The urgent aid comes as part of the UAE’s global humanitarian initiatives aimed at ensuring early recovery and stability.
The UAE aid included a package of medicines for chronic diseases, along with essential medical supplies such as bandages, sutures, and necessary surgical equipment.
Dr. Tareq Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency, said, “The dispatch of medical aid to Botswana comes within the framework of the UAE’s global humanitarian role in responding swiftly to health crises, strengthening the health systems of friendly African countries, and enhancing their capacity to curb the spread of epidemics and infectious diseases.”
He added, “The UAE’s medical assistance will help support the stock of medicines and essential medical supplies for surgical operations, while also enhancing the capacity of the health sector to provide medical services to a large segment of the population who directly rely on the public healthcare system, especially children, women, and the elderly.”
In a joint statement issued in Bamako, the three countries said they had ratified the Rome Statute between 2000 and 2004 and had since cooperated with the ICC under the treaty as well as related agreements.
However, over time the ICC had “become a neo-colonial instrument of repression in the hands of imperialism” and “a global symbol of selective justice,” they said.
According to the statement, the court has failed to prosecute clear cases of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression, remaining “inexplicably, confusingly and complacently silent” toward perpetrators of such crimes, while targeting actors outside what it called the “institutionalized circle of impunity” in violation of its own statute.
The three governments said their sovereign decision to quit the Rome Statute “reflects the will of the Sahel Confederation member states to safeguard their sovereignty.” They pledged to strengthen peace and justice through home-grown mechanisms, while reaffirming their commitment to promoting and protecting human rights in line with their social values and rejecting all forms of impunity.
The statement also expressed gratitude to the United Nations and its member states, reaffirming that the Sahel Confederation countries would continue to cooperate in other appropriate frameworks to advance human rights and respect for state sovereignty.
In September 2023, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter in Bamako, agreeing to establish the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
On July 6, 2024, the three countries announced the creation of the Confederation of the AES in Niamey, marking a significant step toward establishing an economic-military bloc.
“I declare today that France recognizes the State of Palestine,” Macron said at the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.
“The time has come. We can no longer wait,” he said, adding that “we want two states in peace and security side by side.”
With France’s recognition, over 150 countries have announced their recognition of the State of Palestine.
On Sunday, Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal formally recognized the State of Palestine to push for a “two-state solution,” as Israel pressed ahead with its offensive and annexation in Gaza despite mounting global condemnation.
“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has gone unresolved for generations,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in remarks at the meeting, held on the opening day of the UN General Assembly’s High-level Week.
“Dialogue has faltered. Resolutions have been flouted. International law has been breached,” he said.
The situation is intolerable, and it is deteriorating by the hour, said the UN chief.
“We are here today to help navigate the only way out of this nightmare: A two-state solution, where two independent, sovereign, democratic states — Israel and Palestine — live side-by-side in peace and security within their secure and recognized borders on the basis of pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states — in line with international law, UN resolutions and other relevant agreements,” said Guterres.
Annalena Baerbock, president of the 80th UN General Assembly session, said the General Assembly has been very clear: “We need an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Israel must immediately facilitate the full, rapid, safe and unhindered entry and delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians. Hamas must immediately and unconditionally release all hostages.”
She emphasized that the decade-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be resolved by endless war, permanent occupation and recurrent terror, and the only way to ensure that future generations of both Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace, security and dignity is the two-state solution.
The competition saw Söderqvist dominate the course, finishing more than a minute ahead of New Zealand’s Nate Pringle, who took home the silver, and France’s Maxime Decomble, who secured the bronze.
At just 22 years old, Söderqvist’s victory marked the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. He posted a remarkable time of 38:24.43, averaging 48.741 km/h on the 31.2 km course.
Racing for Lidl-Trek Future Racing, Söderqvist had his eyes set on this event all year. His gold medal in Kigali marked the culmination of an intense season of preparation, and he was overjoyed with the achievement.
“This is the one thing in the U23 category that I care about the most, so it was preparations all year round to make this one as good as possible,” he said after the race.
The win in Rwanda was a personal milestone for Söderqvist, who had previously earned silver in Zurich (2024) and placed seventh in Stirling (2023). This victory, however, propels him into the elite ranks of U23 time trialists and solidifies his status as one of the sport’s rising stars.
{{A strong silver for Pringle
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New Zealand’s Nate Pringle had an impressive showing in his first World Championships, earning the silver medal with a time of 39:28.39, just 1:03.96 behind Söderqvist.
The 2025 national under-23 time trial champion, Pringle demonstrated his strength and potential, finishing ahead of some of the most accomplished riders in the field. His solid performance throughout the season, including a 7th-place finish in the general classification at the Sibiu Cycling Tour earlier this year, confirms his rising prominence in the world of cycling.
{{Decomble’s narrow defeat for silver
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Maxime Decomble, the French national under-23 time trial champion, was just a fraction away from claiming silver. With a time of 39:28.56, Decomble finished 0.17 seconds behind Pringle, taking the bronze.
Despite the razor-thin margin, Decomble’s third-place finish was a testament to his skill and determination. The 2024 French champion has consistently been a strong competitor, with top results in the Tour de l’Avenir and Alpes Isère Tour.
{{The top performers in the U23 time trial
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The top 10 finishers in the Men’s U23 Individual Time Trial at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships were as follows:
1. Jakob Söderqvist (Sweden) – 38:24.43
2. Nate Pringle (New Zealand) – 39:28.39 (+1:03.96)
3. Maxime Decomble (France) – 39:28.56 (+1:04.13)
4. Lorenzo Mark Finn (Italy) – 39:33.06 (+1:08.63)
Two Rwandan riders, Samuel Niyonkuru and Etienne Tuyizere, took part in the U23 time trial, representing their nation at home in Kigali. Niyonkuru finished in 28th place with a time of 43:15.35, while Tuyizere secured 30th place with a time of 43:36.51.
Though they didn’t place near the top, both riders showed remarkable spirit and perseverance, competing on one of the sport’s grandest stages.
This directive comes as Israeli forces intensify their ground offensive in Gaza City, targeting Hamas infrastructure. The evacuation order exacerbates the already dire humanitarian crisis, leaving thousands without access to critical medical care.
According to the Associated Press, over 297,000 people have fled southern Gaza, though Israeli officials claim that more than 500,000 have been displaced.
Despite these efforts, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. The United Nations reports that over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed, with 90% of Gaza’s population displaced and widespread famine reported in Gaza City.
Internationally, the evacuation order has prompted a surge of countries recognizing a Palestinian state.
Britain, Canada, Australia, Portugal, and soon France have joined nearly 150 nations in formal recognition.
France has stated that diplomatic relations will depend on Hamas releasing hostages. In solidarity, tens of thousands have protested across Italy, and several French towns have hoisted Palestinian flags despite government restrictions.
In response to the escalating violence, Pope Leo XIV criticized the forced displacement of Palestinians and advocated for peace.
He called for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of civilians, emphasizing the need for dialogue and reconciliation.
The decision came as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, where he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday.
The additional tariffs, introduced in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports during Trump’s first term, had covered a wide range of products, including passenger cars, fruit, rice, tobacco, alcoholic beverages, solid fuels and chemical products.
The Turkish Ministry of Trade said in a statement on Monday that the additional tariffs on certain U.S. products were terminated, following negotiations with the United States and consultations conducted under the World Trade Organization framework.
Türkiye will continue to pursue the target of achieving 100 billion U.S. dollars of trade volume with the United States as one of its fundamental objectives, the ministry said.
It added that the country will continue to develop policies aimed at strengthening trade relations and developing new areas of cooperation.
With a dominant performance on the 22.6 km course, Bäckstedt clocked an impressive 30:56.16, securing not only the gold medal but also the coveted Rainbow Jersey. Her victory marks a milestone in women’s cycling as the U23 category was given its own dedicated race for the first time in the event’s history.
“I gave it everything I could. My legs didn’t feel 100%, so I was just giving everything I could with what I had in the tank today. So I’m really happy to have such a gap at the end,” she remarked after her victory.
Reflecting on the challenging course, she remarked: “The cobble climb just before the finish was really brutal, really super hard. I knew it was possible to gain some time there but also to lose time if something went wrong. So I had to make sure I had enough energy left at the end to go up this climb as fast as possible.”
The 20-year-old’s triumph capped off a remarkable season, adding this prestigious title to her already impressive list of accomplishments, including the 2025 National ITT Championship.
Slovakia’s Viktória Chladoňová secured the silver medal with a time of 32:47.01, just 1:50.85 behind Bäckstedt.
Federica Venturelli of Italy rounded out the top three with a solid bronze medal performance, finishing in 33:07.74.
Competing on home turf, Rwandan cyclists Martha Ntakirutimana and Claudette Nyirarukundo also took to the course in the Women’s U23 Time Trial. Despite facing a challenging route, both showed incredible resilience and determination. Ntakirutimana finished 27th with a time of 36:27.39, while Nyirarukundo took 32nd place with a time of 37:14.33.
{{Women Under 23 Individual Time Trial – Top 10 results
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The championships kicked off on Sunday, September 21, 2025, with both elite men and women showcasing their strength, precision, and determination.
Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel set the bar high in the Men’s Elite Individual Time Trial, producing a blistering performance that earned him his third Rainbow Jersey in the discipline. His display of power and precision further elevated the stakes for the competitors across all categories.
Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser made history by claiming her first-ever rainbow jersey in the Women’s Elite Individual Time Trial, proving her elite status in the sport.
The study, which involved 292 participants from eight districts of Rwanda, focused on individuals from different categories, including youth, sex workers, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community.
In each group, the research uncovered various issues. For instance, sex workers were found to have limited knowledge about reproductive health and lacked awareness of how to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
It was revealed that at least 75% of sex workers do not have sufficient information. Among adolescent girls, 73% lacked adequate knowledge, while 70% of LGBTQ members were also uninformed. Additionally, 50% of people with disabilities lacked adequate information.
Tanga Community staff member, Josiane Uwizeyimana, stated that the idea for this research stemmed from the desire to understand the ongoing issues affecting access to information and services related to reproductive health.
“We looked at the high rate of teenage pregnancies and wondered, ‘Why is the situation still the same despite the government’s efforts to address this problem?’ This motivated us to carry out the research,” she explained.
Djamali Shema, from the Feminist Action Development Ambition (FADA), a non-governmental organization also involved in the research, noted that LGBTQ members face a lack of information, but even those who are informed feel ashamed to seek reproductive health services at health facilities, fearing they may be ostracized or marginalized.
“There are times when people mistreat LGBTQ members, trying to make them feel outcast due to their beliefs, which makes them isolate themselves and avoid seeking reproductive health services.”
Shema suggested that one solution to this problem would be to “conduct awareness campaigns so that people understand that LGBTQ members are just like everyone else, and those who abuse them should face stronger consequences.”
She also praised the Rwandan government for the efforts made to address their health needs, including setting up special services for them at health centers.
Chantal Uwizeyimana, representing people with disabilities, emphasized that one of the main challenges identified was how people with disabilities access various services.
“There are times when these services are available at health centers, but getting there is a challenge,” she explained. She also highlighted the issue of patient confidentiality, particularly when a person with a disability is accompanied to the clinic.
She stressed that awareness campaigns are necessary, alongside infrastructure development to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities.
Hakizimana Sylvestre Samuel noted that youth, especially in rural areas, struggle with affordability, particularly when it comes to purchasing items like condoms. “It’s difficult to find the resources, especially in rural areas,” he said.
Uwizeyimana expressed hope that this research would spark more discussions on the remaining challenges in accessing information and services related to reproductive health.
She stated, “Reproductive health services are the foundation for building a better future for the country. We need to talk more about these issues to solve the problems that still exist.”
According to media reports, since September 14, SANDF aircraft — a Boeing 737 and an Il-76 — have been transporting soldiers and materiel from Lubumbashi and Kinshasa to Pretoria.
The phased withdrawal comes as SANDF faces disputes with the South African National Defence Union over unpaid allowances for troops deployed in the DRC.
South Africa’s troops were part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the DRC. The block decided to end its deployment in March 2025, with repatriation formally starting in May. At that time, a large number of soldiers and equipment transited through Rwanda en route to South Africa.
The drawdown came amid concerns over worsening insecurity and humanitarian challenges in eastern Congo.
SADC had deployed its military intervention force, SAMIDRC, in December 2023 with an offensive mandate to defeat M23 and other armed groups. The force consisted of troops from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi.
Although the mission was extended by one year in November 2024 due to persistent hostilities between M23 rebels and the Congolese army, it struggled to meet its objectives and suffered significant battlefield losses, particularly during the offensives that led to the capture of Goma earlier this year.
Their coffees, carefully selected to represent the future brand of Rwanda, based on the best quality coffee Rwanda can produce, have attracted numerous buyers, are slowly but surely winning international auctions, thereby steadily expanding their market.
“They taught us how to handle coffee from the farm all the way to the cup,” Moses Mbonimpaye, a coffee farmer and member of the KOPAKAKI cooperative, told IGIHE.
“Farmers knew about coffee, but the returns didn’t match their investments. An expert from JICA advised us to first help the farmer improve productivity at the tree level because that’s where it all begins,” he added.
Mbonimpaye noted that the program offered diverse training opportunities, including study tours to countries like Colombia, Costa Rica and the USA, to observe how top producers manage processing, rejuvenate old coffee trees, and prepare beans for export.
Benoit Habinshuti, representing the ARABICA Cooperative, said the process transformed their approach.
“Before, we processed coffee the way we thought best, without much ambition for the international market,” he said. “But after working with JICA, we realised the value of global trade. They showed us how to prepare coffee that meets export standards. Now, we are confident our coffee can compete internationally.”
{{Building skills and confidence}}
JICA’s interventions have been especially impactful for coffee cooperatives, which received technical assistance, training, and exposure to global best practices. They have transformed the industry, helping them achieve higher yields and reach broader international markets.
The collaboration began in 2013 when JICA committed to assisting Rwandan coffee farmers and exporters in producing beans of exceptional quality—authentic, flavorful, and competitive on the global stage.
In 2017, this commitment expanded through partnerships with the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) and the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board (RAB).
Together, they launched two major projects focused on strengthening the entire coffee value chain. These initiatives aimed to equip farmers and processors with the technical knowledge and marketing skills needed to elevate Rwanda’s coffee internationally.
{{Rwanda to the world }}
In 2024, JICA and NAEB introduced Best of Rwanda, an initiative designed to promote Rwandan coffee on the global stage. The initiative invites coffee processors to present their best beans, and the top 19 selected from nearly 300 nationwide entries, were auctioned to international buyers in 2024.
At these auctions, the highest price has spiked over Frw 100,000 per kilogram, and the other top 18 sells for no less than Frw 50,000 per kilogram, while the recent international purchase price for Rwanda’s coffee averages Frw 10,000 per kilogram.
Kosuke Nakajima, a JICA expert, emphasized that Rwandan coffee is steadily building a strong reputation worldwide and reaffirmed JICA’s commitment to supporting both farmers and exporters.
He added that ongoing efforts are focused on developing a distinctive Rwanda Coffee Brand—a label that can stand out globally, just as other coffee-producing nations have successfully done.
Participants in Best of Rwanda highlight that even those who don’t win international bids benefit from the exposure.
By observing peers and learning from international buyers, they gain insights into how to further refine their products. Many say the showcase is invaluable, drawing attention from major international companies and opening new doors for the sector.
The farmers’ appreciation comes as JICA marks 20 years since reopening its Rwanda office, where it has supported several sectors, including coffee.
