwanda.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Gicharu emphasized the importance of building strong foundations in early childhood, noting that the future of any nation depends on how well it invests in its youngest generation.
He reaffirmed the university’s dedication to supporting continuous professional development for caregivers and educators, highlighting that solving societal challenges requires empowering people with the right skills and mindset.
“As we reflect on our progress, one key issue stands out,” he said. “The challenge is not the presence of problems, but our ability to effectively solve them. We must focus on building solutions and equipping individuals with the capacity to address real-world challenges.”
He further stressed the importance of mission-driven work, collaboration, and innovation in shaping sustainable development, applauding caregivers for their dedication to community service and their lasting impact on families across the country.
Imbuto Foundation Director General, Elodie Shami expressed deep appreciation for the partnership, describing it as transformative and community-centered. She highlighted the critical importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, noting that this period lays the foundation for future health, learning, and productivity.
“Caregivers are at the frontline of this work,” she said. “Their role cannot be overstated. They are central to ensuring that children receive not only education, but also proper care, nutrition, and support.”
She added that investing in Early Childhood Development aligns closely with Rwanda’s national vision for long-term growth, including Vision 2050, which prioritizes human capital development and the creation of a knowledge-based economy.
Mount Kigali University Vice Chancellor, Dr. Martin Kimemia, also commended the graduates, describing the occasion as both a celebration of achievement and a step forward in building resilient communities.
“Today, we celebrate not only your success but also the future you are helping to shape,” he said. “The early years of a child’s life are critical, and through your training, you are now better prepared to guide and support the next generation.”
During the event, Mount Kigali University also extended further support to more than 100 students in the Edified Generation Scholarship Program, which has already assisted more than 400 secondary school students with education costs. The program’s second phase is currently underway, with 200 students having graduated and 200 more progressing through their studies.
The collaboration between Mount Kigali University and Imbuto Foundation spans nine years, making it a long-standing initiative aimed at improving early childhood education and community development.
Over the years, the partnership has supported the establishment of several Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDCs), including projects in Masaka sector and the ongoing development of a new center in Kinyinya.
Dr. Martin Kimemia, Elodie Shami and Prof. Simon Gicharu award a certificate to one of the caregivers Prof. Simon Gicharu expressed his commitment to work with Imbuto Foundation on several projects Dr. Martin Kimemia encouraged the trainees to remain committed to excellence, innovation, and adaptability in their work, reminding them of the responsibility they carry in influencing young lives that is placed in their hands at a very critical stage.
“We are concerned about the Houthi missile strikes against Israel earlier today. These attacks risk further expanding the military conflict in the region,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said in a note to correspondents.
“We emphasize that international law, including international humanitarian law as applicable, must be respected by all parties at all times,” he said. “UN Security Council resolution 2768 (2025) and subsequent resolutions related to Houthi attacks against merchant and commercial vessels must be fully respected.”
Yemen’s Houthi armed forces said on Saturday that they had launched a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting “sensitive Israeli military sites” in southern Israel, which marked the group’s first such attack since Israel and the United States started massive attacks on Iran a month ago.
The group signaled readiness for further military action, framing its recent military strikes on Israel as “legitimate right” to confront what it called “brutal American-Israeli aggression” against Iran and the wider region.
In a statement, the group’s foreign affairs authority said that its intervention was part of a broader regional strategy tied to Iran, Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon.
He was speaking on Saturday at the 11th Summit of OACPS in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea where he represented President Paul Kagame.
Dr. Nsengiyumva highlighted the importance of aligning the organization’s financing model with global changes.
“As the global context evolves, it is natural that our approach to financing must also adapt,” he said.
He urged member states to rethink traditional financing approaches and to leverage OACPS as a platform not just for cooperation, but also for investment and economic transformation.
To achieve sustainable financing, Dr. Nsengiyumva outlined three essential priorities for the OACPS.
First, he emphasized the need to strengthen domestic resource mobilization across member states as a foundation for greater financial ownership of the organization. He pointed out that ensuring timely and predictable contributions would be crucial for sustainability.
The second priority was promoting the scale and bankability of regional projects to attract long-term institutional investment. Dr. Nsengiyumva noted that OACPS needs to promote the scale and bankability of projects, particularly at the regional level, as key to attracting long-term and institutional investment.
This, he explained, requires stronger projects, risk mitigation, and coordinated efforts to unlock viable investment opportunities across our countries.
The third priority was deepening partnerships for co-investment, which would involve both traditional and emerging partners in a spirit of mutual benefit and shared responsibility.
Dr. Nsengiyumva also referred to the Samoa Agreement, noting that it provides a valuable framework for supporting sustainable financing efforts.
However, he stressed that its success would depend on member states’ ability to translate commitments into concrete, measurable outcomes. “The impact [of the Samoa Agreement] will depend on our collective ability to translate commitments into concrete and measurable outcomes,” he remarked.
Premier Nsengiyumva also reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to timely contributions.
“Rwanda has consistently continued to pay its assessed contributions on time, and Rwanda commits again to continue to honor its commitments and its assessed contributions to this great organisation and that will be done on time,” he stated.
The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) is a group of countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific that was created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. Formerly known as African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), the organisation’s main objectives are sustainable development and poverty reduction within its member states, as well as their greater integration into the world’s economy.
Premier Dr. Nsengiyumva has called for sustainable financing at OACPS Summit.Premier Dr. Nsengiyumva represented President Paul Kagame at the summit. The 11th Summit of OACPS took place in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
Any potential ground operation would fall short of a full-scale invasion and could instead involve raids by a mixture of Special Operations forces and conventional infantry troops, the newspaper quoted officials as saying on the condition of anonymity.
Such a mission could expose U.S. personnel to an array of threats, including Iranian drones and missiles, ground fire and improvised explosives, the report noted, adding the Trump administration in recent days has vacillated between declaring that the war is winding down and threatening to amplify it.
Discussions within the U.S. administration over the past month have touched upon the possible seizure of Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export hub in the Persian Gulf, and raids into other coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz to locate and destroy weapons capable of targeting commercial and military shipping, said officials.
They added that in the past month, 13 U.S. troops have been killed in action, including six in a plane crash in Iraq, six in a drone attack on Port Shuaiba in Kuwait, and one in an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. More than 300 service members have been wounded by Iranian drones and missiles in retaliatory attacks targeting U.S. facilities in at least seven countries across the Middle East, with at least 10 sustaining serious injuries.
According to The Post, recent polls indicate strong public resistance in the United States to sending combat troops in Iran. A survey conducted by the Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago found that 62 percent of respondents were strongly opposed to deploying ground forces, while only 12 percent were in favor.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday that a task force of 3,500 marines and sailors arrived in the Middle East on Friday.
As a result, the provisional results announced on Tuesday, March 17, by the Minister of Interior, Raymond Zephirin Mboulou, on behalf of the National Independent Electoral Commission remain unchanged, officially declaring Denis Sassou Nguesso re-elected as president of the republic for a new five-year term.
Denis Sassou Nguesso, who ran under the banner of the Presidential Majority composed of nearly 20 political parties, competed against six other candidates.
He had secured over 94 percent of the vote in the provisional results released on March 17 by the minister of interior, Raymond Zephirin Mboulou.
Out of an expected electorate of 3,167,909 voters, 2,681,571 cast their ballots, representing a voter turnout of 84.65 percent.
Denis Sassou Nguesso, who ran under the banner of the Presidential Majority composed of nearly 20 political parties, competed against six other candidates.
These projects were selected from 90 youth and women who had been trained in various vocational skills by BPR Foundation under the ‘IGIRE & Women Economic Empowerment (WEE-IKAMBA)’ program.
The participants had undergone six months of training in fields such as construction, carpentry, electrical work, catering, mechanics, ICT, and other trades, aimed at addressing unemployment and creating new job opportunities in Rwanda.
The award ceremony took place on March 26, 2026, in Kigali, where five standout projects were recognized. Each of the winning projects received 3 million Rwandan Francs to support their expansion efforts.
Gireh Maurice, CEO of Jamup Electronica Hub Ltd, a company that specializes in welding and maintaining electronic equipment, was one of the recipients. His company was founded by five young entrepreneurs who recently completed their training through the BPR Foundation program.
Gireh expressed gratitude for both the knowledge gained and the 3 million Rwandan Francs (Rwf), noting that the financial support would enable them to secure a permanent base for their operations, as they previously lacked the resources to do so.
“We are grateful to BPR and the ‘IGIRE’ program for the award. The Rwf3 million will allow us to expand our business. When we started, we had little capital and limited resources. Now, we can have a permanent address and grow our business.”
Dr. Jean Claude Habumugisha, Deputy Principal in charge of Academics and Training at Rwanda Polytechnic-Ngoma College urged the graduates to go beyond acquiring knowledge, stressing the importance of applying it in a professional manner.
“Let the knowledge you have gained help you grow personally and contribute to the country’s development. Wherever you work, your professionalism and integrity should define your approach. Our country needs your contribution, and we are here to support you,” he remarked.
Ngabo Brave Olivier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Arts, reminded the graduates to uphold strong moral values, explaining that development cannot be achieved by individuals who, despite having skills, engage in harmful behaviors like drug abuse.
Patience Mutesi, Managing Director of BPR Bank Rwanda Plc, emphasized that initiatives like vocational training cannot succeed without the collaboration of various institutions and sectors. She reaffirmed that the BPR Foundation is committed to these programs because they believe investing in individuals is a critical way to support sustainable development.
Graduates of the training provided by BPR Foundation were urged to help Rwanda achieve the development it aspires to.Women trained in WEE IKAMBA with promising projects were also recognized and praised.Graduates of the IGIRE program have committed to creating new job opportunities.Various partners of BPR attended the ceremony to award the best-performing projects.BPR Bank Rwanda Plc, through its ‘IGIRE’ program by BPR Foundation, has awarded 15 million Rwandan Francs to five youth-led projects that demonstrate outstanding innovation.BPR Bank Rwanda Plc, through its ‘IGIRE’ program by BPR Foundation, has awarded 15 million Rwandan Francs to five youth-led projects that demonstrate outstanding innovation.The event also highlighted the crucial role of women in the country’s development.90 students graduated from the ‘IGIRE & Women Economic Empowerment (WEE-IKAMBA)’ program.
On March 27, 2026, media reports indicated that the AU had decided not to support Macky Sall’s candidacy due to procedural violations.
Amb. Nduhungirehe, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has explained that the 20 AU member states who broke their silence were not rejecting any candidacy but rather opposing the flawed procedure initiated by President Ndayishimiye, which ignored AU rules governing international nominations.
“What happened today at the African Union is a stark reminder that leadership matters. It’s unbelievable to note that a whole continental organisation can be tarnished or driven into a crisis by its own Chairperson, who is in office for not even two months,” Nduhungirehe posted on X .
The nomination process for the UN Secretary-General can be initiated by any country or group of countries, but the nominee need not necessarily be from the country that submits the candidacy.
On March 2, 2026, the Permanent Representative of Burundi to the UN notified the General Assembly that the Burundian government serving as current Chair of the African Union nominated Macky Sall, former President of Senegal, for the position.
“This submission of an African candidature to the position of UN Secretary General came as a surprise to all African Heads of State and Government, as none of them was consulted by the AU Chairperson before taking this important decision,” Nduhungirehe emphasized.
After the nomination, President Ndayishimiye attempted to pressure fellow African leaders into endorsing his decision by imposing a 24-hour “silence procedure.”
According to Amb. Nduhungirehe, Ndayishimiye convened the AU Bureau, where only two other members participated, and gave African governments 24 hours to approve or reject the nomination either by silence or by response.
“In other words, President Ndayishimiye, instead of calling an AU meeting for advice on the right procedure, chose to give his fellow AU Heads of State and Government only 24 hours to either endorse, by keeping silent, an AU decision that ‘EXPRESSES ITS FIRM SUPPORT to the President of the Republic of Burundi, H.E. Evariste Ndayishimiye, Chairperson of the AU for 2026, for having presented the candidacy of President Macky Sall […] for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations,’ or to reject it by breaking the silence,” Amb. Nduhungirehe added.
This authoritarian approach was too much for many AU member states, which responded by breaking their silence and blocking the decision. They reminded Ndayishimiye that the AU must be governed by the rule of law.
Despite the damage to the AU’s international reputation, Nduhungirehe hopes this incident will serve as a lesson for future appointments of AU Chairpersons.
The new UN Secretary-General will begin their term in January 2027. Any candidate must be nominated by a country or group of countries, and it is not a requirement for the candidate to come from the country making the nomination. This means that Burundi could have nominated Macky Sall on their own behalf, but the actions of Ndayishimiye caused a stir within the AU.
While it is not always followed strictly, UN leadership positions are generally rotated among different regions of the world, and there is growing support for the idea that it is time for a woman to lead the UN.
Other candidates who have submitted their nominations for the position include Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile; Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency; Rebeca Grynspan, former Vice President of Costa Rica; and Virginia Gamba from Argentina.
Since Ndayishimiye took over the AU chairmanship, analysts have criticized his leadership, questioning his ability to address the pressing challenges facing Africa, such as the ongoing war in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Burundi is involved in the conflict.
Since Ndayishimiye took over the AU chairmanship, analysts have criticized his leadership, questioning his ability to address the pressing challenges facing Africa
