French president Macron acknowledges France's role in Rwanda genocide

PARIS, France 

French President Emmanuel Macron has made a significant admission regarding France's involvement in the 1994 Rwanda genocide, stating that France and its allies "could have stopped" the genocide but "lacked the will to do so." 

Macron's statement comes as Rwanda commemorates the 30th anniversary of the genocide.

In a video to be released on social media on Sunday, Macron acknowledges France's failure to act decisively during one of the darkest chapters in Rwanda's history.

He asserts that France, along with its Western and African allies, had the capacity to intervene and prevent the genocide, but ultimately fell short due to a lack of determination.

This admission marks a significant shift in France's stance on its role in the genocide. Macron's acknowledgment follows his visit to Rwanda in 2021, during which he recognized France's "responsibility" in the genocide. 

Macron’s office said France will be represented by Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné at the commemoration of the genocide scheduled on Sunday in Kigali, the French president himself being held back in France by World War II commemorations that day.

The genocide, which claimed the lives of over 800,000 people, primarily targeted ethnic Tutsis and Hutus.