“I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, and it was a very productive one,” said Trump on Truth Social.
“We also spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over,” he said.
“I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” he added.
Trump said the two countries agreed to hold a high-level advisors’ meeting next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the U.S. delegation, adding that the meeting location is to be determined.
“President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ War, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end,” Trump said.
The phone conversation came one day ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s scheduled visit to the White House.
Trump and Putin met in the U.S. state of Alaska in August, but no deal was reached. In late September, Trump said on social media that he believes Ukraine, with the support of the European Union and NATO, “is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”
Under the deal, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was designated to locate the prisoners, verify related information, and facilitate their transfer between the two sides.
However, a month later and despite Qatari mediation, no prisoners have been released. Instead, both parties continue to trade accusations of violating the ceasefire in North and South Kivu provinces.
On October 13, 2025, representatives from the DRC Government and AFC/M23 reconvened in Qatar to discuss compliance with the ceasefire and the modalities for the prisoner exchange, ahead of the next phase that is expected to lead to a peace accord.
The ceasefire implementation has since been given structure, with both sides agreeing to establish a joint monitoring mechanism composed of mediators and observers.
But progress on the prisoner issue has stalled. The list of detainees remains incomplete, the locations of some prisoners are unknown, and several cases are still under judicial review. As a result, an exchange cannot yet proceed.
Following agreement on the ceasefire monitoring mechanism on October 14, talks began to address the outstanding challenges surrounding prisoner release. The discussions are expected to last about ten days.
Mediators and observers, including representatives from the United States and the African Union, have intensified pressure for tangible results, especially after the parties failed to meet their initial target of signing a peace agreement by August 2025.
AFC/M23 has submitted a list of prisoners it wants freed by the DRC Government. The list includes its members, such as Eric Nkuba Shebandu, a former adviser to Corneille Nangaa, along with others accused of belonging to the movement.
The statement said the UN chief took note of the decision of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union to immediately suspend the country from participation in all activities of the union, its organs and institutions, until constitutional order is restored in the country.
“The Secretary-General encourages all the Malagasy stakeholders, including the youth, to work together to address the underlying causes of instability in the country,” the statement said.
Guterres also reiterated the availability of the United Nations to support national efforts toward the attainment of that goal, in collaboration with the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and other international partners, the statement added.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a Malagasy military officer, announced on Tuesday that state power in Madagascar had been taken over by a military council comprising members of the army, gendarmerie and national police, and the country’s constitution had been suspended.
Protests erupted in Madagascar in late September, initially triggered by widespread power outages and water shortages. Some demonstrations turned violent and soon escalated into calls for the president’s resignation. The protests took a new turn on Saturday, with an army regiment declaring its support for and protection of the protesters.
The launch event held at the Kigali Convention Center convened high-level representatives from government, financial institutions, the private sector, development partners, and civil society to discuss and re-affirm commitment to the successful implementation of the strategy and to deepening collaboration across the financial ecosystem.
Speaking during the event, Godfrey Kabera, Minister for National Treasury, emphasized that the FSDS will serve as the “financial engine” to drive the nation’s long-term ambitions under Vision 2050 and the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
He noted that the strategy is designed to strengthen digital financial ecosystems, promote savings, and facilitate access to resources needed to expand trade and investment.
“Through this strategy, we aim to expand private sector engagement, create quality jobs, and ensure a more inclusive economic growth for all Rwandans,” he said.
The FSDS 2025–2029 aligns closely with Rwanda’s broader goal of positioning itself as a regional financial hub through the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC).
It seeks to transform the financial sector into a powerful vehicle for mobilizing and channeling capital toward key national priorities.
The strategy highlights the importance of improving access to finance, particularly for underserved groups such as women, youth, small and medium enterprises, and the agricultural sector.
By 2029, the strategy targets a doubling of the national savings rate from 12.4% to 25.9% of GDP, alongside deeper financial inclusion and literacy across all segments of the population.
It also aims for more than 70% of private sector financing under NST2 to be mobilized through the domestic financial system, signaling a shift toward greater reliance on local financial institutions to drive growth.
By harnessing digital technologies, reinforcing regulatory frameworks, and fostering public-private partnerships, the FSDS 2025-2029 marks a decisive step in mobilizing the financial resources required to meet Rwanda’s ambitious development targets, ensuring a stable and prosperous future for all its citizens.
According to a public notice dated October 14, 2025 and signed by NLA Director General and Chief Registrar of Land Titles, Marie Grâce Nishimwe, the decision aligns with the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and accessibility of land services nationwide.
The NLA noted that significant progress has been made through the decentralisation of land services, which are now accessible at national, provincial, district, and sector levels. Licensed private notaries with the necessary competences are also authorised to handle land transactions, including the transfer of land rights.
“Since land services are now available near everyone, it is no longer necessary for people who live in a different area from where their land is located to appoint someone through a power of attorney for land rights transfer,” the statement reads in part.
The authority explained that the temporary suspension seeks to address a growing number of fraud cases involving falsified powers of attorney, which have been used to facilitate illegal transfers of land ownership.
The suspension will remain in force until the electronic notary system (e-notary), currently being developed by the Ministry of Justice, is officially launched and becomes operational.
However, in exceptional circumstances where an individual is genuinely unable to appear in person, the matter may be submitted for review through the Office of the Registrar of Land Titles in the respective province or through the NLA headquarters in Kigali.
The Authority clarified that the suspension applies only to powers of attorney issued within Rwanda. Those issued outside the country will continue to be accepted, provided they meet all legal and procedural requirements.
The NLA reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding landowners’ rights and ensuring the integrity of land transactions through more secure and transparent digital systems.
The event, organized by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in partnership with the Embassy of Rwanda in Germany and the Tourism Chamber, followed successful engagements in Utrecht (Netherlands).
It aimed to connect Rwandan tour operators with European travel professionals and promote new, tailor-made packages for the German market.
In his remarks, Ambassador Igor César described Rwanda, the Land of a Thousand Hills, as a destination where nature, culture, and innovation meet.
He highlighted the country’s rich landscapes stretching from Nyungwe and Volcanoes to Akagera and Gishwati-Mukura National Parks, offering experiences from gorilla trekking and rainforest hikes to savanna safaris and urban exploration in Kigali.
Sustainability was a key theme. Amb. César emphasized Rwanda’s success in wildlife conservation, including the reintroduction of lions and rhinos, which has transformed Akagera National Park into a “Big Five” destination.
He also underscored the Tourism Revenue Sharing Program, through which over Frw 18.1 billion has funded more than 1,190 community projects around national parks, ensuring tourism directly benefits local communities.
Speaking to tour operators and agents, Amb. César described them as “storytellers” who shape travelers’ choices and invited them to integrate Rwanda into their itineraries.
With Germany among Rwanda’s top ten tourism source markets, the roadshow reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to sustainable partnerships and to positioning itself as one of Africa’s most compelling and responsible destinations.
President Kagame sent the condolences through a message shared on X. “On behalf of the people of Rwanda and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, to my brother President William Ruto, and to the people of Kenya on the passing of Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga,” he posted.
The Head of State also eulogised Raila Odinga as a lifelong dedicated public servant whose steadfast commitment to democracy, justice, and unity in Kenya and across Africa will be remembered for generations to come.
“We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Kenya during this time of national mourning,” he added.
Although Raila Odinga had been at odds with President William Ruto’s administration for some time, the two joined hands in early 2024 when the Kenyan government pledged to support Raila’s candidacy for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
In March 2024, Raila visited Rwanda, where he met with President Kagame. Shortly afterward, the Government of Rwanda publicly announced its support for his bid.
While Raila did not win the AUC election, his contribution to Africa’s development remains significant.
From 2018 to 2023, he served as the AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa, a role that advanced major projects across the continent.
Raila Odinga passed away in India on October 15, 2025, following cardiac arrest. In honor of his legacy, President William Ruto declared a seven-day period of national mourning across Kenya.
The competition scheduled for Saturday, October 18, 2025, will take place at Kigali Golf Resorts & Villas. This year’s edition has attracted around 200 registered golfers, including 120 Rwandans.
BPR Bank’s Chief Operating Officer, Godfrey Kariuki Kamau, said the bank remains committed to contributing to community development through sports, particularly golf.
“Our continued involvement demonstrates the positive impact it has on Rwandans, especially among sports enthusiasts,” he said.
“Best performers will earn the opportunity to compete against players from other East African countries, which also helps strengthen regional ties,” added Kamau.
The Head of Golf at Kigali Golf Resorts & Villas, Rama Donneur, praised BPR Bank’s role in popularizing the sport in Rwanda.
“We appreciate BPR for bringing this tournament to Rwanda. It is one of the events that has helped promote golf locally and marks an important step in attracting international-level competitions,” he said.
“These tournaments also give Rwandan golfers visibility across Africa. We are proud that our own player, Celestin Nsanzuwera, ranks among the continent’s best,” added Rama.
The BPR-KCB East Africa Golf Tour will feature several categories, including men, women, seniors, and a special category for tournament organizers.
Winners from the Kigali leg will advance to the grand finale in Nairobi, Kenya, in December 2025, where they will compete against top players from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi.
The winning team at the regional final will receive a cash prize of one million Kenyan shillings, equivalent to approximately 11.2 million Rwandan francs.
Rwanda’s previous representatives in the regional finals included Nganga Barnabas Kariuki, Olwit Anthony Robert, Murekatete Alphonsine, and Mukisa Benjamin, who all performed impressively and helped raise the country’s golfing profile in the region.
Just three days after the war began on October 1, 1990, France deployed around 300 elite troops to Rwanda under the pretext of protecting French citizens and ensuring the safety of foreign nationals. In reality, the troops had been sent to rescue Habyarimana’s regime.
This French intervention was codenamed “Operation Noroît”, and the number of soldiers was later increased to around 800, according to Michel Goya, a former French Army colonel, in his analysis “Penser les opérations. Retour sur l’opération ‘Noroît’ au Rwanda (1990-1993)”.
{{France’s long record of foreign military operations}}
The deployment of French troops to Rwanda was part of a broader pattern of foreign military interventions abroad, known in France as “Opérations Extérieures” (OPEX). These operations have stretched across continents for decades.
Before Rwanda, French troops had intervened in Kolwezi, Zaire (now DR Congo) in 1978. Other OPEX missions included Operation Atlante in 1954 in Indochina (present-day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia); joint NATO missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Afghanistan during the 1990s and 2000s; and deployments in the Middle East, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates.
Today, roughly 30,000 French soldiers serve abroad, according to France’s embassy in the United States.
{{Africa as France’s long-standing military backyard}}
Reports indicate that France has intervened militarily 31 times in Africa since 1963. France has conducted numerous military operations under OPEX, treating the continent as a traditional sphere of influence.
These include Operation Épervier in Chad (1986–2014), Operation Licorne in Côte d’Ivoire (2001), Operation Artémis in Ituri, DR Congo (2003), and Kolwezi (1978).
Later operations included Serval and Barkhane in Mali, with the latter also extending into Burkina Faso and Niger. Others, like Operation Manta in Chad, Sabre in Niger and Burkina Faso, and deployments in Mauritania, Gabon, Djibouti, Senegal, and the Central African Republic, reinforced France’s deep military footprint across Africa.
{{France’s silence on Operation Noroît }}
Despite its extensive record of military missions abroad, France does not officially list Operation Noroît among its recognized OPEX operations, nor does it like to discuss it publicly.
While addressing diplomats and representatives of international organizations working in Rwanda, together with officials from the Ministry of National Unity in 2022, the then French Ambassador to Rwanda, Antoine Anfré, noted that many people tend to focus on Operation Turquoise, which took place in June 1994 during the Genocide against teh Tutsi, while overlooking Operation Noroît of 1990.
At that time, he explained that through Operation Noroît, France had helped Habyarimana’s army repel the first offensive launched by the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), an attack in which Major General Fred Rwigema was killed.
He also hinted at the possibility that French pilots might have operated the helicopters used by the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) during the fighting.
Referring specifically to the helicopters Habyarimana used in the battle against the RPA, Anfré remarked, “You would want to know who was actually flying them.”
France’s decision to send troops to Rwanda under the pretext of protecting civilians and facilitating humanitarian assistance, while those same soldiers went on to work directly with the FAR in combat operations, remains an embarrassment for the European nation.
The discomfort is even deeper because some of the French trainers also instructed the Interahamwe militias, who were later involved in the secution of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
{{A failed mission that ended in shame}}
Operation Noroît lasted about three years, ending in 1993 without achieving its stated goals.
The subsequent Operation Turquoise during Genocide against the Tutsi in June 1994, publicly presented as a humanitarian mission to protect civilians, also became controversial.
Instead of saving lives, French troops were accused of siding with FAR and fighting against the RPA, which was then working to stop the genocide.
Furthermore, France was implicated in aiding the escape of members of the genocidal government and shielding some from accountability, helping them flee to Zaire and even Europe.
These actions have left France with a lasting sense of shame and denial over its role in Rwanda.
As Colonel (Rtd) Michel Goya noted in his conclusion, France ultimately decided that Operation Noroît would not appear on the official list of French overseas military operations.
The Commission’s Chairperson, Providence Umurungi, attributed the decline to several key measures, including policies that encourage non-judicial conflict resolution such as mediation, the release of prisoners on provisional freedom, and plea-bargaining where suspects admit their guilt in exchange for lighter sentences.
She made the disclosure on October 15, 2025, while presenting the NCHR’s 2024/2025 annual report and the 2025/2026 action plan to members of Parliament.
Umurungi further noted that by the end of August 2025, the overcrowding rate had fallen even lower to 103.6%, showing a continuing downward trend compared to previous years.
“This year, we have observed positive changes that need to be supported. During inspections conducted in March and April, overcrowding stood at 110%, but by the time we finalized this report, it had decreased by another 7%,” she said.
The Commission carried out inspections on human rights observance in 14 prisons, rehabilitation camps for inmates serving community service, 112 RIB detention centers, 29 primary rehabilitation centers, three rehabilitation centers, nine elderly care centers, three homes from Impinganzima (hostels built for Genocide widows), and five mental health facilities.
“It’s something to appreciate,” Umurungi remarked. “The reduction is due to the renovation of some prisons, the release of many inmates, and the positive impact of mediation programs. While it’s still early, we’re seeing promising results that show such initiatives can yield strong outcomes if sustained.”
The Judiciary’s annual report also supported these findings, revealing that in 2024/2025, the number of cases resolved through mediation rose by 32%, from 2,395 in 2023/2024 to 3,166 in 2024/2025.
Similarly, cases settled through plea bargaining reached 11,846, up from 9,851 the previous year, an increase of 20%.
However, Umurungi noted that despite these improvements, challenges remain in some prisons that still operate in outdated facilities, including Bugesera, Muhanga, Ngoma, and Rusizi prisons.
She also said that specialized rooms for prisoners suffering from contagious diseases have been established in several facilities to improve healthcare conditions.
Regarding the right to health, the Commission confirmed that medical services are available in prisons and that inmates requiring advanced care are referred to hospitals as needed.
On the issue of torture, Umurungi emphasized that no cases of torture or inhumane treatment were recorded in Rwandan prisons during the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
Nevertheless, the Commission observed that some prisons, notably Huye and Rusizi, still face higher levels of overcrowding.
The Commission also inspected RIB detention facilities, where 5,927 detainees were being held, including 602 women, 211 boys, and 18 girls.
The most congested stations were Gicumbi, Kabarondo, Gacurabwenge, Nyamata, Nyagatare, Kigabiro Kirehe, Kimironko, Rusororo, Nyarubuye, and Kirehe.
