French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Kigali Thursday morning on a historic visit that is seen as a big statement towards the normalization of the ties between his country and Rwanda. He was received at Kigali International Airport by Dr Vincent Biruta, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. In a tweet he posted on his handle yesterday night before embarking on his travel to Rwanda, Macron said he was coming to Rwanda with a deep conviction, and promised to write a new page in the relations. Au moment de décoller pour Kigali, j’ai une conviction profonde : au cours des prochaines heures, nous allons écrire ensemble une page nouvelle de notre relation avec le Rwanda et l’Afrique. — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 26, 2021 “As I take off for Kigali, I have a deep conviction: over the next few hours, we are going to write together a new page in our relationship with Rwanda and Africa,” reads the English translation of the message he posted on Twitter. During his visit to Rwanda, he is expected to engage in a number of activities including visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and deliver a speech while there. It is also thought he will announce the new French ambassador to Rwanda. France has not had an accredited ambassador in Kigali since 2015. Other planned activities include opening the new French Cultural Centre that is located in Rugando, in Kimihurura, Gasabo District. Macron’s visit comes at a time when the relations between Rwanda and France are making good progress. The role of France in the Genocide against the Tutsi has always been a thorn in the flesh in the relations between the two countries. Earlier this year, a commission of experts appointed by President Macron concluded that the European country had “a huge responsibility” in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
