Emmanuel Macron in Rwanda: a visit that seals a diplomatic and economic rapprochement
Emmanuel Macron and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, during a baseball match at the Kigali Arena on May 27, 2021. AFP - LUDOVIC MARIN
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Emmanuel Macron was in Kigali where he gave a speech at the Gisozi memorial on Thursday.
He recognized the responsibilities, but no complicity of France in the genocide.
A speech very well received by his Rwandan counterpart.
In addition to the memorial issues, the two heads of state spoke about the future of their cooperation because the rapprochement is intended to be both diplomatic and economic.
Publicity
Read more
In the entourage of the French president, it was hoped that this visit would mark the final step in the normalization of relations between the two countries.
At the end of the trip, optimism can be put aside French because the speech of Emmanuel Macron was very well received by the Rwandan authorities, reports our special envoy
Pierre Firtion
.
The fact that the French president recognizes the responsibility of France in the genocide of the Tutsis largely satisfied Paul Kagamé.
"
His words had more value than an apology, they were the truth,
" commented the Rwandan president, who also paid tribute to "
the immense courage
" of his "
friend
" Emmanuel Macron.
The appointment of a French ambassador in Kigali
Concretely, this start of standardization will be reflected in the coming weeks by the appointment of an ambassador on the spot because Paris had not had one since 201, the re-engagement of AFD, the French Development Agency will accelerate. whereas economic partnerships had to be forged.
►Also read: Emmanuel Macron in Rwanda: "words that have more value than excuses" for Paul Kagame
As in the past two years, AFD has supported the Franco-Rwandan rapprochement.
More than 120 million euros have been committed since the Agency's return to Rwanda in 2019 and three more agreements were signed during this visit by Emmanuel Macron.
The French president spoke of a major economic component in the future cooperation between the two countries, evoking development aid brought to unprecedented levels, details our correspondent in Kigali,
Laure Broulard
.
Large French companies are setting up in the country
At the same time, large French companies have set up in Kigali for two years.
Vivendi has opened a large cinema there, a first investment of 40 million euros for the French media giant in East Africa, while Canal Box, a subsidiary of the Vivendi Africa Group, has started to offer broadband internet.
BPI for its part signed a memorandum of understanding last year with Rwanda Finance Limited, a company wholly owned by the Rwandan government which aims to make the country an international financial center.
Kigali, which has been relying since the early 2000s on services as a lever for development, indeed wishes to become a gateway to the African continent for international investors.
The latest illustration of this ongoing normalization of Franco-Rwandan relations, a Francophone cultural center recently opened in Kigali.
It was inaugurated this Thursday by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Rwanda
France
Emmanuel Macron
Paul Kagame
Diplomacy
Economy