After years of holding significant political, military, and economic power in Africa, France is now reducing its presence on the continent due to growing resentment in many African countries. However, Rwanda stands out as an exception to this trend.
While many African nations aim to diminish France’s influence, Rwanda is welcoming it. The country is celebrating French culture, language, and cuisine, despite having had strained relations with Paris over France’s role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In return, French companies are increasing their investments in Rwanda.
This renewed cooperation, led by Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, has provided France with a crucial security partner in Africa and secured millions of dollars in development and trade funds for Rwanda. This positive development is also welcome news for French President Emmanuel Macron, who has faced widespread discontent across Africa and suffered a significant defeat to the far-right in recent European parliamentary elections.
“We have a partner in Kagame,” said Hervé Berville, a French minister of state, during an interview in Kigali, Rwanda. Mr. Berville, born in Rwanda and adopted by a French family during the genocide, emphasized the start of a new chapter in relations between the two countries.
For many years, diplomatic tensions and hostility marked the relationship between France and Rwanda. President Kagame accused France, especially under President François Mitterrand, of supporting the officials responsible for the 1994 genocide that killed approximately 800,000 people. The relationship deteriorated so much that Rwanda switched its official language from French to English in schools, expelled the French ambassador, closed the French international school and cultural center, and blocked French state radio broadcasts.
The situation began to change when Macron came to power. In 2021, a report commissioned by Macron found that while France was not complicit in the genocide, it bore significant responsibility. Rwanda released its own report, accusing France of unwavering support for the genocidal government to maintain its influence.
Macron’s visit to Rwanda soon after these reports marked the beginning of improved relations. By mid-2021, France had appointed a new ambassador to Rwanda, the French Development Agency opened a new office in Kigali, and France donated hundreds of thousands of Covid vaccine doses to Rwanda. French companies also invested millions in various sectors, and the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali saw participation from over 50 French companies.
In Rwanda, French has been reintroduced in schools, and Macron opened a new French cultural center. Young Rwandans are now enjoying French cuisine, and Rwandan artists and fashion designers are showcasing their work at major French cultural institutions.
For France, this renewed engagement with Rwanda aligns with Macron’s strategy to find allies and business partners in Africa, where China and Russia are also seeking influence. It also aims to involve younger generations in discussions about the past to prevent history from repeating itself, as emphasized by Berville in a recent meeting with students in Kigali.
However, challenges remain. France has accused Rwanda of supporting rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which Rwanda denies. Rwanda is still unhappy with France’s reluctance to take more responsibility for the genocide, a tension highlighted during the 30th anniversary of the genocide in April when Macron hesitated to fully acknowledge France’s failures.
Despite these issues, Rwanda and France have strengthened their defence cooperation. Rwanda’s military, known for its peacekeeping missions, is seen by France as a valuable alternative to deploying its own troops in Africa. This was evident in Mozambique, where France supported the deployment of Rwandan troops to combat an insurgency, protecting a multibillion-dollar gas project owned by France’s Total Energies.
France has also boosted its development aid to Rwanda, with the French Development Agency investing half a billion euros in job creation and health facility renovations. In April, the two countries signed a development partnership worth 400 million euros.
Additionally, France is funding vocational training for thousands of Rwandan students in fields like mechatronics. French officials recently visited a college in Tumba, Rwanda, where students are studying industrial automation and robotics, highlighting the country’s commitment to Rwanda’s vision for development.
For some Rwandans, this improved relationship presents new opportunities. Comedian Hervé Kimenyi, who previously avoided performing in French due to dwindling audiences, is now opening a comedy club featuring performances in French, aiming to attract both Rwandans and French-speaking professionals from other parts of Africa.
Berville believes that to make these improved relations lasting, France must address shared challenges like climate change and take concrete steps to reckon with the past, including prosecuting genocide suspects still in France. “Words are good,” he said, “but actions are better.”
