Europe

French President Emmanuel Macron Receives Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Paris on May 17, 2021

On May 18, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a France-Africa Economic Summit and  International Conference on Sudan in Paris, France. Several African heads of state attended, including Rwandan dictator General Paul Kagame.  In preparation for the summit, Rwanda and France  have been working to  renew  diplomatic ties, after years of diplomatic conflicts, with the governments of the two countries  blaming each other for the 1990s Rwandan  ethnic massacres, genocides,  and civil wars.   On the sidelines,Rwandan Dictator Paul Kagame  told the French media why he holds the grip on his country,  and why no one has the right to criticize him for appaulling human rights violations, including systematic massacres and invasions and looting of other countries. He specifically warned the United States of America and the European Union, to stay away from criticising his government. 

Ms Louise Mushikiwabo

Rwandan Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of International Community of La Francophonie, is  facing strong criticisms from governments of member states over alleged mismanagement. The criticisms have become louder as  the IX Francophonie Games are planned in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between August 19-28, 2022. 

Roger Lumbala (Left) and Francois Rucogoza in Kampala in March 2013

In a speech Bernard Membe then the Tanzanian Foreign Relations Minister told the parliament in Dar-Es-Salaam on May 27, 2014, that Rwandan backed rebels, M23, were Rwandan citizens, and were funded by the Rwandan government. Although know since M23  creation years earliers, It was the first time a government of an  influential African countries had publicly accused the Rwandan government for creating and backing the Rwandan rebels.  Rwandan backed M23 rebels were  then committing systematic massacres of Congolese civilians and Rwandan refugees and responsible for rapes, disappearances, acts of genocide, and looting in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). One of the leaders of the criminal militia was Roger Lumbala (for more on M23 backgroung see AfroAmerica Network  correspondents' reports, here) and AfroAmerica Network Archives (AfroAmerica Network Reports  and AfroAmerica Network Archives)