Central Africa News

[ISS] Dynamics on the ground in eastern DRC and the country's capital will test Qatar's mediation efforts.

[New Times] Faustin Nsabumukunzi, a former Counsellor in Kibirizi Sector, in Gisagara District, has been arrested in the United States for concealing his involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) has convened two high-level meetings in Nairobi aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, promoting responsible mineral trade, and advancing sustainable development across member states.

[New Times] Digital tools and the internet have played a key role in the tracing process, with many sharing their photos and stories publicly.

[The Conversation Africa] Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing productivity and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. It powers self-driving cars, social media feeds, fraud detection and medical diagnoses. Touted as a game changer, it is projected to add nearly US$15.7 trillion to the global economy by the end of the decade.

[allAfrica]

[Premium Times] "Excluding these countries, the rest of the subcontinent is expected to grow at 4.6 percent in 2025 and speed up to 5.7 percent in 2026-27," the World Bank said.

[Premium Times] The long-running conflict worsened in January after M23 launched a major attack that killed more than 700 people.

[DW] The Congolese government and opposing rebel movements have agreed to a ceasefire. It comes at a time when tensions have reached a boiling point following reports that former President Joseph Kabila had returned to Congo.

[New Times] The Minister of Youth and Arts, Jean-Nepo Abdallah Utumatwishima, has confirmed that a legal framework is being explored to establish a national body for artists, following the recent dissolution of the Rwanda Society of Authors (RSAU).

[New Times] The mass is expected to draw a significant number of Christians, priests, nuns, monks, and other faithful from different parts of the country.

[MSF] Goma, North Kivu - On 18 April, a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) health worker was shot dead in his home by a gunman in military uniform in Masisi, North Kivu province, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A nurse at Masisi general referral hospital, he is the second MSF staff member to be killed in Masisi in the past two months and the third to be fatally shot in North Kivu this year.

[World Bank] STORY HIGHLIGHTS

[New Times] On April 23, 1994, the Genocide against the Tutsi raged on across Rwanda, with horrific massacres intensifying in the former prefectures of Butare, Gikongoro, and Gitarama.

[New Times] The government recently rolled out a revamped online building permit system known as KUBAKA Portal or BPMIS 2.0, aimed at improving how building permit services are accessed and processed across the country.

[RFI] The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have jointly pledged to halt fighting in the east of the country while they work towards a permanent truce. The surprise announcement follows the latest round of talks in Doha mediated by Qatar.

[allAfrica]

[New Times] Nine years after the African Union (AU) adopted a continental space policy, the Africa Space Agency (AfSA) inaugurated its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, this week paving the way for the continent's push to harness space science and technology for development.

[New Times] Rwanda is taking a bold leap in healthcare by pledging to fully digitize health records by December 2025. The Ministry of Health has announced the nationwide rollout of e-Ubuzima, a digital health platform already in use across 15 districts. This shift from paper-based to digital record-keeping is a landmark step that promises to improve the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of healthcare services across the country.

[World Bank] STORY HIGHLIGHTS

[New Times] Rwanda has launched a new, community-based malaria control strategy in response to a rise in infections.

[New Times] At least 17 native tree species at risk of disappearing have been identified and documented for restoration efforts aimed at greening Rwanda's Eastern Province. Native tree species are those that naturally occur within a specific region or ecosystem, without human introduction, having grown in an area for a long time and adapted to the local environment.

[New Times] The Ministry in charge of Emergency Management has warned of strong winds expected from April 23 to 30. The alert is based on a weather forecast from the Rwanda Meteorology Agency, which predicted rainfall amounts ranging from 40 to 100 millimetres across the country between April 21 and 30.

[New Times] Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority has announced an immediate recall of batch No. B6224 of Aspirine Vitamin C 330mg/200mg (effervescent tablets), manufactured by Union de pharmacologie scientifique appliquée (UPSA), a French pharmaceutical group, due to quality concerns.

[UN News] The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to have devastating consequences, particularly for women and children, who face an increased risk of conflict-related sexual violence.

[New Times] With the help of mathematical models, medics at the Ministry of Health expect to be able to predict disease trends months ahead, thanks to the newly launched Health Intelligence Centre.

[Africa CDC] In a strong act of continental solidarity, His Excellency João Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union, announced a landmark voluntary contribution of USD 5 million to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), reaffirming Angola's leadership and enduring commitment to strengthening regional health security and sustainable health financing.

[New Times] The Congolese government can ban former President Joseph Kabila's party, but peace in the country's east will only come when Kinshasa addresses the threat to Rwanda from the genocidal militia, FDLR, according to Tibor Nagy, a former United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.

[New Times] Zimbabwe has opted to host their 2026 World Cup qualifying match against South Africa in Rwanda, shifting the fixture from their previous home venue in South Africa. Zimbabwe will now take on South Africa in Kigali on October 5.

[New Times] A sharp increase in trade tariffs will slow global growth significantly this year and next but the world economy will not slide into recession, the IMF's chief economist, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, said on Tuesday.