France Had Role in 1994 Rwanda Genocide, Macron Says

French President Emmanuel Macron was in Rwanda’s capital Thursday, where he acknowledged France’s role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and said he hoped for forgiveness.  

Speaking alongside Rwandan President Paul Kagame at the Gisozi genocide memorial in Kigali, Macron said, "I hereby humbly and with respect stand by your side today, I come to recognize the extent of our responsibilities." Macron is the first French leader since 2010 to visit the East African nation, which has long accused France of complicity in the killing of some 800,000 mostly Tutsi Rwandans.   The visit follows the release in March of a French inquiry panel report saying a colonial attitude had blinded French officials, and the government bore a "serious and overwhelming" responsibility for not foreseeing the slaughter.