By RFIPubliée on 25-06-2019Modified on 25-06-2019 at 01:04

The channel France 24 broadcast this weekend a face-to-face shot in Brussels last week between Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for Cooperation and Development and the Rwandan president. Paul Kagame accuses his European partner of having a "superiority complex" when he links issues of development and human rights.

For European Development Commissioner Navan Mimica, Rwanda is an example on all fronts, " economic, political, reconciliation ", 25 years after the genocide. No reference to human rights. So it is the journalist of France 24 who revives the two men on this thorny issue.

Of course, this is part of the Cotonou agreements that bind Africa to the European Union, explains Neven Mimica. " We have a global approach that we discuss with our partners, and human rights, their respect, are part of it. We are talking about development and human rights at the same time, in a very open and connected way between the two aspects, "says the European Commissioner.

Paul Kagame does not let the journalist France 24 revive and gets carried away. " You must stop with your complex of superiority, all this nonsense about human rights, asserts the Rwandan president. We have fought for the human rights and freedom of our peoples, more than anyone, including you who continue to talk about this nonsense. There, remember where our countries came from and where we took them, it speaks for us. You should stop telling others what to do or not to do, even if it is not to your liking. But who do you take for? "

Without being conditioned, EU assistance can be suspended for human rights or democracy issues. This is not the case for Rwanda, despite calls from human rights and development organizations to be more focused on these issues on this country. Human rights reports deemed " ridiculous " by the president of Rwanda.

Rwanda was to receive some € 460 million in EU assistance between 2014 and 2020 under the 11th EDF, including direct budget support.

    On the same subject

    South Africa: a close friend of the murdered Rwandan dissident targeted in turn

    South Africa: persistent fog over the death of a Rwandan opponent

    Kenya: Rwandan opposition murderer's wife in Nairobi writes to president

    France-Rwanda: better relations, but not yet standardized

    comments