The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, will be stepping down from his role as leader of the African Union (AU) reform process.
The leader of the East African country, who took up the position in 2016, was working with some experts from across Africa to ensure the AU had a smooth-running system.
The decision to exit was made known during a meeting with the bloc's reform team at Urugwiro village in the Rwanda capital of Kigali.
The hybrid meeting, which had the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) chair, Moussa Faki Mahamat, in attendance discussed implementation of the reform process, importance of sustaining the bloc's process towards financially-sustainable member states.
"I want to thank you for your continued participation in this effort to carry out a reform of continental affairs and body, and more importantly, I wish to thank you for your dedication over the past eight years," President Kagame said.
"Our work has made a positive difference, I believe. When we started the AU was nearly bankrupt. There was no guarantee that the reform effort would be any more successful than the previous attempts," he added.
"Today, the Peace Fund stands at nearly 400 million and almost all member states are paying their dues."
With the African Union anticipated to play a leading role in promoting Africa's ambitious Agenda 2063 vision of inclusive economic growth and development, African leaders determined in 2016 that institutional reforms were both essential and required.
The Heads of State Summit then gave President Kagame the order to spearhead the initiative.
### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###
D'après une note verbale des Affaires étrangères consultée par Africanews, cet accord prévoit d'armer et de renforcer les capacités logistiques de cet Etat agresseur dénoncé pourtant par la communauté internationale.
Dans cette note, le ministère des Affaires Étrangères de la Rdc proteste contre cette attitude bicéphale de la Pologne qui a soutenu la Rdc au niveau de l'Assemblée Générale de l'ONU pour condamner fermement le Rwanda du fait de son agression et de son soutien irréfutable aux terroristes M23 pour endeuiller les Congolais dans leur pays.
« À l'évidence, cette attitude pousse à croire que la Pologne s'est alliée au Rwanda dans son agression contre la République démocratique du Congo dont les troupes commettent impunément des actes d'atrocités sur le territoire Congolais », lit-on dans la Note verbale.
Face à ce comportement indélicat et délibéré du Gouvernement polonais, la Rdc se réserve le droit d'en tirer toutes les conséquences.
### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###
Le ministre des Affaires étrangères, Christophe Lutundula, a dans une note verbale publiée le jeudi 08 février 2024, protesté contre l'accord militaire signé entre les présidents polonais et le Rwandais Paul Kagame.
Le gouvernement congolais regrette le comportement affiché par la Pologne qui s'est allié à un pays agresseur qui est le Rwanda.
« À l'évidence, cette attitude pousse à croire que la Pologne s'est alliée au Rwanda dans son agression contre la République démocratique du Congo dont les troupes commettent impunément des actes d'atrocités sur le territoire Congolais », lit-on dans cette note verbale.
Cet accord signé entre le Rwanda et la Pologne prevoit d'armer et de renforcer les capacités logistiques de ce pays agresseur de la RDC, dénoncé pourtant par l'ensemble de la communauté internationale.
Le président polonais a lors de sa visite à Kigali, promis de soutenir le Rwanda militairement pour faire face à toute menace contre son intégrité.
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Ceux qui critiquent le ministre sont les mêmes gens habitué a tout critiqué. Quand l'iran avait donner ces drones kamikaze a la russie les premiers pays a dénonce ataient: l'ukraine, la pologne, les usa, la france La c'était bien qu'ils denoncent. Quand la corée du nord avait livré ses armes a la russie, les premiers pays a dénoncer étaient: l'ukraine, la pologne, les usa Quand la chine souhaite soutenir la russie, ils dénoncent tous ensemble, a combien plus forte raison la rdc ne peut pas dénoncée aussi.
I do not understand world to have political dirty and break the law. Seeing Palestine welcome refugees of Jews to resettle in Palestine state but Jew violated international law. Fizi-itombwe welcome both of refugees and illegal migrants. Then they violated international law and genocide the innocents I don't know whatever the world wants.
La diplomatie selon les humeurs et les émotions, il faut arrêter ça. Lutundula n'a jamais été diplomate et a la présidence il n'y a plus des conseillers diplomatiques expérimentés.
Le Rwanda est un pays indépendant et souverain, il est à mon humble libre de nouer des accords avec qui il veut pour se protéger. C'est à nous de prendre nos responsabilités entant qu'Etat souverain et nouer aussi des accords avec ceux qui peuvent nous apporter leur soutien. Et pour rappel la Pologne n'a pas d'Ambassade en RDC.
Cher Minsitre et Gouvernement, Le Congo doit se comporter comme un Etat digne de ce nom. Qu'est ce qui ns empechera de signer des accords aussi? Est ce le fait d'une faible diplomatie? Il est temps de changer de narratifs.
Vous n'allez pas interdire aux gens de choisir leurs amis. Nouez vous aussi des alliances militaires avec d'autres pays. Nous avons plus de 206 Etats sur terre, il n'y a pas que la Pologne. Regne des rois plaintifs et faineants, quel infantilisme??? Etes-vous incapables d'aborder les autorites des pays comme les USA, la Russie, la Chine, l'inde, le Pakistan, la Coree du Nord, le Canada, le Bresil etc. tous ces pays sont militairement plus puissants que la pauvre Pologne. Laissez les Rwandais et les polonais se choisir avec qui nouer des liens d'amitie. Faites autant et prenez-vous en charge. Le monde vous respectera parce vous savez imposer votre respect, pas parce que vous etes bons a vous plaindre de tout comme des immatures, que nenni.
Un fameux gouvernement qui ne fait que condamner le Rwanda, au lieu et place de s'organiser et organiser l'armée pour combattre le Rwanda. Les aventuriers au sommet de l'État.
Monsieur le Ministre des Affaires Etrangeres, Christophe LUTUNDULA - Qu'est ce qui t'empeche de conseiller aussi le Chef de l'Etat de trouver des partenairs fiables a l'instar de la RUSSIE (avec les troupes WAGNERS) de contracter des accords militaires pour renforcer nos frontieres? A l'heure critique de notre pays, le Gouvernement doit cesser de tout le temps pleurnicher.
La Pologne c'est l'OTAN donc vous pouvez compléter le reste pour comprendre les vrais ennemis de la RDC. Souvenez vous des accords de la Grande Bretagne avec le Rwanda Nous saurons a l'œil nu ceux qui sont derrière le petit Rwanda après le départ de la Monusco sur le sol congolais car il y a lieu qu'elle se deguise pour quelque chose tjs atteindre les objectifs diaboliques contre la république ils ont tellement investi en cette guerre!
Europe's leading anti-torture watchdog has called on the government to process asylum claims in the UK rather than sending people to Rwanda because of the risk they may be exposed to human rights abuses there.
In a report published on Thursday, the Council of Europe's committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment raises a litany of concerns after an 11-day visit to the UK in March and April last year.
The report warns that the UK's Illegal Migration Act, which allows asylum claims to be determined in Rwanda rather than in the UK, and the migration and economic development partnership between UK and Rwanda "raise multiple concerns over the treatment of vulnerable persons" and warns that they may be subject to torture or inhuman, degrading treatment if they are sent to Rwanda.
The purpose of the committee's ad hoc visit was to examine immigration detention conditions in the UK at a time when the Home Office plans to significantly increase the number of asylum seekers it locks up before the forced removals it hopes to implement to Rwanda.
The current number of detention spaces is 2,245 and the government wants to add another 1,000 places.
The European court of human rights relies on the committee's findings when ruling on relevant cases – the government's first planned deportation flight to Rwanda, which was due to take off on 14 June 2022, was halted after an intervention from the ECHR, and the court may consider the Rwanda policy in the future.
The report raises concerns about the UK's practice of indefinite immigration detention and about keeping some immigration detainees with criminal convictions in prisons rather than moving them to detention centres after the conclusion of their sentences.
It warns that the Illegal Migration Act, a bill at the time of the committee's visit, makes the removal of those arriving without a valid visa easier "by stripping away a series of fundamental safeguards".
It urges the UK government not to use "inflammatory or derogatory language" when referring to foreign nationals arriving in the UK after hazardous journeys.
The report raises concerns about detainees, including those who are victims of torture or at risk of suicide, whose vulnerabilities are highlighted in a process in immigration detention known as rule 35. Once bail has been granted to detainees, their rule 35 categorisation is no longer counted in official statistics, even if they remain in detention centres for several months longer. This means "official statistics cannot be considered accurate" and people deemed unfit for detention continue to be detained.
The committee raised concerns about the treatment of some detainees, including a man who had initially protested but was then compliant. Four guards in full body armour surrounded him and he was handcuffed.
The Illegal Migration Act allows children to be detained for possible deportation to Rwanda, a controversial practice previously ended in the UK but now reintroduced. In response to concerns about this by the committee, UK government officials confirmed that children may be detained and that "where practicably possible" children's needs in detention will be met.
In response to the report, UK officials said: "The UK government does not recognise much of the content of this report and feels it does not accurately reflect the important work we undertake to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those in our care."
In response to the delegation's call to process asylum claims in the UK rather than in Rwanda, officials said they were satisfied the Rwanda plan was in line with international refugee and human rights law and that the courts had recently found the principle of removal to a safe third country lawful.
In November 2023 the UK supreme court ruled that the Rwanda scheme was unlawful and that Rwanda was not a safe country to which to send asylum seekers.
The M23 rebel movement has registered heavy casualties in its attempts to capture the strategic town of Sake, about 30 kilometres from Goma city in Eastern DRC.
ChimpReportshas learned that M23 rebels on Wednesday morning launched a deadly offensive to capture Sake from Congolese armed forces and local militia groups.
The battle started around 5:30 am with M23 using artillery and infantry units in their assault.
However, the Congolese army, which is now backed by Southern African Development Cooperation (SADC) forces, managed to put up a strong defence, sending the rebels into disarray.
Sources disclosed that hundreds of rebels were killed and many more captured by Congolese special forces.
The rebels were pushed back to Bukarara and Kingi – about 15 kms from Sake . Government forces also recovered dozens of machine guns and other heavy weaponry used by the rebels.
M23 today launched another offensive with the view of capturing Sake. The clashes are reported in Kingi, Kamuronza settlement in Masisi territory.
The Congolese government said after the failed attempt to occupy the city of Sake, M23 with support of Rwanda Defence Force, fired bombs in the city of Goma.
"The Congolese Government condemns the indiscriminate bombings of the RDF/M23 coalition and congratulates the FARDC for the consequent counter-offensive having brought serenity to Sake," said the DRC government in a statement on Wednesday night.
"The Government wishes to express all its solidarity and compassion to the populations affected by this additional act of aggression and terrorism constituting war crimes and serious violations of human rights which will never go unpunished. While using its legitimate right to defend its national territory, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo recalls that it remains committed to respecting the Luanda road map, which provides for the ceasefire, withdrawal, disarmament and cantonment of the M23 as well as the withdrawal of the Rwandan army from Congolese soil for the return of peace to this part of the country and stability in the sub-region," the statement added.
"The Government calls on the population to be calm, vigilant and reassures them that the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo remain mobilised to defend civilian populations and safeguard the territorial integrity of the country."
The intense fighting compelled thousands of residents of Sake to flee to Goma.
Strategic
The capture of Sake would be a scandal for Congolese and United Nations forces which have spent almost a year building defences for the town which sits at a very critical junction linking several roads to Goma.
The MONUSCO Force Commander, Brigadier General Otávio Rodrigues de Miranda Filho in November 2023 ordered the formation of defence systems to defend Sake and Goma from falling into M23's hands.
At the time, the rebels were advancing towards the south, along the national road 2 (RN2) and from provincial road 1030 towards Sake, a city which is intended to be an essential point in the defence of Goma.
"We decided, first of all, to establish a solid defence line at the entrance to Goma and Sake," said Otavio, emphasising, "This is a defensive approach for now, but if illegal armed groups try to attack Sake and Goma, we will move from a defensive to an offensive position."
Capturing Sake means choking off the Congolese armed forces' supply routes to Goma.
Locals said if Sake falls, Congolese forces will not be able to defend Goma which sits on the border with Rwanda.
The deteriorating security situation in the eastern part of the country compelled President Felix Tshisekedi to call the National Security Council meeting in Kinshasa on Monday.
Defence Minister, Jean Pierre Bemba said, "A review took place about military operational issues in North Kivu" and that "everything is being done to ensure that Goma city does not fall."
### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ###
