On 20th November 2025, Ms. Éléonore Caroit, French Minister of State for La Francophonie and international partnerships, visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial where she recalled the “heavy responsibility” of France in events leading to the Genocide against the Tutsi, and personally committed to “keeping this truth alive”.
During her visit, Caroit explored the memorial’s exhibits about the causes, reality and consequences of the Genocide, as well as Rwanda’s remarkable journey of reconciliation and rebuilding over the last 31 years. At the end of her visit, the Minister wrote in the Memorial’s guestbook. Translated from the original French, this was her message:
“After walking through this memorial, reading and listening to its testimonies of pain and courage, I wish to express, with solemnity and compassion, the emotion I feel. I pay tribute to the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi, to their families, and to all those whose lives were shattered by hatred and the racist ideology that leads to the unspeakable. Being here reinforces the necessity of passing on this history and facing the truth head-on.
Through the voice of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, France has acknowledged the heavy responsibility it bore in the events that led to this tragedy. It has committed to keeping this truth alive. I make this commitment my own: this truth compels us and commits us to pursue, with determination, the path of justice, recognition, and dialogue.
In the face of these testimonies of suffering and courage, I reaffirm France’s commitment to supporting peace, reconciliation, and the protection of human dignity. The memory of the victims sheds light on our collective responsibility and our duty to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again.”
Pictures from Éléonore Caroit’s visit can be viewed here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/142016030@N02/albums/72177720330534534/
