French President Emmanuel Macron said he recognised his country's role in the Rwandan genocide and hoped for forgiveness at a memorial in Kigali on Thursday, seeking to reset relations after years of Rwandan accusations that France was complicit in the 1994 atrocities. Rwandan President Paul Kagame welcomed Macron's speech, saying at a joint press conference later that "his words were more powerful than an apology". He said Macron was confronting racism and underscored Rwanda's willingness to reset relations with France, saying "this visit is about the future not the past ... Macron, who has tried to distance France from its colonial past, agreed in April to open the Rwanda archives of former president Francois Mitterrand, in office during the genocide. From Rwanda, Macron travels to South Africa, where he will meet President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss COVID-19 and regional crises, including one in Mozambique.

Source: The Star May 27, 2021 12:11 UTC