Amb. Igor delivered this message on April 12 in Berlin, as the Rwandan community in Germany commemorated the 31st anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The commemoration event included a Walk to Remember and the lighting of the Flame of Hope. Participants also observed a moment of silence to honor the victims of the genocide.
Addressing the gathered participants, Amb. Igor emphasized the historical context of the genocide, stating, “The genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda from April to July 1994 was the culmination of decades long ethnic based hate and ideology of division instigated, taught and spread since the colonial period in Rwanda by the colonial administrations, the Catholic White Fathers, the missionaries that led Rwanda and built their policies on ethnic division and hatred against Tutsi.”
He further detailed Belgium’s direct involvement, explaining, “This led to recurring cycles of genocidal violence, waves of unpunished killings and massacres of Tutsi between 1959-1963 under the supervision of Belgian military officers mandated by the Belgian Administration.”
According to the ambassador, this “colonial administration installed a culture of impunity, enabling the deep-rooted hatred that led to the planning and execution of the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.”
The Ambassador also criticized Belgium’s contemporary stance, asserting, “Genocide ideology and genocide denial prevails and it is still being spread in neighbouring countries and abroad, under the cover and support of some western countries among which Belgium, a country that has deep rooted responsibilities in Rwanda’s tragic past.”
Amb. Igor also expressed his disapproval of recent political decisions in Europe, pointedly referencing the cancellation of a genocide commemoration event in Belgium.
He argued that “suspending a commemoration because of a tense political climate sends a clear message: that remembrance and commemoration is optional…That it can wait,” directly challenging the idea that remembrance is secondary to political considerations.
He concluded by stressing the fundamental importance of memory and its role in confronting difficult truths, stating, “But memory, by definition, disturbs. It questions. It confronts. It forces us to face what others prefer to forget.”
Judence Kayitesi, President of Ibuka Deutschland, underscored the vital role of youth in preserving history, rejecting all forms of discrimination, and ensuring that genocide never occurs again.
“You must be the voice of truth, challenging harmful ideologies wherever they emerge. You must be agents of change, guardians of memory, and defenders against denial and distortion,” she noted.
Kayitesi, President of Ibuka-Germany, reminded participants that remembrance is not merely ceremonial but a shared responsibility.
“Kwibuka is everyone’s responsibility,” she stated, calling on the international community to stand firmly against genocide denial and distortion.
NSW Police said in a statement this morning that the NSW Emergency responded to reports of an aircraft crash at about 7:15 a.m. local time on Tuesday at an airstrip in the small town of White Cliffs in northwest NSW.
The male pilot of the aircraft died at the scene but has not been formally identified.
Initial inquiries indicated that the man was the sole occupant of the aircraft, said the police.
Police officers as well as ambulance paramedics, firefighters and personnel from the NSW State Emergency Service were deployed to the scene.
Police established a crime scene and have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident with assistance from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 10 humanitarian workers from Relief International were among the dead. UNICEF reported that 23 children were killed.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the killings, with the UN’s Sudan Coordinator calling for an immediate end to hostilities and justice for victims.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said around 16,000 people fled Zamzam, while additional clashes in Um Kadadah left over 50 dead and 900 homes destroyed. Nearly 19,000 people have been displaced from the region since Thursday.
OCHA warned of worsening humanitarian conditions, including critical shortages of food, water, and fuel.
2Relief supplies are being mobilized, but access remains limited due to insecurity. The World Health Organization noted that over 160 attacks on health facilities have occurred since Sudan’s civil conflict began in April 2023.
In a statement, Tinubu expressed “profound sorrow” and directed security agencies to investigate the incident and identify those responsible.
“We cannot allow this devastation and the tit-for-tat attacks to continue. Enough is enough,” the president said, adding that he had discussed the issue with the state governor and proposed steps toward lasting peace.
Plateau State, often a flashpoint for violence due to religious and ethnic tensions, has seen a string of deadly attacks. Just over a week ago, 52 people were killed in a separate incident in Bokkos. The motive behind the latest attack remains unknown.
According to the latest data, 11 health zones in Kinshasa have been impacted, with more than 5,000 people displaced. At least 72 people have died, and 170 others have been injured due to torrential rains and resulting floods.
Tanganyika and South Kivu provinces, in the eastern part of the country, have also reported significant damage, with local authorities working to assess the full extent of the humanitarian needs.
Emergency shelters and care centers have been established in Kinshasa’s stadiums. However, with the Stade des Martyrs, the country’s biggest sports stadium, already hosting over 4,500 people, authorities have initiated a decongestion plan to transfer displaced residents to other venues.
The health ministry reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening multi-sectoral coordination and ensuring swift, targeted, and coordinated responses to both health and humanitarian emergencies.
Continued heavy rainfall has been forecast for the coming days, raising fears of further destruction in the city of 17 million, already vulnerable due to rapid and unregulated urban expansion.
The DRC’s rainy season typically runs from November through May.
Field Marshal Jula was received by General MK Mubarakh, Chief of Defence Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), at RDF Headquarters in Kimihurura during a series of engagements on Monday. He also paid a courtesy call on Rwanda’s Minister of Defence, Juvenal Marizamunda.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence described the visit as a key opportunity to deepen the longstanding bilateral cooperation between Rwanda and Ethiopia.
Discussions between the military leaders are focused on expanding collaboration in defence and related sectors, reaffirming both nations’ commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships and advancing regional peace and security.
Field Marshal Jula’s visit follows a recent trip by General Mubarakh to Ethiopia on March 13 2025, during which the two defence chiefs signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation.
As part of his itinerary, the Ethiopian military chief is also scheduled to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial and the Campaign Against Genocide Museum to pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, as Rwanda marks the 31st commemoration of the tragedy.
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Rwanda and Ethiopia have enjoyed over 20 years of military cooperation, initially focused on joint military training. The partnership has since expanded to include collaboration between the police forces of both countries.
Beyond defense and police cooperation, Rwanda and Ethiopia share strong bilateral ties in sectors such as agriculture, trade, education, and more.
Over the past seven years, the two nations have also signed agreements in air travel services, allowing for seamless cooperation between their airlines, RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines.
The rise was driven by strong performances in both goods and services exports, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) emerging as the country’s top export destinations.
Rwanda’s top exports include minerals such as gold, coltan, and wolfram, as well as agricultural products like coffee and tea.
The UAE led Rwanda’s export market with a 63.9% increase, reaching over $1.5 billion in value. The DRC followed with a 32.3% rise to approximately $229.5 million.
Exports to Luxembourg surged by an astonishing 243.8%, reaching $55.4 million. Other top markets include China ($83.6 million) and the United Kingdom ($36.1 million).
According to the report, Rwanda’s export growth has been underpinned by targeted interventions from RDB. In 2024, 243 companies across key sectors—including manufacturing, agro-processing, horticulture, services, and handicrafts—were facilitated to access both regional and international markets, generating $164.1 million in export revenues.
To enhance the competitiveness of local businesses and boost Rwanda’s participation in international trade, the Rwanda Development Board rolled out a range of targeted support programs in 2024.
A total of 152 companies received hands-on coaching focused on international trade standards, pricing strategies, product packaging, and compliance with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) requirements.
At the same time, 155 businesses enrolled in the E-Commerce Readiness Program, with 15 completing advanced training to expand their digital sales channels. In addition, 124 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) benefited from business development services that included access to affordable financing, grant opportunities, and tailored advisory support.
To help firms meet global quality requirements, 52 SMEs were supported in obtaining internationally recognized certifications.
Furthermore, 112 SMEs took part in trade fairs and expos held in Senegal, South Sudan, and Rwanda, providing them with platforms to showcase their products, generate immediate sales, and forge new business contracts.
This powerful clique, primarily composed of Habyarimana’s in-laws and closest confidants, maintained a tight grip on the nation’s economy, military, media, and key decision-making bodies throughout his regime.
While the Akazu’s pivotal role in orchestrating the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi is widely acknowledged, Andrew Wallis’s book, “Stepp’d in Blood: Akazu and the Architects of the Rwandan Genocide Against the Tutsi,” sheds light on their disturbing involvement in international cocaine trafficking.
Wallis suggests that Dian Fossey, the renowned American conservationist who dedicated her life to studying mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, may have stumbled upon this illicit network. Her mysterious death in 1985 has long been speculated to be connected to her opposition to the illegal exploitation of the park, which had become a significant route for smuggling gold, gorillas, and cocaine destined for Paris, France—a time when Presidents Habyarimana and François Mitterrand of France enjoyed close diplomatic ties.
The cocaine, reportedly originating from Guatemala, was trafficked through Côte d’Ivoire into Rwanda and then handed off to a businessman from Rhode-Saint-Genèse, Belgium.
This individual, who had secured a contract to supply satellite dishes in Rwanda, allegedly used this business as a cover for laundering the profits generated from the smuggling operations. The illicit cargo was transported through the seemingly impenetrable Volcanoes National Park before being exported to Europe.
Adding another layer to this intricate web, Jean-Pierre Habyarimana, the president’s son, reportedly introduced a Guinean entrepreneur named Mamadou “Barry” into Rwanda.
Despite a string of failed business ventures at the young age of 22, Barry quickly became a close confidant of Agathe Kanziga.
Following Fossey’s controversial death, Barry launched tourism initiatives aimed at revitalizing Rwanda’s international image, including the ambitious “International Fair for the Protection of Gorillas in Rwanda,” which initially attracted celebrity interest but ultimately collapsed in disarray.
The event proved to be a spectacular failure, prompting the newspaper Isibo to publish a mocking article directly targeting President Habyarimana’s son.
The controversy deepened when Christophe Mfizi, then Director of ORINFOR (the Rwandan Information Office), publicly declared that the fair had resulted in massive financial losses. Despite significant state funding and contributions from private partners who had anticipated returns, the event yielded no success.
Subsequently, then-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Casimir Bizimungu, accused Barry—the Guinean national behind the ill-fated event—of embezzling over one million U.S. dollars.
In a dramatic turn, Barry resurfaced by penning an open letter directly to President Habyarimana, alleging that a high-ranking official had pressured him into loading cocaine onto a private European aircraft, which was purportedly intended to transport foreign experts arriving in Rwanda.
In this explosive letter, Barry explicitly named Twahirwa Seraphin, a cousin of Agathe Kanziga (Habyarimana’s wife), as playing a pivotal role in orchestrating the cocaine shipment. Twahirwa was reportedly overseeing the financial aspects of the event organized by Habyarimana’s son.
Barry claimed that Twahirwa had promised him a substantial sum of $50,000 for each successful drug shipment. Although Twahirwa vehemently denied these accusations, Barry returned to Kigali and was accommodated at the Meridien Hotel for a week, with his $5,000 bill inexplicably footed by the state.
Simultaneously, the government instructed its media outlets to clear Barry’s name regarding the embezzlement allegations. According to Wallis’s research, Barry later departed Rwanda for the United States carrying a staggering $400,000 in cash, allegedly obtained through a clandestine collaboration with President Habyarimana’s son.
Adding to the intrigue, a journalist from Jeune Afrique who had been diligently investigating the murky details surrounding the event organized by Barry, Seraphin, and Habyarimana’s son—an event that was also slated to include a lottery with a grand prize of 5 million Rwandan francs—was abruptly expelled from Rwanda as a direct consequence of his persistent inquiries.
Wallis further details how Ruhengeri—governed with an iron fist by Protais Zigiranyirazo, Agathe Kanziga’s influential brother—operated as a virtually autonomous region, serving as a key conduit for smuggled goods flowing from then-Zaire into Europe. The area became a notorious hub for illegal trade and offered political protection to those involved.
Fossey’s unwavering commitment to preserving the park for conservation, rather than allowing it to be exploited for profit, directly clashed with the Akazu’s vested interests. The illicit trade in baby gorillas, for instance, could yield exorbitant profits of up to $30,000 per animal, while severed gorilla body parts like hands and heads commanded high prices on the black market.
Meanwhile, the majority of ordinary Rwandans endured significant economic hardship and lived under a pervasive climate of fear, unable to challenge the unchecked power of the ruling elite. Zigiranyirazo himself allegedly exploited bamboo from the park—a critical food source for the endangered gorillas—for his personal enrichment.
When Mfizi became aware of Zigiranyirazo’s exploitative activities, he tasked a journalist with conducting an investigation. The resulting article was prepared for publication in the Imvaho newspaper. However, Augustin Nduwayezu, the head of intelligence, attempted to suppress its release under direct orders from Zigiranyirazo. Mfizi bravely refused to comply and wrote directly to President Habyarimana, informing him of the pressure he was facing and the planned exposé.
Despite never receiving a direct response—likely due to the intervention of Colonel Elie Sagatwa, a known ally of Zigiranyirazo— Mfizi maintained the article would be eventually published, unless he received a different version from Zigiranyirazo.
Mfizi strongly suspected that Sagatwa deliberately blocked his letter to protect the powerful Akazu members implicated in the illegal activities.
The Akazu’s insidious grip on Rwanda extended far beyond mere political control. Their deep and pervasive involvement in illicit trade, their ruthless silencing of dissenting voices, and their blatant manipulation of state resources created a deeply entrenched system of impunity, widespread corruption, and profound fear.
This toxic environment not only significantly contributed to the horrific 1994 Genocide but also subjected ordinary Rwandan citizens to years of exploitation and immense suffering.
Having already broken ground with the first AATC site in Abuja, Nigeria, the others will be located in key African cities including Kampala (Uganda), Harare (Zimbabwe), Cairo (Egypt), Yaoundé (Cameroon), Tunis (Tunisia) and Kigali (Rwanda).
The Abuja AATC was officially commissioned on April.10 2025, marking a pivotal milestone in the Bank’s broader vision for continental trade transformation.
These flagship trade facilities are designed to serve as physical and institutional hubs that promote trade facilitation, investment promotion, and capacity building, all of which are critical pillars for sustainable economic development across Africa.
Speaking during the grand commissioning ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria’s Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. George Akume, representing President H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, emphasized the strategic importance of the AATC initiative.
“This is more than a building. It is a symbol of Africa’s bold ambitions for economic integration and trade-led development,” he said.
“The Abuja AATC will be a catalyst for innovation, entrepreneurship, and cross-border collaboration, aligning seamlessly with Nigeria’s national priorities, including job creation, economic diversification, and regional integration.”
Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, said the multi-purpose facility will serve not only as the Bank’s permanent regional office but also as a comprehensive trade ecosystem.
“This center will house a technology incubation hub, SME support facilities, the Digital Africa Trade Gateway, a trade exhibition center, and a business hotel. It is a 41-month journey that embodies Afreximbank’s enduring commitment to advancing intra-African trade,” Oramah said.
According to him, the Abuja AATC is part of a broader network of trade centers to be established across Africa and the Caribbean. Some will be owned by the Bank, while others will be developed under a franchise model.
“These centers are envisioned to become lighthouses for the movement of goods, services, capital, and information, linking African economies more efficiently with each other and with the global trade ecosystem,” he added.
The Abuja facility comprises two interconnected nine-storey towers. One tower offers world-class commercial A-grade office space, a trade and exhibition centre, conference facilities, a digital trade hub, and a technology incubator.
The adjoining tower features a 148-room business hotel, wellness centre, meeting and seminar rooms, a restaurant, and other ancillary services. The centre is also expected to host regional offices of financial institutions, trade bodies, and policy organizations to provide a comprehensive support network for business and trade development.
Designed by global architectural firm SVA International, the building’s design draws inspiration from the traditional African bazaar, capturing the vibrant pulse of trade that characterizes the continent’s urban centres.
Constructed on 5,856 square meters of prime land, the $120 million development began in November 2021 and reached completion within 41 months.
Beyond Africa, Afreximbank has also initiated plans for its first AATC outside the continent, having broken ground in Bridgetown, Barbados, a few weeks ago.
Through franchising and licensing arrangements, the Bank aims to establish non-Bank owned AATCs in collaboration with partner institutions across the broader African diaspora.
He was speaking at a commemoration event held in Lilongwe, Malawi, on April 11, 2025, marking 31 years since the genocide.
The commemoration, hosted by the Rwandan High Commission in Zambia (which also holds accreditation for Malawi) and supported by the Malawian government, civil society organizations, and international partners, brought together approximately 200 participants.
Among them were members of the Rwandan community residing in Malawi, representatives from the diplomatic corps, and friends of Rwanda, all united to honor the memory of the victims of the genocide.
The Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Malawi, Ambassador Dr. Mwaiwawo PolePole, graced the event as the guest of honor.
Attendees participated in a candle-lighting ritual and observed a moment of silence to pay tribute to the over one million lives tragically lost during the genocide.
Throughout the event, speakers underscored the critical importance of global solidarity in the ongoing fight against genocide denial and revisionism.
In his address, High Commissioner Bugingo emphasized the international community’s obligation.
“The 31st Commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi is an occasion for Rwanda and Friends of Rwanda to recall the commitment by the International Community under the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to enact legislations that engage them in fighting genocide and its genocide ideology.
“This commitment that was reiterated by the UN Security Council in its Resolution No. 2150 of April 16, 2014, requesting member states to judge or extradite genocide fugitives on their territories,” he stated.
It has been reported that Rwanda has issued over a thousand indictments to 34 countries.
While some individuals have been apprehended and brought to justice, over 1,000 individuals implicated in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, remain at large.
Echoing the sentiment of shared responsibility, Ambassador Dr. Mwaiwawo PolePole remarked: “This sad story has more to tell us in relation to our societies. First, I strongly believe most atrocities don’t require sophisticated weapons, it only requires hate ideologies to turn a society into a tragedy.”
Malawi’s role in fostering cross-border unity and supporting Rwanda’s reconciliation journey was lauded.
By bringing together Malawians and Rwandans in shared grief, hope, and unwavering resolve, the event reinforced the powerful and universal message: “Never Again.”
The Kwibuka31 commemoration in Malawi concluded with a reaffirmed commitment to learn from the lessons of history and to actively work towards building a more peaceful and inclusive world.
