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”.

The Man Who Refused to Plead Guilty: A Memoir of Faith, Injustice and Freedom

Annisa Essack | kzn@radioislam.org.za 16 July 2026 | 13:00 CAT The years following the September 11 attacks reshaped the lives of countless people around the world. Amid the fear, suspicion and the sweeping 'War on Terror', many found themselves caught in a justice...

The Accidental Scientist: Professor Glenda Gray

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 14 July 2026 3-minute read One of South Africa’s most trusted voices during the COVID 19 pandemic in assisting the public to understand the rapidly evolving global health crisis, Professor Glenda Gray has been elected a Fellow...

The Africa Report

14 July 2026 | 12:35 CAT 3-minute read Sudan war deepens as drone attacks and crisis intensify Escalating drone attacks in El Obeid As the civil war continues to tear through Sudan, the country is facing an escalating humanitarian and military crisis, including...

Dialling Up The Pressure

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 09 July 2026 2-minute read The ‘biggest Anti-Crime March’ is being organised in the Eastern Cape for tomorrow, 10 July 2026. Provincial Chairperson for the Eastern Cape, Yusuf Cassim said that with this region being both the...

Middle East Report

10 July 2026 | 10:20 CAT 4-minute read Trump leaves narrow path for US-Iran diplomacy On Wednesday, President Donald Trump effectively tore up the US-Iran ceasefire and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by declaring the interim accord "over" and revoking Iranian...

The Effect Of Marches On Markets

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 07 July 2026 2-minute read The June 30th deadline has come and gone, marches and protests have taken place across South Africa, many undocumented migrants have left while many still remain. With March and March indicating that...