As the continent’s population is expected to exceed 3 billion in the next four decades, leaders stressed the importance of clean, reliable and scalable energy, particularly nuclear power.
“The future of the African energy landscape will continue to be driven by increasing energy demand and population growth,” said Rwandan Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente during the opening ceremony.
With over 600 million Africans lacking access to electricity, Ngirente said nuclear energy is important as a sustainable, low-carbon solution capable of ensuring energy security and supporting climate resilience across the continent.
Rwandan Minister of Infrastructure Jimmy Gasore noted that nuclear energy is central to Rwanda’s long-term energy strategy, and that Rwanda is actively exploring small modular reactors to meet rising energy demand and reduce carbon emissions.
“The first reactor is expected by 2026, with operational readiness targeted by 2028,” Gasore said.
Running through Tuesday, the summit seeks to elevate nuclear energy as a key pillar of Africa’s sustainable development.
NEISA 2025 is organized in collaboration with key international institutions, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Nuclear Energy Agency, World Nuclear Association, and leading regional financial institutions.
In a statement released on Monday, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka described the airstrike as an act of “unspeakable barbarity,” claiming it was a deliberate and premeditated attack targeting a population already traumatised by years of conflict.
The group stated that the aircraft was transporting food, medicine, and other essential supplies intended for civilians in the embattled region of Minembwe.
“This heinous crime… extended beyond human casualties; it also destroyed essential supplies including medicines,” the statement read. “It reduced to ashes food rations intended for a disaster-stricken population traumatised by violence orchestrated by the Kinshasa regime since April 2017.”
The rebel group went on to accuse the Congolese government of using the strike as part of a broader ethnic cleansing campaign against the Banyamulenge community, an ethnic minority long targeted in eastern DRC’s complex conflicts.
AFC/M23 stated that the bombing was a continuation of the regime’s “vile” efforts to “condemn [the Banyamulenge] to protracted suffering while fueling an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Minembwe.”
In addition to the bombing, the statement condemned coordinated attacks on civilians in several other areas including Kanyola, Kabare, Kigogo, Kadasomwa, and Nyabiondo. The group blamed the Congolese army and allied forces, including the Burundi National Defence Forces (FNDB), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and local militia Wazalendo, for the escalating violence.
“These targeted massacres of our compatriots Banyamulenge will not go unpunished and must stop immediately,” the communiqué concluded.
There has been no immediate response from the Congolese government regarding the allegations.
The incident threatens to unravel the fragile peace process initiated in Qatar in recent months, where Congolese officials and representatives of the rebel coalition had agreed to a ceasefire aimed at ending years of conflict in the eastern part of the country.
The AFC/M23, which controls large swathes of territory in eastern DRC following fierce battles earlier this year, now claims that the Kinshasa regime is in “flagrant, cynical, and repeated” violation of the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the attack also comes just days after the Congolese government signed a historic peace deal with Rwanda aimed at ending a conflict that has lasted for three decades, exacerbated by the Kinshasa administration’s continued collaboration with the FDLR militia, which is linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Titled Call Me Queen, the film features Eliane alongside Irish actress Denise Gough, with filming having taken place in Nairobi, Kenya.
For Emily Atef, this marks her first time directing a film in English.
The film is based on the 2007 novel Mercy by Lara Santoro, which tells the story of the friendship between an Irish journalist working in Kenya and a Rwandan woman. Together, they confront the AIDS crisis during the 1990s, a time when the epidemic was severely affecting Africa.
In addition to Eliane, who is based in France, the cast includes Dominic West, Laurent Lafitte, Charlie Carrick (known for The Chronology of Water), Denise Gough, and Danny Sapani.
The film also features Kenyan actors, including Michelle Tiren, Nice Githinji, and Lwanda Jawar.
Call Me Queen is supported by various film production companies, including Germany’s Ringel Film, France’s Les Films Pelleas, and the UK’s Cowboy Films and Streetcar Productions. Other key producers include Paul Zischler, Martin Rehbock, and Appie Matere, with Charles Steel (Cowboy Films) and Mo Abudu serving as executive producers.
Emily Atef stated that Call Me Queen “aims to highlight the power of unity and the pursuit of change.”
Umuhire, one of the film’s lead actors, expressed her joy at the fact that women are at the forefront of both the production and the main cast of the film.
While the official release date has not yet been announced, it is expected to premiere later this year, as filming has already been completed.
Umuhire rose to prominence on the international film scene through various productions, with her breakout role being in Birds Are Singing in Kigali. She also recently appeared in A Quiet Place: Day One, released last year.
That film featured major names in global cinema such as Lupita Nyong’o, famous for Black Panther (2018), and Joseph Quinn, known for Stranger Things, among others.
He was speaking at the opening of the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NESIA 2025) in Kigali on June 30, 2025.
The two-day summit, running until July 1, 2025, brought together experts from 30 countries to discuss how nuclear energy, particularly through small modular reactors and micro reactors, can transform Africa’s energy landscape.
Dr. Ngirente highlighted the critical role of nuclear energy in addressing Africa’s energy deficit, where over 600 million people lack access to electricity and rely on unsustainable biomass sources.
He emphasized that Rwanda’s Vision 2050, which aims to transform the country into an upper middle-income nation by 2035 and a high-income nation by 2050, requires a significant boost in energy capacity.
“Our country will need up to 5 GW in electricity generation capacity,” Ngirente revealed. “All available internal energy sources can provide up to 1 GW. Therefore, Rwanda has decided to use nuclear energy for power generation to avoid the imbalance in energy demand and supply.”
The Prime Minister underscored the urgency of adopting nuclear energy as a clean, reliable, and weather-independent power source to bridge the continent’s energy gap, which hinders growth and development.
He noted that Africa’s population is projected to exceed 3 billion in the next 40 years, making it potentially the largest energy market globally, driven by industrialization, urbanization, and the rise of artificial intelligence.
However, unevenly distributed renewable resources like solar, wind, and hydropower limit electricity access in many regions, exacerbating reliance on forest resources and threatening ecosystems amid climate change.
Dr. Ngirente pointed to the vulnerability of traditional energy sources, citing the 2024 water level drop in the Zambezi River, which forced the Kariba Dam to cut electricity production, exposing the risks climate change poses to Africa’s energy infrastructure.
“Nuclear energy is clean, reliable, and does not depend on the rain or sun. It provides consistent power, day and night,” he stated, advocating for its role in achieving global net-zero carbon emissions, as recognized by the Paris Agreement and COP29.
The Prime Minister also addressed misconceptions about nuclear energy, emphasizing its peaceful and innovative applications for power generation, agriculture, and healthcare.
Rwanda is particularly focused on deploying smaller and micro nuclear power plants, which are more affordable for smaller energy systems and can be integrated into the national energy mix.
“This will accelerate our economic transformation towards a knowledge-based economy,” Ngirente added.
Dr. Ngirente also called for regional collaboration to turn Africa’s energy challenges into opportunities, urging immediate action to diversify the continent’s energy mix.
“The time to act is now. Climate change is real, and our population is growing. Nuclear is part of that solution,” he concluded.
[Related article: Rwanda to launch nuclear electricity generation by 2030->https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-to-launch-nuclear-electricity-generation-by-2030]
The climate pledges under the Paris Agreement will outline updated climate action plans and targets.
This process involves nationwide consultations with various stakeholders and aims to integrate climate priorities into national development plans, enhancing resilience and aligning with Rwanda’s long-term goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
In light of this, a high-level breakfast dialogue under the theme “Rwanda’s Debt and Climate Nexus: Unlocking a Just Financial Future through NDC Commitments” was hosted by ActionAid Rwanda on June 27.
It presented Rwanda’s NDC as a platform to integrate debt sustainability and climate finance solutions and shared insights from ActionAid’s global campaign on debt justice and climate obligations.
It brought together a diverse and powerful group from ministries, financial institutions, multilateral agencies, civil society, and academia, and explored how Rwanda can shape and champion reform at the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) and the AU Reparations Agenda.
It also identified policy options such as progressive taxation, feminist budgeting, and climate-linked financing tools to expand Rwanda’s fiscal space.
Rwanda is at a pivotal moment in aligning its climate ambition with sustainable public finance. With external debt reaching $9.69 billion (about 60.2% of GDP), the burden of debt servicing is increasingly constraining investments in social sectors and climate resilience.
Ibrahim Ndagijimana, a board member of ActionAid Rwanda, said that there is a need for reimagining how climate action, development, and justice are financed in a world where the rules of global finance continue to disadvantage various countries.
“Rwanda, like many countries in the Global South, is facing a triple crisis: climate risk, rising debt, and shrinking fiscal space. We are being asked to do more, to act faster on climate, deliver better public services, and transform our economies with fewer resources, and under the pressure of debt systems we did not design,” he said.
“Our Nationally Determined Contribution [NDC] reflects strong national ambition towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient future. But climate ambition without adequate, just, and predictable financing is not sustainable. Our ability to fulfil the NDC and the aspirations of our people depends on how well we address the climate-finance-debt triangle,” he added.
The dialogue discussed how Rwanda can leverage its climate commitments to unlock just and innovative financing solutions and act differently to leverage debt-for-nature swaps and advance climate justice.
A debt-for-nature swap is a financial transaction where a portion of a developing country’s external debt is forgiven in exchange for local investments in environmental conservation projects.
In light of global debates on climate justice and debt sustainability, Rwanda is exploring how its NDC can serve as a tool to unlock innovative financing including debt-fornature swaps, climate-aligned debt restructuring, and just transition partnerships.
“Through our global Fund, our Future campaign, ActionAid and our allies are calling for an end to harmful financing models such as fossil fuel subsidies and exploitative debt servicing, and instead, advocating for investment in public services, climate action, and systems that centre justice, equity, and community development,” Ndagijimana said.
Thadee Twagirimana, the Director General of Environment and Climate Change at Rwanda’s Ministry of Environment, emphasized the importance of pursuing climate action that is just, inclusive, and fiscally responsible.
“Our NDC is not just an emissions reduction plan; it is a people-centred development pathway that prioritises adaptation and resilience in agriculture, water, forests, and settlements, gender-responsive approaches that empower women and youth, and alignment with our national development goals under Vision 2050 and the NST2.
“We believe climate justice means ensuring that vulnerable populations are not asked to pay the price for a crisis they did not create. It also means that climate finance should not come at the cost of more debt,” he said.
Loretta Uwase, Programs, Policy and Business Development Lead at ActionAid Rwanda stressed the need of converting some of the debt into grants to alleviate the debt repayment burden and allow funds to be redirected into environmentally friendly initiatives.
“Africa bears the heaviest climate burden as 70% of climate finance to Africa is loans.
African nations pay $62 billion per year in debt service. Rwanda is also constrained by rising debt. High-emitting nations owe reparations. If such debts were to be cancelled, the funds saved could then be invested in other initiatives that improve people’s lives, such as healthcare, education, women’s empowerment, poverty reduction, climate resilience and more,” she said.
In response, Rwanda is charting a new path as it is developing a Sustainability-Linked Bond framework to raise financing aligned with climate and SDG targets.
“Through Ireme Invest, we are de-risking private sector participation in climate-smart sectors and we are actively exploring debt-for-nature and debt-for-climate swaps to redirect debt service towards green investments. But we cannot do this alone. These efforts require partnerships that are grounded in fairness, solidarity, and mutual accountability,” he said.
He said that as Rwanda looks ahead to the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) and Africa’s emerging Reparations Agenda, Rwanda will continue to advocate for reforms that expand access to concessional and grant-based climate finance, recognise historical responsibility and climate debt owed to the Global South, and enable countries like ours to invest in resilience without compromising fiscal sustainability.
“We urge our partners, financial institutions, civil society, and the private sector to stand with us. Let us co-create solutions that make climate finance not only more available, but more equitable,” he said.
Uwase, Programs, Policy and Business Development Lead noted that converting some of the debt into grants for climate projects could reduce the burden of debt repayment and allow funds to be redirected into community environment friendly projects.
Uwase closed with a powerful truth from the Fund Our Future manifesto: ‘We are not asking for help; we are demanding justice.’
This is not just about financing, it’s about decolonizing the systems that created and perpetuate the climate crisis. It is about dignity, sovereignty, and giving communities the power and resources to shape their futures.
Rwanda can be the spark that ignites this transformation. Let this dialogue be the beginning of a new era, one where global finance serves people and planet, not profit. This is a moment for collective responsibility and bold action.
Speaking during a Fox News interview aired on Sunday, Trump stated he could disclose the identities of the potential investors within two weeks.
The president’s comments come as TikTok faces a looming September 17 deadline for its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the platform or face a nationwide ban.
The sale is mandated under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), which seeks to limit foreign influence over U.S.-based tech platforms due to national security concerns.
“I think President Xi will probably do it,” Trump said, referring to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, whose approval is likely required for ByteDance to move forward with any deal. ByteDance is headquartered in Beijing and has previously resisted selling the app.
On June 19, Trump extended the deadline for TikTok’s parent company to find an American buyer by another 90 days. This marked his third extension since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the divestment law shortly before his second inauguration in January. The app briefly went offline in the U.S. ahead of the original deadline but was reinstated after Trump granted a temporary reprieve.
Despite initially backing a ban during his first term, Trump now supports keeping TikTok operational, citing its influence among young voters. He has floated various proposals, including a plan for American investors to acquire the platform and later sell a 50% stake to the U.S. government.
Several U.S. firms and Trump allies have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok, including Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Tech companies like Amazon, AppLovin, and Perplexity AI have also made bids.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the administration’s commitment to ensuring Americans retain access to the app, which has over 170 million U.S. users.
“President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” she said.
Although TikTok denies posing any security risks, legal experts warn that any deal could face court challenges depending on its structure and compliance with U.S. law. For now, the app’s fate hinges on Beijing’s response — and whether Trump’s group of wealthy suitors can strike a deal in time.
The numbers reflect a sustained growth trend from 67,222 visitors in 2023 and 48,813 in 2022, according to park manager Ildephonse Kambogo.
Opened to the public in July 2022 after six years of restoration work, Nyandungu Eco-Park is now one of the capital’s most treasured urban nature escapes.
Spanning 121 hectares, including 70 hectares of wetlands and 50 hectares of forest, the park boasts over 62 indigenous plant species and is home to nearly 200 bird species that have returned following wetland rehabilitation.
“The majority of our visitors, about 70 per cent, are Rwandans,” Kambogo told The New Times. “Foreign residents in Rwanda make up 20 per cent, while international tourists account for the remaining 10 per cent.”
The park is set for a 43-hectare expansion, further strengthening its role in biodiversity conservation and climate resilience. Already, it offers visitors a unique blend of recreation and education through features such as a medicinal garden, Pope’s Garden, five catchment ponds, three recreational ponds, 10km of walkways and cycling lanes, an information centre, and a restaurant.
Nyandungu’s transformation from a degraded wetland into a thriving eco-tourism park was made possible through a Frw 4.5 billion investment under the leadership of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA).
The initiative, funded by the Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA) with support from the UK Government, Italy’s Ministry for Ecological Transition, and the UN Environment Programme, aimed to showcase the potential of wetlands in urban flood mitigation, pollution control, and biodiversity recovery.
The restoration effort not only revitalised the wetland ecosystem, including the reintroduction of 17,000 trees from 55 indigenous species, but also created around 4,000 jobs.
Sources in Kinshasa indicate that the court has already issued a formal notice to Mutamba, informing him that he must appear on that date.
Mutamba is facing charges of embezzling $19 million that had been allocated for the construction of the Kisangani prison in Tshopo Province.
The court’s decision to proceed with the trial follows a complaint filed by the Prosecutor General, Firmin Mvonde, after Parliament granted permission to continue legal proceedings against Mutamba.
When Mutamba appeared before the parliamentary commission handling his case, he admitted that the $19 million had gone missing, explaining that the funds had been diverted to the account of a fictitious company.
At the time, he apologised but claimed that individuals like Prosecutor Mvonde and Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka were targeting him in retaliation for the judicial reforms he had initiated.
Within DALFA Umurinzi, Ingabire is known by several nicknames—some members refer to her as “IVU,” an abbreviation of her name, while others call her “Mukecuru” (Old Lady). These aliases appear throughout this report.
This article highlights some of the evidence presented by the Prosecution that led to her arrest. The case centres on messages exchanged between Ingabire and her party members, which are believed to be part of a plot that prompted her detention.
{{Origins of the charges
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DALFA Umurinzi is a political party founded by Ingabire following the dissolution of her previous party, FDU-Inkingi, which had been accused of collaborating with former FDLR members.
Within DALFA, Ingabire worked closely with individuals such as Sibomana Sylvain, who, according to information obtained by IGIHE, initially worked as her housekeeper.
In the party structure, Sibomana served as the national coordinator, acting as a link between party members inside and outside Rwanda.
Those familiar with Ingabire’s political activities may recall training sessions organised for party members. These sessions, coordinated by Sibomana and another individual named Assumpta, based in Switzerland, were designed to train party leaders on “how to remove a government without armed conflict—through mass civil resistance.”
Sibomana was responsible for organising these activities, as confirmed by WhatsApp messages presented in court.
{{Who is Sibomana Sylvain?
}}
Born in 1970 to Kinonko François and Mukamisha Immaculée, Sibomana hails from Kabageri Village, Mwendo Sector, Ruhango District, in the Southern Province. He currently lives in Mataba Village, Kigarama Cell, Kigarama Sector, Kicukiro District.
In 2014, he was sentenced to six years in prison by the Rusizi High Council Court for inciting public unrest.
{{Current charges against him
}}
Sibomana now faces a series of serious charges. He is accused of creating or joining a criminal organisation and of conspiring to endanger state security or harm the President. In addition, he stands charged with inciting public unrest, defying the law, and organising or participating in illegal meetings or protests.
Authorities also allege that he spread false information and propaganda aimed at damaging Rwanda’s international image, as well as disseminating unfounded rumours.
As part of DALFA Umurinzi’s activities, Sibomana coordinated English-language training sessions for members.
{{Key dates and events
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In August 2021, Sibomana informed members via WhatsApp about upcoming training sessions and shared both a book and a video to help them improve their English and grasp the course content.
August 14–20, 2021: Sibomana instructed trainees to download the Jitsi Meet app and use pseudonyms for anonymity.
August 20: He asked a participant, Nzabandora, to use a fake name, suggesting options like “Turkey,” “Morocco,” or “Egypt.”
August 14: Participants, including Nzabandora, received the English book Blueprint for Revolution and its French translation Comment faire tomber un dictateur… by Serbian activist Srđa Popović.
Popović’s video content was also shared to help participants familiarise themselves with English and prepare for the sessions.
{{Who are Popović and Milošević?
}}
Slobodan Milošević was the President of Serbia from 1989 to 1997 and later the President of Yugoslavia until 2000. He is infamous for his role in the Yugoslav Wars and was overthrown during the 2000 “Bulldozer Revolution.”
Srđa Popović is a Serbian activist and co-founder of the Otpor! youth movement, which played a major role in the peaceful overthrow of Milošević through non-violent protest and creative civil resistance.
{{More evidence from WhatsApp
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August 23, 2021: Sibomana sent Nzabandora a link to download Jitsi Meet.
August 28: Using a phone number registered to Leonille Gasengayire, he shared the training schedule—sessions were set for September 13, 16, 20, and 23, from 5:00 to 6:30 PM.
September 2: He sent a YouTube link to help participants study the trainer’s delivery style.
September 8: A reminder was sent for a trial session scheduled for September 9.
September 9: Sibomana shared the meeting link and sent participants Rwf 1,000 via MoMo to purchase internet data.
Participants included: Pepino (moderator), Grace (Sibomana), Flanlin (Rucubanganya Alexis—DALFA representative in Ngoma), Brown, Clever, VD, and Sacha.
The first session, titled Vision for Tomorrow, discouraged violent resistance and instead promoted alternative ways to confront the regime in a country where public protests are not permitted.
The second session, held on September 20, 2021, was led by Sandra and Anna and focused on strategies for removing the government.
During the training sessions, four key strategies were discussed as potential methods to challenge the government. The first involved mobilisation and persuasion, aimed at encouraging citizens to stand up to the regime without provoking a violent response. The second strategy centred on protest, using public demonstrations to show presence and determination in confronting state authority.
The third tactic was non-cooperation, which entailed refusing to pay taxes and boycotting government programmes as well as locally produced goods, including those under the “Made in Rwanda” label.
Lastly, the dilemma tactic was introduced—an approach designed to create scenarios that would compel the government to make difficult or unpopular decisions, particularly as the number of active participants increased.
{{Planned operations to destabilise the government
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The participants are said to have organised their activities under a series of planned operations, each aimed at undermining the government through targeted acts of civil resistance.
One such initiative was Operation Shira Ubwoba Udahungetwa Ugahungeta, which focused on street vendors frequently subjected to harassment by law enforcement. The plan involved the use of protest songs as a tool to highlight and amplify the vendors’ grievances.
Another was Operation Serwakira, which sought to mobilise landless citizens. The strategy began with the distribution of blank flyers, intended to spark curiosity. These would later be replaced with flyers bearing messages such as, “We’re tired of police brutality, heavy taxes, and disappearances.” To ensure wide circulation, motorcyclists were to be hired to distribute them across different areas.
The third, Operation Umuturage Imbere, addressed issues like forced evictions, oppressive taxation, and the mistreatment of street vendors. As part of this campaign, participants would wear T-shirts emblazoned with the word Kangondo—a reference to a community evicted in recent years—during court proceedings and large public gatherings, in an effort to draw attention to the plight of affected citizens and stir public sentiment.
This investigation, grounded in intercepted communications and witness testimony, forms the basis for Ingabire’s most recent arrest and prosecution. Prosecutors say more evidence will be unveiled as the case proceeds.
The elections took place during a consultative meeting held on June 29, 2025. This follows a previous round of elections in May 2025, which saw Protais Musoni re-elected as the chairperson of PAM Rwanda.
The newly elected commissioners will assume their three-year term beginning on July 1, 2025.
Athanasie Nyiragwaneza, the Secretary General of PAM Rwanda, outlined the priorities for the organization over the next three years.
These include strengthening the presence of PAM Rwanda representatives in villages and schools, as well as increasing the number of members.
Additionally, the organization plans to conduct research to address ongoing challenges related to African integration and foster stronger regional relationships.
Among the newly elected commissioners are prominent individuals such as Tito Rutaremara, Dr. Mulefu Alphonse, Amb. Vincent Karega, Amb. Joseph Mutaboba, Jean Bosco Rushingabigwi, and Amb. Williams Nkurunziza, among others.
Chantal Tuyishimire, one of the newly elected commissioners, shared her vision for the next three years.
She emphasized the importance of using information to understand challenges and find solutions, particularly in relation to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), while also prioritizing youth engagement.
PAM Rwanda Chairperson Musoni Protais, addressed the challenges Africa faces in achieving self-reliance, recognizing both internal and external factors.
He stressed that the solution lies in changing the mindset of Africans to overcome these challenges.
PAM was founded in 1946, after World War II, and Rwanda became a member in 2015.
The movement’s goal is to inspire self-reliance and unity among Africans, aiming to make Africa a leading and influential force globally by 2063.
