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The announcement was made during an extraordinary general assembly of shareholders held on November 2, 2025, where members also elected a new Board of Directors to replace the outgoing leadership that had served since 2016.

The outgoing board was chaired by Peter Nkubara, who has been succeeded by Jonathan Gatera as the new Board Chair.

Presenting the institution’s performance highlights, Nkubara noted that Goshen Finance had maintained consistent growth across key indicators, including assets, loan portfolio, and customer base.

“When we took over in 2016, total assets stood at Frw 3.1 billion. Today, we leave behind a stronger institution with assets worth Frw 24 billion, according to the financial report released in September 2025,” Nkubara said.

Over the same period, the institution’s loan portfolio expanded from Frw 2 billion to Frw 20 billion, while its customer base grew from 20,000 clients in 2016 to more than 70,000 in 2025. Including clients under cooperatives, the total now exceeds 100,000.

Goshen Finance also increased its branch network from six in 2016 to nine in 2025, strengthening its footprint across key districts.

Speaking during the assembly, Goshen Finance Managing Director Ignace Musangamfura, commended the outgoing board for its stewardship and commitment to good governance, which he said laid a solid foundation for sustained growth.

“I sincerely thank this outgoing board because they ensured strong corporate governance, which is crucial for growth. A company can’t thrive without a board that sets strategic direction, ensures compliance, and upholds standards set by oversight institutions like the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR),” Musangamfura said.

He pledged close collaboration with the newly elected board to sustain the institution’s momentum and implement ongoing digital transformation projects aligned with the country’s financial inclusion and innovation agenda.

“As an institution still in its growth journey, we recognise that we are operating in a highly digital era. Some of our technology-related projects have been delayed due to limited capital. We therefore need to strengthen investment in the coming years, and it’s encouraging to see shareholders showing strong commitment,” he added.

The new Board of Directors, chaired by Jonathan Gatera, includes Dr. Charles Hategekimana, Lois Nyirasoni, Vivien Niyomugenga, and Josephine Mugeni.

Founded in 2005 as a COPEC, Goshen Finance Plc was licensed by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) in 2008 to operate as a microfinance institution. The institution now operates nine branches in Nyarugenge, Ruhango, Kimironko, Musanze, Nyabugogo, Rubavu, Remera, Downtown, and Rwamagana. The institution employs around 100 staff members.

Speaking on the opening day of the three-day UN summit at the Qatar National Convention Centre, hosted by Qatar, the Head of State credited Rwanda’s transformation to policies that place people at the centre of every decision.

“Social protection, community participation and accountability are firmly embedded in how we govern,” he said. “Every policy decision by our institutions is concerned with advancing quality of life.”

Thirty years after the landmark Copenhagen Declaration, Kagame acknowledged global gains in reducing extreme poverty and expanding access to education and healthcare, but warned that persistent inequalities demand faster, smarter governance.

“These challenges are not new, but our governance systems have not evolved fast enough to solve them,” he said.

He urged leaders to keep “the pendulum swinging in the right direction” by prioritising human capital above all else. “For development to be sustained, it cannot be outsourced,” Kagame declared.

Rwanda’s own trajectory exemplifies this approach. Since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the country has achieved near-universal health coverage through its Community-Based Health Insurance (Mutuelles de Santé), now reaching over 90 percent of the population and helping lift life expectancy from around 26 years in 1993 to 69.9 years today.

In education, the rollout of free basic schooling has driven near-universal primary enrollment, while initiatives like the Vision Umurenge Programme (VUP) provide cash transfers, public works jobs, and financial services to the poorest households, promoting income generation and social cohesion.

These efforts have yielded tangible results. The latest Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV7), released in April 2025, shows Rwanda’s national poverty rate plummeting by 12.4 percentage points over seven years, from 39.8 percent in 2017 to 27.4 percent in 2024, lifting approximately 1.5 million people out of poverty.

Extreme poverty also fell sharply to 3.1 percent, with rural electricity access surging from 34.4 percent to 72 percent and mobile phone ownership rising to 84.6 percent.

President Kagame also called for a reset in global partnerships, criticising imbalanced cooperation that excludes most of the world.

“For multilateral engagement to be effective, [it] will need to be tailored to delivering universal, measurable and timely results, not promises,” he said.

On global finance, Kagame insisted that institutions must become “more fit for purpose” and create fiscal space for countries to adapt and grow.

“If we are serious about social development, then our solutions must serve the needs of all countries, not just a few.”

Concluding his remarks, President Kagame said Rwanda stands ready to collaborate.

“We should expect more challenges in the near future and prepare to prevent and manage them,” he said. “Rwanda stands ready to work with all our partners to build a more inclusive and resilient future.”

The summit, running through November 6 and convened under UN General Assembly resolutions 78/261 and 78/318, brings together heads of state, UN officials, including Secretary-General António Guterres and General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, and civil society to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development amid global uncertainties such as conflicts and climate volatility.

Cheney, who served two terms as vice president from 2001 to 2009, was a dominant and often controversial figure in American politics, known for his strong stance on national security and his role in shaping U.S. foreign policy after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

According to CNN, his family announced his passing, attributing it to complications from pneumonia and heart disease.

Cheney’s wife of 61 years, Lynne, and his daughters, Liz and Mary, were by his side when he died.

In a statement, the family described him as “a great and good man” who instilled values of courage, honor, and love in his children and grandchildren.

Cheney’s aggressive warnings about Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction, ties to al-Qaeda, and plans to arm terrorists were pivotal in building the case for the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Over the years, he became a polarizing figure, particularly after he openly criticized President Donald Trump, even labeling him a “coward” and a serious threat to the republic.

Cheney cast his final vote in the 2024 election for Kamala Harris, a liberal Democrat, reflecting his disillusionment with the direction of the Republican Party under Trump’s leadership.

His health was a constant challenge, as he battled heart disease, surviving multiple heart attacks. In 2012, he received a heart transplant, which he described as “the gift of life itself.” Despite these challenges, Cheney remained active in public life until his passing.

The partnership will be implemented in collaboration with Forward7, an initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announced by Rwanda’s Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) on October 29, 2025.

The program underscores Rwanda’s commitment to accelerating access to clean cooking solutions and reducing dependence on traditional biomass fuels.

Bboxx’s role builds on its ongoing partnership with the Government of Rwanda to drive inclusive energy access through innovative, data-driven solutions.

“This partnership represents a continuation of our successful collaboration with the Government of Rwanda in advancing sustainable development goals,” said John Uwizeye, Managing Director of Bboxx Rwanda. “We are deeply appreciative of the government’s trust in our ability to deliver clean cooking solutions at scale, and we remain committed to supporting their vision for a cleaner, healthier Rwanda.”

{{Tackling an urgent energy challenge}}

Biomass, primarily wood fuel, remains the dominant source of household energy in Rwanda, posing health, environmental, and social challenges.
Indoor air pollution, deforestation, and the time spent collecting firewood, often by women and children, highlight the urgent need for accessible and affordable alternatives.

The Government’s latest clean cooking drive aims to make LPG a practical, sustainable solution for households transitioning away from charcoal and firewood, aligning with Rwanda’s broader energy and environmental goals.

{{Making LPG affordable through innovation}}

The initiative tackles the biggest barrier to LPG adoption, affordability. Each household receives a complete kit, including a two-burner stove, 12-kg gas cylinder, and a smart Cylinder Locking Valve (CLV) with pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) functionality.

This flexible payment model has proven transformative: average monthly LPG consumption among Bboxx customers has risen from 3 kg to 7 kg per household, as families gain confidence in managing their fuel expenses.

“Clean cooking is not just about providing equipment; it’s about fundamentally improving lives,” Uwizeye explained. “By tackling indoor air pollution, we’re protecting health, creating time for education and income opportunities, and helping preserve Rwanda’s forests.”

{{Progress and readiness to scale}}

Bboxx’s clean cooking rollout has gained strong momentum. From early pilots and small-scale distribution, the company has now deployed over 7,000 LPG kits across Kigali, Rwamagana, and Musanze as of October 2025.

With each household averaging five members, transitioning 7,000 households represents a major environmental gain.

This shift prevents the felling of an estimated 35,000 mature trees annually, reducing pressure on forests and cutting thousands of tons of carbon emissions.

Each LPG kit deployed by Bboxx not only improves health and convenience but also directly supports Rwanda’s clean cooking and climate resilience goals.

“We are ready and equipped to scale this initiative to its full potential,” Uwizeye affirmed. “Beyond clean cooking, we will continue to expand our services, from e-mobility and smartphones to solar power, supporting Rwandan households on their journey toward modern, sustainable living.”

With solid systems, logistics, and community engagement structures in place, Bboxx is well-positioned to scale to 10,000 units by year-end and reach 50,000 households by late 2026.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the United Nations received credible reports of the crimes against civilians, including women and children, from within the barricaded North Darfur state’s capital.

“Hundreds of civilians, including humanitarian workers, have reportedly been killed, while large numbers remain trapped inside the city with little or no communication to the outside world,” OCHA said.

“The delivery of life-saving assistance remains blocked by the RSF, contrary to its obligation under international humanitarian law to facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of such relief.”

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that nearly 71,000 people have fled El Fasher and surrounding areas since the city’s fall on Oct. 26, most to overcrowded camps in the town of Tawila, 40 kilometers away, while many new arrivals have reported killings, abductions and sexual violence along the way.

Conditions in Tawila are dire, with families living in the open or in makeshift shelters, food stocks running out and clean water scarce, said OCHA. “The UN and its partners are providing emergency assistance, including daily meals, healthcare, water, sanitation, nutrition and psychosocial support, but these efforts cover only a fraction of the needs due to funding constraints.”

Violence in the Kordofan region has also sharply escalated, triggering large-scale displacement and civilian suffering, said the office, noting that grave violations, including the alleged summary execution of civilians, have been reported in North Kordofan’s locality of Bara.

The IOM said that between October 26 and 31, approximately 37,000 people were displaced from Bara, Um Rawaba and surrounding villages. Civilians face mounting insecurity, food shortages and the destruction of basic infrastructure.

With just two months left in the year, the 2025 response plan for Sudan is only 28 percent funded, with 1.17 billion U.S. dollars received of the 4.16 billion dollars required, said OCHA, calling for urgent, flexible funding to support the millions of people caught in the Sudan conflict.

Sadi, also the government spokesperson, said violent protests following the country’s Oct. 12 presidential election had led to the destruction and looting of property.

“Those responsible for the disturbances, caught in the act of committing their crimes, have been arrested,” Sadi said in a statement.

The statement was released as a civil disobedience campaign launched by the opposition left much of the Central African nation’s streets largely deserted at the start of the working week on Monday.

Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who claimed to have won the election, had called for a three-day nationwide “ghost town” protest from Monday to Wednesday, encouraging people to stay at home and suspend all activities as a form of peaceful resistance.

Sadi warned that such calls for civil disobedience are likely to “sow disorder and insecurity,” and urged residents to ignore them.

Cameroon’s president-elect, Paul Biya, will be sworn in this week.

“I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible,” U.S. President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a court filing on Monday that a total of 4.65 billion U.S. dollars in a contingency fund will be used for November SNAP benefits, which could cover 50 percent of eligible households’ current allotments.

The decision came after a federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday ordered the department to use the contingency fund to pay recipients of SNAP.

Another federal judge in Massachusetts said in a separate case on Friday that the Trump administration’s plan to withhold SNAP benefits starting Nov. 1 amid the federal government shutdown was likely “unlawful,” though the judge did not mandate that the administration release the funds.

The Trump administration previously claimed that it lacked legal authority to tap the 5 to 6 billion dollars in emergency funds to cover at least a portion of SNAP, which needs over 8 billion dollars to fund benefits for November.

SNAP is the nation’s largest anti-hunger program serving nearly 42 million people. Most SNAP recipients live at or below the federal poverty line.