French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that France and its allies had the capability to stop the 1994 Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi population but “lacked the will to act on it”.
This stance follows Macron’s 2021 acknowledgement of France’s responsibilities in the genocide during a visit to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Rwandan President Paul Kagame recognized Macron’s speech as a significant step, while Marcel Kabanda, president of Ibuka (the main organization of memory, justice and support for survivors of the Tutsi genocide) in France, welcomed France’s acknowledgment of its past mistakes.
The Duclert report, a historical report delivered to Emmanuel Macron in March 2021, highlighted France’s “heavy and overwhelming responsibilities” in the Rwandan Genocide, based on unprecedented access to state archives. Despite its critical findings, the report stops short of accusing France of complicity in the genocide. Previously, in 2010, Nicolas Sarkozy had admitted to “serious errors” by France in relation to the genocide.However,
Macron will not attend the genocide’s 30th anniversary commemorations in Rwanda, which will take place from April 7 to 14. He will be represented by French officials instead.
