In Wednesday’s dialogue, Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu, who was nominated by his country, said the immediate priority must be given to the proliferation of increasingly deadly conflicts that threaten to engulf entire regions and the world.
He promised to support UN member states to end the Ukraine crisis, address the Gaza crisis, support the peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, work with the African Union and other global partners to end the conflict in Sudan, support ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring about a comprehensive peace agreement in the Iran conflict, and support a more coordinated and concerted counter-terrorism response in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel.
Otunnu also vowed to rebuild consensus on human rights, reform UN, alleviate the fiscal crunch and innovate UN financing, harness the unprecedented opportunities of artificial intelligence, deepen cooperation between UN and regional organizations, and reconnect the global public to UN.
In Thursday’s dialogue, Ecuadoran diplomat Ivonne A-Baki said she wants to be a leader rather than a manager, if selected as the next UN secretary-general.
“A manager is someone who follows a mission statement. A leader is someone who follows a north star,” said A-Baki, who was nominated by Tonga. “My north star for this world body is not necessarily reform. It’s renewal. Renewal of the promise of building peace and preventing war. Renewal of the promise to promote human dignity and social progress and renewal of the vision that the UN can be the one body where nations of the world can work together to achieve more than nations working alone.”
She promised to commit to direct and delegated peacekeeping and peacemaking, Security Council modernization, resolving development debt and unlocking finance, and safeguarding human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence.
The UNGA began to convene interactive dialogues with candidates for the next UN secretary-general in late April.
The other six candidates have attended interactive dialogues one by one.
Current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ term of office expires at the end of this year. The next secretary-general will take over the role on Jan. 1, 2027.
Ecuadoran diplomat Ivonne A-Baki, a candidate for the next UN secretary-general, speaks at an interactive dialogue with UN member states at the UN headquarters in New York, Aug. 20, 2026. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday and Thursday held respective interactive dialogues with two candidates for the next UN secretary-general. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu, a candidate for the next UN secretary-general, speaks to reporters after an interactive dialogue with UN member states at the UN headquarters in New York, Aug. 19, 2026. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday and Thursday held respective interactive dialogues with two candidates for the next UN secretary-general. (UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)
The warning came as the DRC government launched an emergency initiative Thursday to reinforce surveillance along the Congo River, seeking to prevent one of Central Africa’s busiest transport corridors from carrying the virus toward major cities, including the capital Kinshasa.
According to the latest figures from the DRC’s health authorities, as of Aug. 18, 5,208 confirmed cases, including 2,476 deaths, had been reported across six provinces, with a case fatality rate of 47.5 percent. Another 1,115 patients had recovered.
Hidden casses, missing transmission chains
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Thursday that modeling conducted jointly with the DRC’s National Institute of Biomedical Research and other partners suggested that the actual burden was substantially higher than confirmed figures indicated.
“We are detecting just 30 to 40 percent,” Kyeng Mercy, an Africa CDC official, said at an online press briefing Thursday. “If you have to look at the real burden, we should be over 10,000 to 15,000 cases.”
Mercy cautioned that the figures were model-based estimates and therefore subject to uncertainty, but said multiple indicators consistently pointed to significant under-detection.
“Models also have their caveats in terms of uncertainty,” said Mercy. “We are just saying that we are not detecting as much as we should, based on certain indicators.”
Yap Boum II, head of emergency preparedness and response at Africa CDC, said Thursday at the online briefing that based on the assessment, the outbreak could be three times the current size in terms of the number of confirmed cases.
He also said that fewer than 10 percent of detected cases are currently among known contacts, while fewer than 40 percent of cases have an epidemiological link to another confirmed infection.
The relatively milder and less typical clinical presentation of Bundibugyo Ebola, compared with disease caused by the Zaire ebolavirus, may also discourage some infected people from seeking treatment, further obscuring the outbreak’s true scale, he added.
Jean Kaseya, director-general of Africa CDC, told Congolese media Wednesday that the epidemic “is not under control,” warning that the outbreak could eventually surpass the scale of the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic unless major changes were quickly made to the response.
“We may go further than what we’ve seen in West Africa,” Boum also warned, while stressing that a shift in response strategy could still bend the epidemic curve.
Kaseya has also said evidence suggests transmission may have begun around February, months before the outbreak was formally declared on May 15. The number of infections and deaths during that undetected period remained unknown and could substantially add to the current official tally, he added.
Congo River becomes new front line
Against that backdrop, the DRC government on Thursday launched the “Congo River Without Ebola” initiative, aimed at preventing the country’s main river transport artery from becoming another route for the virus to spread.
The plan is designed to block transmission toward major riverside population centers, particularly Kinshasa, a megacity of nearly 20 million people where no Ebola case has been confirmed, while reducing the risk of cross-border spread to the Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic.
The Congo River is one of Central Africa’s main economic and transport arteries, carrying thousands of passengers, traders and transport operators each day, according to the regional bureau of the WHO.
Health officials fear that such intense mobility could allow undetected infections to travel long distances before symptoms are recognized.
Measures under the initiative include reinforced screening and surveillance at ports and along river routes, community early-warning networks, expanded isolation and treatment capacity in key hubs, as well as mobile floating laboratories and preparations for the possible quarantine of vessels.
The initial intensive phase will last three months, focusing on equipping control points, strengthening local response capacity and raising awareness among riverside communities.
Body Ilonga, secretary-general of the DRC’s health ministry, said Thursday the priority is to rapidly identify suspected infections and break chains of transmission.
The initiative is supported by an inter-agency mechanism involving the WHO and several other UN agencies, with 9 million U.S. dollars in catalytic funding mobilized through the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The river plan adds a new geographic layer to an outbreak that has already expanded rapidly overland. Africa CDC said Thursday that growing transmission in the DRC’s northern Bas-Uele province, near the Central African Republic, has also made cross-border surveillance increasingly urgent.
“The entire continent has to be on high alert,” Mercy said, adding that the highest risks were currently concentrated in parts of East and Central Africa.
Response shifts to villages, vaccines
Health authorities are meanwhile seeking to overhaul the response after Kaseya acknowledged Wednesday that “the approach has not been the best.”
Africa CDC and the DRC government are increasingly shifting from conventional contact tracing toward what they call a “village-centered response,” particularly in hotspots where transmission has become too widespread for individual contact lists to capture.
Under the approach, village chiefs and community health workers would help conduct house-to-house searches, report alerts, identify suspected infections and link families directly with health facilities and response teams.
The strategy is also intended to address persistent distrust that has partly led to delayed treatment, community deaths and resistance to response teams.
Vaccination is also set to become a larger part of the response. An initial 70,000 doses of Ervebo vaccine would be allocated to the DRC, although the vaccine is licensed against Zaire ebolavirus rather than the Bundibugyo strain.
According to the WHO, the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision informed the DRC government of the immediate release of an initial 70,000 doses.
The DRC authorities plan to use the doses both for research and among frontline and at-risk populations, based on emerging evidence that the vaccine may offer some cross-protection.
Kaseya said Wednesday that the first doses were expected to arrive within days.
“The current trajectory must change, and it should change,” Kaseya said.
“I think the population can hope that, with all the measures we are going to put in place, we will be able to stop this outbreak,” Kaseya added.
A staff member of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) takes temperature of a passenger from an intercepted boat outside Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Aug. 6, 2026. (Xinhua)Medical workers are pictured at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, North Kivu Province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Aug. 16, 2026. (Xinhua)
The former Ballon d’Or winner arrived in Italy on Thursday ahead of his official presentation, which is expected to be the centrepiece of a lavish “Ronaldinho Day” celebration on the Adriatic coast.
Thousands of supporters are expected to attend the beach event, where Ravenna will unveil its squad ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Ronaldinho’s return comes more than 11 years after his last competitive appearance for Fluminense in 2015. His decision to join Ravenna was announced in June as part of a wider agreement involving the club’s ownership group.
Ravenna president Ignazio Cipriani, a member of the family behind the famous Cipriani restaurant and hospitality business, has stressed that Ronaldinho’s involvement goes beyond publicity.
“This is not window dressing or a marketing stunt,” Cipriani said.
🚨 Ronaldinho has arrived in Italy ahead of signing for Ravenna! 🤯
The Brazilian legend will be officially unveiled tonight and has one final ambition in mind: to score the last professional goal of his career in a Ravenna shirt.
Ronaldinho is set to become a shareholder in the club and, remarkably, is also expected to take part in at least one official match during the season.
Cipriani has revealed the Brazilian has a particularly romantic ambition for his comeback: to score one final goal before bringing the curtain down on his playing career.
“His goal is to score his final goal in a Ravenna shirt,” Cipriani said.
It remains unclear exactly when Ronaldinho will take to the pitch. He has not been part of Ravenna coach Andrea Mandorlini’s pre-season preparations, meaning he is unlikely to feature in the club’s opening Serie C fixture against Reggiana.
Cipriani previously suggested Ronaldinho could play in a home league match, with his involvement dependent on his fitness and other circumstances.
The Brazilian enjoyed a glittering career that also included spells with Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Atletico Mineiro and Mexican club Queretaro.
The comeback represents a remarkable second chapter in Italy for Ronaldinho, who spent two and a half seasons with AC Milan after joining the Rossoneri in 2008. He later moved to Flamengo in January 2011.
The Brazilian enjoyed a glittering career that also included spells with Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Atletico Mineiro and Mexican club Queretaro.
At international level, Ronaldinho earned 97 caps for Brazil and was part of the team that won the 2002 World Cup. Three years later, he claimed the Ballon d’Or after a sensational spell at Barcelona.
Now, more than a decade after his final competitive appearance, one of football’s most celebrated entertainers is preparing to lace up his boots again.
For Ravenna, the hope is that Ronaldinho can provide one last moment of magic, and perhaps score the final goal of a career that has already delivered countless unforgettable ones.
Former soccer star Ronaldinho acknowledges the media as he arrives at the airport ahead of the Ravenna Serie C 2026 soccer team presentation, joining the club as a technical coach and playing in one match in Ravenna, Italy.
Coffee was the country’s top agricultural export during the five-day period, with 816 tonnes shipped to international markets for $5.51 million, accounting for about 42.5% of total export earnings.
Other agricultural products generated $4.76 million from 7,404 tonnes exported, with major shipments destined for Bangladesh and several African countries.
Tea ranked third in export earnings, with Rwanda shipping 437 tonnes worth $1.27 million to international markets.
The country also exported 576 tonnes of vegetables, earning $563,649. The vegetables were shipped to markets in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, India, France and several African countries.
Fruit exports generated another $472,759 from 443 tonnes shipped to the United Arab Emirates, China and African markets.
Livestock products earned $349,313 from 220 tonnes exported to various African countries.
Rwanda also exported five tonnes of flowers, generating $30,938, with shipments going to Nigeria, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
The figures highlight the growing contribution of agricultural exports to Rwanda’s foreign exchange earnings, with the country continuing to expand markets for locally produced commodities.
Rwanda has set a target of generating $1.5 billion annually from agricultural and livestock exports by 2029, signalling ambitions to further increase production, processing and access to international markets.
Coffee was the country’s top agricultural export during the five-day period, with 816 tonnes shipped to international markets for $5.51 million.
Announcing the results on Thursday, August 20, NESA Director General Dr Bahati Bernard said the results showed a significant improvement in students’ performance compared with the 2024/25 academic year.
Girls recorded a pass rate of 87.1%, while boys performed slightly better, with a pass rate of 89.59%.
A total of 276,579 students from 3,895 schools across the country sat the primary school leaving examinations. Boys accounted for 44.35% of the candidates, while girls made up 55.65%.
At the end of lower secondary education, commonly known as ordinary level, 149,015 students sat the national examinations, with 85.70% passing. This was a marked increase from the 64% pass rate recorded in 2024/25.
Girls recorded a pass rate of 82.62%, compared with 89.8% among boys.
Among students who passed and progressed to the first year of secondary school, 17,412 were assigned to boarding schools, while more than 226,546 will attend day schools.
For students progressing to Senior Four in general education, 18,944 were assigned to boarding schools and 57,276 to day schools. A further 26,098 students were placed in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), including 17,000 who will attend day schools.
Meanwhile, 7,497 students were admitted to professional education programmes as boarding students, while 148 will attend as day students.
State Minister for Education Irere Claudette said students who sat the national examinations at both levels had generally performed well, with the number of successful candidates increasing by more than 50,000 compared with the previous year.
“When the number of students increases and their performance also improves, it is understandable that this has an impact on determining the schools to which students are assigned,” she said.
However, Irere called for action against students involved in examination malpractice, including cheating and helping others to cheat.
“Cheating and helping others to cheat were observed, and wherever this occurred, everyone involved will be punished in accordance with the regulations governing national examinations,” she said. “For students suspected of cheating, we are not releasing their results today. We first need to conduct a thorough investigation.”
Bahati said the improvement in results was also reflected in the distribution of students’ scores.
In the primary school leaving examinations, for example, more than 10,000 students scored between 30% and 40% in 2024, compared with about 4,000 this year.
“Those who scored between 40% and 50% numbered more than 41,000 last year, but this year their number fell to 27,000,” he said.
“This resulted in an increase in the number of students scoring higher marks, with the number of those scoring between 50% and 60%, and up to 90%, increasing. This means that students who were previously below 50% moved into the category above 50%.”
The pass rate for the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) in Rwanda rose to 88.21% in the 2025/26 academic year, up from 75.6% recorded the previous year.Minister of State for Education Irere Claudette said students who sat the national examinations at both levels performed well overall, with the number of candidates increasing by more than 50,000 compared with the previous year.NESA Director General Dr Bahati Bernard said the results showed a significant improvement in students’ performance compared with the 2024/25 academic year.State Minister Claudette Irere presents an award to Rwego Mutijima of École Internationale La Racine in Bugesera, who emerged as the top-performing student in the 2025/2026 Primary School National Examinations. Musonga Isimbi Orah topped the ordinary-level national examinations, scoring 98.7%.
The top performing students at were recognized and awarded for their outstanding performance. Each student received a laptop, a certificate, and a one-year school-fee scholarship.
The agreement was signed in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday, August 20, by Rwanda’s Inspector General of Police, Felix Namuhoranye, and Yoo Jae-Sung, Commissioner General and Chief of the Republic of Korea National Police.
Rwanda’s Ambassador to South Korea, Nkubito Manzi Bakuramutsa, witnessed the signing ceremony.
The MoU provides a framework for cooperation in combating transnational organised crime, sharing information and expertise, and strengthening the skills and capabilities of police officers in both countries.
The partnership will also facilitate joint training and other capacity-building programmes aimed at enhancing policing capabilities and strengthening cooperation between RNP and KNPA.
Rwanda established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea in 1963.
The relationship grew stronger with the opening of a diplomatic bureau in November 2008 and later upgraded to an embassy in February 2009.
Rwanda National Police Chief Felix Namuhoranye and his South Korean counterpart Yoo Jae-Sung sign a police cooperation agreement in Seoul on August 20, 2026.RNP Inspector General of Police Felix Namuhoranye and Commissioner General Yoo Jae-Sung exchange documents after signing a police cooperation MoU in Seoul.Rwanda and South Korea have agreed to strengthen police cooperation in combating transnational organised crime and sharing expertise.
Despite these efforts, the terrorist group has survived, rebuilt its ranks and continued to play a significant role in the conflicts that have plagued eastern DRC.
The Congolese government has once again pledged to dismantle the FDLR under agreements that would require its fighters to lay down their weapons, relocate to designated camps and eventually return to civilian life.
However, former members of the FDLR interviewed by IGIHE say similar promises have been made before without producing lasting results.
They allege that Kinshasa’s previous efforts to neutralise the group were often accompanied by political manoeuvring and that the same pattern could continue under the latest arrangements.
Pastor Niyonzima Jean Damascène, who previously worked in intelligence and reconnaissance for the FDLR before returning to Rwanda in 2023, told IGIHE that the group’s relationship with successive governments in Kinshasa dates back decades.
He said that when tensions escalated between the government of Laurent-Désiré Kabila and Rwanda, Kabila sought the support of former Rwandan government soldiers, commonly referred to as Ex-FAR, and Interahamwe militia who had fled to different African countries.
According to Niyonzima, the groups reached an agreement to cooperate militarily and pursue a common objective against Rwanda.
“At that time, they agreed to work together against the Tutsis. After defeating them, they would push them out and help them capture Rwanda. That agreement is still in place today because some forces have left the FDLR and joined the FARDC. They include generals, colonels and others who have joined,” he said.
Joseph Kabila succeeded his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, as president of the DRC in 2001.
Niyonzima said Joseph Kabila later sought to relocate FDLR fighters within the country because of disagreements with the group. In 2002, he said, the fighters were placed in camps but were not fully disarmed.
According to Niyonzima, a major development came in 2003 when Congolese forces pursued FDLR fighters who had been based in Kamina. The fighters subsequently moved towards eastern DRC, where they joined other members of the group.
Niyonzima alleged that Congolese forces sometimes staged operations against the FDLR while maintaining an understanding with its commanders.
He claimed commanders on both sides would communicate before an operation, allowing FDLR fighters to withdraw before Congolese troops arrived.
“If one commander had worked with another commander, and one of them was sent to the east to fight the FDLR, he could not actually fight us. He would tell us, ‘We are going to attack this place. Leave because we are coming and we will burn it,’” he said.
He claimed that Congolese forces would then carry out the operation to create the impression that they had defeated the FDLR.
“They would actually come and burn the area, but because we had agreed beforehand, we would have already left. They would burn houses to show that they had carried out an operation, but they would leave equipment behind. When we returned, we would find the equipment they had left for us. That is what we used,” he said.
Maj. (Rtd.) Makuza Anastase, who worked closely with FDLR president Lt. Gen. Victor Byiringiro before returning to Rwanda in 2020, also claimed that the FDLR maintained relationships with successive governments in Kinshasa.
He said public announcements that the Congolese government was preparing to dismantle the FDLR did not always reflect what was happening on the ground.
“I think there was a time when you would hear Congo saying that it was going to dismantle the FDLR. That was simply a way of deceiving the international community. In reality, that is not how things happened,” he said.
Makuza alleged that Congolese forces would announce military operations, launch heavy bombardments and instruct FDLR fighters to leave targeted areas before troops arrived.
“They would tell us to leave, we would leave, and then they would arrive and burn things to make it appear as though they had taken control of the area. Afterwards, they would leave,” he said.
He further alleged that the troops sometimes left ammunition and food behind for FDLR fighters.
According to Makuza, messages were also allegedly left on trees for FDLR fighters, including one that read: “Our enemy is one, it is Rwanda.”
Why Kinshasa continues to rely on the FDLR
The administration of President Félix Tshisekedi, which succeeded Joseph Kabila’s government, has at times characterised the FDLR as a group largely composed of elderly fighters and therefore lacking the capacity to pose a serious security threat to Rwanda.
Makuza disputed that description, arguing that the FDLR has evolved over generations.
“An elderly person is someone who fled when he was already old. I am also getting older. But haven’t I had children? Didn’t others have children? We reached there and had children, those children grew up, and others are still being born. The FDLR is not made up of elderly people because it does not belong to one, two or three people. There are many of them. Those who went there as children and those who were born there are all part of the FDLR,” he said.
Makuza argued that elderly fighters represent only a small proportion of the group and claimed that its ranks increasingly include younger people who were born into families linked to its founders.
Niyonzima and Makuza both argued that the Congolese government has continued to rely on the FDLR because they consider its fighters more experienced and more willing to engage in combat than many Congolese troops.
Niyonzima said Kinshasa has particularly turned to the FDLR whenever its forces face significant military pressure.
“Kinshasa often turns to the FDLR, especially when it is under pressure. Since 1998, whenever it faced difficult situations, that is what happened. When M23 first emerged, Congo also relied on the FDLR, and it has done so again recently,” he said.
FDLR and Wazalendo cooperation
Niyonzima said cooperation between the Congolese government and the FDLR has become more visible in recent years, particularly through the broader alliance involving Wazalendo militia.
He claimed that FDLR-linked fighters and other armed groups have been deployed alongside Congolese forces in battles against AFC/M23.
“They fought during the first M23 rebellion, and now they are openly working together against the current M23. They have hidden behind the term Wazalendo. There are groups that the FDLR helped establish. Nyatura is one of them. The FDLR trained them and provided them with equipment,” Niyonzima said.
He said FDLR and Nyatura fighters are often deployed to areas where fighting is particularly intense because, in his view, they have more battlefield experience than regular Congolese troops.
“Where the FDLR and Nyatura are deployed, it becomes difficult for M23 to dislodge them. The Congolese government sees that these are fighters and thinks, ‘If I remove these people, I will lose a lot. I will not have this kind of strength again,’” he said.
According to Niyonzima, when fighting intensifies, Congolese forces provide FDLR and other Wazalendo members with equipment to help them confront AFC/M23 fighters.
Maj. (Rtd.) Makuza Anastase said claims that the FDLR is made up only of elderly fighters are false, arguing that the group is predominantly composed of young combatants.Pastor Niyonzima said that whenever FARDC forces planned to attack the FDLR, they would warn the group in advance so its fighters could withdraw from their positions.
Fayulu made the remarks during a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, where he argued that the Banyamulenge are not Congolese.
He said ethnic groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have their own languages, but claimed that the Banyamulenge do not because they speak Kinyarwanda, which he used to argue that they originate from Rwanda.
“Which Congolese person does not have a language? Raise your hands. Is Kinyamulenge a language spoken in Congo? They speak Kinyarwanda,” Fayulu said.
He went on to question whether the Banyamulenge are among the ethnic groups that make up the DRC.
“Are the Banyamulenge Congolese? Look at the ethnic groups in Congo. There is no such ethnic group,” he said.
Amb. Nduhungirehe condemned Fayulu’s remarks, drawing a comparison with rhetoric used by a section of Rwanda’s political class in the years leading up to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
“Ethnic hatred, historical distortions and cynical remarks have reached a worrying level within the Congolese political class, including part of the opposition,” Amb. Nduhungirehe said.
“This strangely reminds me of a section of Rwanda’s political class between 1990 and 1994 which, as part of a genocidal process of delegitimisation, claimed that Rwandan Tutsi were not true indigenous people,” he added.
In the years preceding the Genocide against the Tutsi, extremist propaganda sought to portray Tutsis as foreigners who had taken control of Rwanda.
In November 1992, Léon Mugesera, a prominent figure in the then-ruling MRND party, delivered an inflammatory speech in Kabaya, in the former Gisenyi Prefecture, in which he called for Tutsis to be sent back to “Abyssinia” through River Nyabarongo.
Questions surrounding the citizenship and identity of the Banyamulenge have remained a longstanding source of political controversy in the DRC.
Human Rights Watch has documented how, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, some politicians in then-Zaire sought to strip Banyamulenge of citizenship by portraying them as immigrants from Rwanda.
Amb. Nduhungirehe also criticised those who give platforms to politicians making such statements, warning that they could eventually be held responsible for doing so.
“At some point, those who roll out the red carpet for these unscrupulous politicians, instead of taking action against them, will also have to answer for it,” he said.
Minister Nduhungirehe likened Fayulu’s remarks on the Banyamulenge to rhetoric used by a section of Rwanda’s political class between 1990 and 1994 to delegitimise Tutsis.
Two rooms were filled with ivory-colored coffins, side by side, each draped with the Namibian flag. The mortal remains of 84 indigenous people had been held at the Iziko South African Museum for more than 100 years and were said to have been used for “scientific reasons.”
Chairperson of the Council of Iziko Museums of South Africa Marvin Mdhluli said: “They entered the South African Museums as objects of race-based pseudo-scientific research,” aimed at portraying indigenous communities as having inferior attributes and status.
In a separate room stood two coffins containing the remains of political prisoners Festus Nehale, who died in 1971, and Simon Petrus Nileng, who died in 1974. Both had been imprisoned on Robben Island, South Africa’s notorious prison where anti-apartheid and other political prisoners were detained during apartheid. They were buried in Cape Town.
Members of the Namibian delegation solemnly bowed their heads before the coffins before addressing guests at the ceremony.
The handover also included grave goods and body casts, including beads, ostrich eggs and jewelry with lineage to Namibia.
“For too many years, the remains of our freedom fighters and ancestors were kept far from the land they called home. This was an injustice to them, their families and their communities,” South African Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie said in a statement.
“By bringing these political heroes and ancestors home, representing the Ovambo, Himba, San, Nama, Damara and Herero peoples, we restore their dignity, identity and rightful place in their homeland,” he said.
Namibia’s Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp said the liberation heroes will be reburied at Namibia’s Heroes’ Acre on August 24.
“Now they return to a free and sovereign Namibia,” she said. “Some of these ancestors were taken from their communities and became part of the colonial scientific and museum collections where they were treated as objects, rather as people.”
Two rooms were filled with ivory-colored coffins, side by side, each draped with the Namibian flag. The mortal remains of 84 indigenous people had been held at the Iziko South African Museum for more than 100 years and were said to have been used for “scientific reasons.”South African Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie (R) speaks during a repatriation ceremony at the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town, South Africa, August 19, 2026. Namibia’s Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp (R) speaks during a repatriation ceremony at the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town, South Africa, August 19, 2026. TO GO WITH “South Africa returns ancestral remains to Namibia for colonial redress, healing”.
The Eurocopter EC130 B4 was carrying seven people when it went down near Mount Ololokwe at about 9:13 a.m. local time, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. The aircraft, operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, had been flying from Loisaba to Ewaso Nyiro.
Among those killed was Michele Sensi-Contugi, Ecuador’s Director General of the Strategic Intelligence Center (CIES) and an ally of President Daniel Noboa. His wife, Stephany Maria Hollihan Vásconez, also died in the crash. Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the couple were aboard the helicopter and said they held dual Ecuadorian and Italian citizenship.
Michele Sensi-Contugi, Ecuador’s Director General of the Strategic Intelligence Center (CIES), was among those killed in the crash.
The five Americans killed were identified as Roger Edward Duarte, Adam Martin Hlavaty, Henry Parra, Jose Alberto Suarez and Vásconez, according to officials. Suarez was president and general manager of several Telemundo stations.
The Kenyan pilot, Josh Outram, also died. Outram was described as an experienced aviator and founder of Africa Heli Adventures.
The helicopter crashed in rugged terrain near Mount Ololokwe and caught fire, complicating rescue and recovery efforts. The Kenya Red Cross said a multi-agency operation was launched, with difficult terrain and the active fire hampering access to the wreckage.
Kenya Red Cross emergency teams during a rescue and recovery operation after a helicopter crash killed tourists near Mt. Ololokwe in Samburu, Kenya, Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
The U.S. State Department said the U.S. Embassy in Kenya was assisting local authorities and providing consular support to the victims’ families.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones on their loss,” a State Department spokesperson said.
Luxury travel company &Beyond, which said the helicopter was carrying its guests, also expressed condolences. Lady Lori Helicopters said the cause of the crash remained under investigation.
Kenya’s Air Accident Investigation Department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. Authorities have not established a definitive cause, and officials have cautioned that the investigation remains ongoing.
The Eurocopter EC130 B4 was carrying seven people when it went down near Mount Ololokwe at about 9:13 a.m. local time, according to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
