Rwanda's President Paul Kagame visited Paris on Tuesday to unveil a monument dedicated to victims of the Rwandan genocide, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, in a further acknowledgement by France of its role in one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century.
Issued on: 03/06/2026 - 16:55Modified: 03/06/2026 - 16:55
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The monument stands on the banks of the Seine, on the Esplanade Habib-Bourguiba near the Pont de l'Alma, in the heart of Paris, and is presented as a new step in France's efforts to take responsibility for its past policies and re-engage with Africa. Named "L'Archive" ("The Archive"), it was designed by the acclaimed Portuguese artist of African descent Grada Kilomba, who is also a writer and researcher in the field of African memory. The monument consists of two black brass steles bearing an engraved tribute to the hundreds of thousands of men, women and children massacred between April and July 1994.
'The Archive', the new Memorial to the Genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda, designed by artist Grada Kilomba, was unveiled in Paris on 2 June 2026. © Pierre Antoine for CNAP
