French President Emmanuel Macron Asks Rwandan’s for Forgiveness for 1994 Genocide

[Ludovic Marin/AFP]

Faizel Patel – 27/05/2021

French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Rwandans to forgive France for its role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide

Macron was speaking at the genocide memorial in Rwanda’s capital Kigali on Thursday

He is the first French leader since 2010 to visit the East African nation which has long accused France of complicity in the killing of some 800,000 mostly Tutsi Rwandans.

In a statement, Macron said France “was not complicit” in the genocide.

“But France has a role, a story and a political responsibility to Rwanda. She has a duty: to face history head-on and recognise the suffering she has inflicted on the Rwandan people by too long valuing silence over the examination of the truth”.

While some had been hoping for a full apology, Macron’s comments went further than his predecessors and he said that only those who had survived the horrors “can maybe forgive, give us the gift of forgiveness.”

Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Macron’s words were something more valuable than an apology calling it “an act of tremendous courage”.

Driving The KZN Electorate

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 22 September 2026 3-minute read With KZN being a politically distinctive province, local government elections this November will test whether traditional party loyalists still carry the same weight in the region. Looking back...

Residents’ Concerns Falling On Deaf Ears

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 21 September 2026 3-minute read As SA heads towards local government elections in November, communities across KZN want to know if their concerns are actually being heard. From water, service delivery and financial management...

The Palestine Report

21 September 2026 | 12:57 CAT Gaza’s crisis deepens: homes collapse, schools in ruin and Palestine gains cultural solidarity Gaza’s collapsing buildings expose the impossible choices facing Palestinians: With 78% of structures damaged or destroyed and conventional...

The Keys To eThekwini

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 15 September 2026 3-minute read With a crowded mayoral race, deep service delivery issues, and the possibility of a fragmented council, the question of who gets the keys to eThekwini looms large for Durban residents. Having...

Newcastle Residents Take To The Streets

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 14 September 2026 3-minute read Burst pipes, water shutdowns, dishevelled pavements, uncut grass, and potholes that have turned into craters are compelling Newcastle residents to take their municipal bills and service delivery...

A Struggling ANC

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 10 September 2026 3-minute read Founder of Corruption Watch David Lewis pens in an article that the liberation movement is struggling as the ANC’s political transition falters. Speaking to Ml Junaid Kharsany, Lewis points out...