For Ethiopians, coffee is far more than a drink. It is a way more integrated to a day to day life involving conversations, peace-makings, counseling sessions, and often the heartbeat of community life. While much of the world begins its day with a hurried cup of coffee on the go, Ethiopians have long embraced a different philosophy: coffee is not something to be rushed. It is a quality time to be shared.
In communities across Rwanda’s Southern Province, women who once struggled with poverty, limited economic opportunities and family conflicts are increasingly becoming business owners, community leaders and contributors to household prosperity.
Much of that transformation has been supported by BRAC, one of the world’s largest development organizations, whose programs in Rwanda focus on women’s economic empowerment, financial inclusion and family wellbeing.
Founded in Bangladesh in 1972 by the late social entrepreneur Fazle Hasan Abed, BRAC has grown into a global organization operating across Asia and Africa, reaching more than 100 million people through its development and financial inclusion programs. In Rwanda, the organization combines microfinance services with development initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable women and young people gain the skills, confidence and resources needed to improve their lives.
Ethiopians headed to polling stations on Monday for parliamentary elections expected to reinforce the political dominance of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his ruling Prosperity Party.
Voting began early across the country, with more than 50 million registered voters eligible to cast ballots at around 48,000 polling stations nationwide. Polls opened at 6 a.m. local time and were scheduled to close 12 hours later, according to Ethiopia’s National Election Board.
The World Health Organization has warned that escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is severely undermining efforts to contain a growing Ebola outbreak, raising fears of a worsening humanitarian and public health crisis.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the combination of armed conflict and disease posed a major threat in the mineral-rich eastern region of the country, where insecurity has complicated access for health workers and humanitarian agencies.
African leaders and policymakers gathering in Kigali to mark Africa Day said the continent must now focus on economic sovereignty and regional integration more than six decades after political liberation movements swept across Africa.
The Africa Liberation Day celebrations, organized by the Pan African Movement Rwanda Chapter on Sunday, brought together senior officials, diplomats and Pan-African leaders under this year’s theme on sustainable water access and sanitation as part of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision.
The World Health Organization has intensified emergency operations in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo following a sharp rise in Ebola cases linked to the Bundibugyo strain, a rare variant with no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said the outbreak has so far caused 136 deaths, while suspected infections have climbed to around 543 cases.
The epicentre of the outbreak remains in Bunia, in Ituri province near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan, where health authorities are racing to contain the spread of the virus.
Rwanda’s revised national budget of Frw6.95 trillion for the 2025/2026 fiscal year continues to draw attention as implementation moves forward, with citizens and analysts focusing on whether increased development spending is translating into visible change on the ground.
According to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the budget was revised downward by about Frw80.4 billion**,** mainly due to adjustments in financing arrangements for major infrastructure projects. At the same time, development expenditure increased by more than Frw253 billion, reaching approximately Frw2.1 trillion.
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) has appointed Senegalese expert Dr. Malle Fofana as its new Deputy Executive Director and Head of Green Growth Implementation, marking a major milestone for African leadership in global climate action.
Dr. Fofana becomes the first African to join the GGGI Executive Team, a move seen as a strong step toward giving developing countries a bigger voice in global climate and green growth decisions.
Based in Seoul, Republic of Korea, the appointment follows an international selection process. Dr. Fofana hails from Senegal and brings more than 20 years of experience in climate policy, sustainable development and international cooperation.
Every year in Rwanda, the government unveils a national budget worth trillions of francs, outlining how public money will be collected and spent. While the announcement often attracts national attention for a short period, many citizens remain disconnected from the process despite the direct impact budget decisions have on their daily lives.
The national budget influences nearly every sector of the economy, including healthcare, education, agriculture, infrastructure, transport and employment. It determines which projects receive funding, where public investment is directed and how government priorities are shaped.
Rwanda is stepping up its role in shaping Africa’s global trade outlook following fresh engagement between the AfCFTA Secretariat and its diplomatic mission in Canada.
On May 5, Wamkele Mene met Prosper Higiro in Ottawa to review progress under the African Continental Free Trade Area and explore opportunities to strengthen Africa–Canada trade ties.
The AfCFTA, which brings together 54 African countries into a $3.4 trillion market of over 1.3 billion people, is increasingly being used as a platform to attract global investment not just boost intra-African trade.