Blog

The delegation, led by Col Elias Zulu, is in Rwanda for a study tour from 28 September to 4 October 2025. The visit aims to get insight into Rwanda’s transformation journey and its critical role in promoting peace and security in the region and beyond.

The Defence Spokesperson, Brig Gen Ronald Rwivanga, briefed the delegation on the RDF’s transformation and its contribution to continental security.

In his remarks, Gen Mubarakh expressed appreciation to the Zambia Defence Forces and the Zambia Defence Services Command and Staff College for selecting Rwanda as a destination for this important phase of professional military education.

He stated that the visit reflects the strong and enduring bonds of friendship and military cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the area of capacity building.

“Rwanda today stands as a nation transformed,” said Gen Mubarakh. “31 years after the Genocide against the Tutsi, we have moved from being a recipient of international peacekeeping support to a contributor to peace and security across the continent and beyond. Rwanda is now a peaceful, stable, and forward-looking country committed to long-term socio-economic development, despite complex regional security challenges.”

Col Elias Zulu, Head of delegation, expressed gratitude to the RDF for facilitating the visit. He noted that the delegation gained a deeper understanding of RDF’s contribution to Rwanda’s socio-economic transformation, which aligns with the objectives of their study tour.

He highlighted the profound impact of visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where the delegation gained valuable insights into Rwanda’s history, the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and the country’s remarkable journey of recovery and resilience.

As part of the tour, the delegation also visited the Campaign against Genocide Museum and will continue their programme with visits to various government institutions and defence agencies.

The announcement was made on September 30, 2025, during the East Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) conference held in Kigali. The event brought together farmers from across the East African Community (EAC) and various partners to discuss strategies for food self-sufficiency and long-term agricultural development.

This latest contribution adds to over Frw 127 billion that the EU had previously provided through the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Elise Hadman, Deputy Head for Western Africa at the EU’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, praised EAFF’s 20 years of supporting small-scale farmers and noted that over Frw 170 billion has been channelled to farmer associations through the EU-Bank of Kigali ‘Global Gateway Strategy’.

Hadman said, “So far, farmer associations and food processors have received over 75 million Euros (127 billion Rwandan Francs) from the EU in partnership with BK through the IFAD fund. Today, we are pleased to confirm an additional 26 million Euros (44 billion Rwandan Francs), bringing total support to over 170 billion Rwandan Francs.”

She added that the EU remains committed to advancing agricultural development across the continent to ensure food self-sufficiency.

Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, noted that the funding will help farmers, food processors, and agricultural institutions access capital to expand operations and mitigate the effects of climate change.

“As we celebrate 20 years of the EAFF, we look forward to advancing long-term agriculture that benefits the entire region. When we receive funding, we must use it to increase production, not for celebrations. This is what will help reduce Africa’s food import gap,” he said.

It is expected that EU agricultural support to Rwanda will total 500 million Euros between 2020 and 2030.

During the conference, officials were also taken through a range of agricultural produce processed by local farmers, highlighting the impact of EU support on Rwanda’s agricultural sector.

In a brief statement shared on Wednesday morning, U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos said the negotiations focus on deepening cooperation in energy, infrastructure, transparent mineral supply chains, health, tourism, and trade.

He emphasised that the REIF “will reinforce peace and benefit millions across the Great Lakes region, helping communities build a stake in lasting stability and shared prosperity.”

The ongoing talks mark a critical step in translating the commitments made under the Washington Declaration of Principles in April and the Peace Agreement signed on June 27, 2025, into concrete economic action.

{{Anchored in shared prosperity
}}

The REIF is designed as a forward-looking platform that seeks to unlock investment, dismantle the economic drivers of conflict, and create opportunities for industrial development and job creation. Both Rwanda and the DRC have pledged to ensure that revenues from natural resources benefit local communities, while working to formalise artisanal mining and attract responsible global investment.

The framework’s priorities span a wide range of sectors. Rwanda and the DRC have committed to reforming the mineral sector by eradicating illicit trade and building a transparent, world-class mining industry.

In energy, the two countries will focus on completing the Ruzizi III hydropower project, exploiting Lake Kivu’s methane gas sustainably, and expanding electricity access. Infrastructure development is also central, with planned investments in transport, logistics, warehousing, ICT, and projects linked to the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor.

The partnership extends to conservation and tourism through coordinated park management, biodiversity protection, and a harmonised revenue-sharing model. In public health, both governments will strengthen cross-border responses to disease outbreaks, share information, and collaborate on health research and innovation.

Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, previously told Parliament that while economic cooperation is a central pillar of the Washington peace agreement, separate frameworks would follow. The REIF now provides the foundation for those agreements, setting out a roadmap from principle to execution.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be forced to take unpaid leave, with some public services potentially suspended or delayed, and the release of economic data possibly impacted as well.

The shutdown commenced hours after the U.S. Senate failed to pass a short-term spending bill that would have temporarily kept the government running. The continuing resolution proposed by Senate Republicans was blocked by Democrats, falling short of the 60 votes required for passage.

In the latest negotiations, healthcare benefits have been one of the core sticking points between the two parties. Democrats are demanding stronger healthcare-related benefits, including an extension of the enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act set to expire at the end of the year, as well as restoring the act’s coverage eligibility for certain immigrants who are legally present, including refugees and asylum seekers.

Republicans, on the other hand, opposed these measures and have been pushing to temporarily maintain current government funding levels to allow more time for negotiations.

Republicans and Democrats continued to trade blame recently, accusing each other of forcing the government into a “shutdown.”

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday afternoon that Democrats want to shut down the government, claiming that their insistence on providing free healthcare to undocumented immigrants has caused the negotiations to stall.

“The Democrats want to shut it down. So when you shut it down, you have to do layoffs. So we’d be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected. And they’re going to be Democrats,” Trump said.

While top Democrats in the House and the Senate blamed Trump and Republicans for the shutdown early Wednesday morning, they also voiced Democrats’ readiness to make a deal to reopen the federal government.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a joint statement on Wednesday that Democrats “remain ready to find a bipartisan path forward to reopen the government in a way that lowers costs and addresses the Republican healthcare crisis.”

With the shutdown now in effect, federal employees deemed “excepted” — those who work to protect life and property, such as FBI investigators and air traffic controllers — have to stay on their jobs without pay. They will not receive their wages until Congress passes a funding bill and ends the government shutdown.

On the other hand, hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be forced into unpaid leave. The Congressional Budget Office estimated earlier that roughly 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day of a shutdown, with the total daily cost of their compensation at roughly 400 million U.S. dollars.

Meanwhile, the shutdown will impact some public services. The Brookings Institution recently reported that a government shutdown can be disruptive, leading to delays in processing applications for passports, small business loans, or government benefits; shuttered visitor centers and bathrooms at national parks; fewer food-safety inspections; and other various inconveniences.

“Shutdowns don’t save money, they waste money,” Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said in a statement.

“Under shutdowns, we pay federal workers not to work and rent buildings that aren’t being used, all while requiring costly shutdown planning, inefficient allocation of government resources, and a reduction in the services available to the American people. We should avoid a shutdown and keep the government funded,” MacGuineas said.

It’s hard to believe that a few decades ago, this area was bare land. Today, it is the largest man-made ecological forest park in East China, covering 68,000 mu (over 45 square kilometres) with a forest coverage rate of 90%.

When you climb the tallest observation tower, from the top, you can see an uninterrupted sea of green. The wind carried a freshness I hadn’t felt anywhere else. With 628 plant species, 342 bird species, and nearly 30 mammals, this forest is not only a shelter for wildlife but also a living testament to human commitment to ecological restoration.

UNESCO has even recognised it as a rare, unpolluted coastal destination along the western Pacific coast, and standing there, I understood why.

A short drive away, I found myself immersed in one of the world’s most important coastal wetland ecosystems, the Dongtai Tiaozini Wetland Reserve.

The name “Tiaozini” comes from the strip-like creeks that shape its landscape. With 1.29 million mu (about 860 square kilometres) of intertidal wetlands, it’s the largest of its kind in the world, serving as a critical stopover on the East Asian–Australasian Flyway for migratory birds.

Here, I watched spoon-billed sandpipers and oriental storks through telescopes, guided by experts who explained their migration patterns. I was struck by how these fragile birds travel thousands of kilometres every year, depending on this exact spot to survive.

The feeling of witnessing rare species in their natural habitat was both humbling and unforgettable.

Next, I visited the Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserve, home to the world’s largest wild population of milu deer. Once extinct in China, these deer were reintroduced in 1986 with just 39 individuals. Today, the reserve spans 40,000 mu and shelters more than 8,500 milu, including 3,673 living in the wild.

Seeing them roam freely against the backdrop of wetlands was like stepping into a storybook. The reserve also protects over 400 other animal species, making it a global model for endangered species protection.

My journey through Yancheng’s ecological wonders concluded at Jianhu Jiulongkou National Wetland Park, a lagoon-like landscape where nine rivers converge.

What amazed me most was that it’s China’s first carbon-neutral scenic spot, combining wetland restoration with low-carbon tourism. Walking along its wooden pathways, I felt as though I was in a living classroom, one where conservation and tourism coexist in perfect balance.

Yancheng is often called “the Oriental Wetland and the Pearl of the Yellow Sea,” and after visiting these places, I understood the title deeply. This is not just a destination; it’s a living example of how people and nature can thrive together. For travellers who love eco-tourism, biodiversity, and meaningful journeys, Yancheng offers experiences that are both breathtaking and enlightening.

The Rwandan Embassy in the U.S. termed the delivery as a significant step in strengthening bilateral trade ties.

The shipment, managed by Trinity Metals, also underscores Rwanda’s growing role as a trusted supplier of critical minerals.

“This direct Rwanda-US shipment of tungsten marks an important step in strengthening our bilateral trade ties & highlights Rwanda’s position as a trusted supplier of critical minerals,” the embassy stated on Tuesday evening.

The delivery follows a recent commercial agreement Trinity Metals secured with GTP, part of the Plansee Group, and its offtake partner Traxys.

The partnership aims to establish a reliable supply of high-grade tungsten from the Great Lakes region of Africa to the U.S., supporting industries such as aerospace, defence, electronics, and electric vehicle manufacturing.

Trinity Metals, established in 2022 through the merger of the Nyakabingo Tungsten Mine, Rutongo Tin Mine, and Musha Tin and Tantalum Mine, is Rwanda’s largest producer of these three critical minerals.

Announcing the verdict in Kinshasa, Lieutenant-General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, who presided over the military tribunal, said Kabila was found guilty of treason, crimes against humanity, premeditated murder, sexual assault, torture, and insurrection.

Kabila, who led the DRC for nearly two decades, has lived mostly in Southern Africa since late 2023, although he appeared earlier this year in Goma — one of the cities recently captured by the M23 rebel group fighting against government coalition forces.

The trial began on July 25, 2025, without Kabila’s presence. Prosecutors accused him of treason, leading an unauthorized armed group, rape, and torture, arguing that these acts were committed in his alleged role as a leader of the AFC/M23.

While prosecutors demanded the death penalty, government lawyers also requested that Kabila’s assets be seized and that he be fined USD 24 billion.

Kabila publicly dismissed the proceedings on September 2, describing the trial as politically motivated and intended to deflect attention from the government’s alleged mismanagement and corruption.

A ruling on those requests was initially expected on September 12 but was postponed to September 30.