Kagame Arrives in Paris to Inaugurate Historic Genocide Memorial Alongside Macron
PARIS, France — Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame arrived in Paris today for a historic joint ceremony with French President Emmanuel Macron to inaugurate a permanent memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The monument, named “L’Archive,” is scheduled to be officially unveiled on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 2, 2026, on the Esplanade Habib-Bourguiba along the Seine River.
The state-backed project represents a major step forward in the diplomatic reconciliation between Kigali and Paris.
Designed by acclaimed Portuguese artist Grada Kilomba, the memorial features a prominent double stèle crafted from black brass blocks resting upon a solid slab of volcanic lava stone.
The initiative, co-funded and organized by the French state and the Paris municipality, marks the first permanent site of remembrance for the 1994 genocide in the French capital.
Today’s arrival marks President Kagame’s latest high-level engagement in France, building upon a series of key diplomatic summits designed to move past historical grievances and look toward the future.
In March 2026, President Kagame visited Paris to participate in the 2nd World Nuclear Energy Summit, emphasizing Rwanda’s commitment to clean energy infrastructure, which was followed closely by a shared focus on economic co-investment at the Africa Forward Summit in May.
Alongside the memorial events, the two leaders are expected to hold private talks at the Élysée Palace to address bilateral trade and ongoing regional security challenges in the Great Lakes Region.
The inauguration of “L’Archive” underscores a mutual commitment by both governments to institutionalize historical memory, cementing the updated partnership forged since France officially acknowledged its historical responsibilities regarding Rwanda’s past.
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