President Kagame and Adama Dieng discuss strengthening Africa’s commitment to genocide prevention

On Monday, President Paul Kagame hosted Adama Dieng, the African Union’s Special Envoy for the Prevention of Genocide, at Village Urugwiro.

Dieng, who is currently on a tour of East and Central African countries, discussed the need to bolster collaboration among African nations to prevent crimes against humanity and combat genocide denial and distortion.

Rwanda has taken a leading role in promoting unity and reconciliation since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

In discussions between President Kagame and Adama Dieng, Rwanda’s example as a nation dedicated to combatting genocide denial and ensuring that such atrocities never happen again was highlighted as a model for other countries.

As announced by Village Urugwiro on X, the leaders discussed Africa’s need to prioritize solidarity among its countries to overcome obstacles to preventing crimes against humanity and to foster a unified approach against genocide.

Adama Dieng praised Rwanda’s commitment to unity and reconciliation, noting that its efforts to counter genocide ideology provide essential guidance for African nations seeking peace and justice.

Dieng’s visit follows an international conference held in Rwanda that gathered experts, including Alice Wairimu Nderitu, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, and Serge Brammertz, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT).

The conference focused on Africa’s role in ending the culture of impunity and emphasized the importance of restorative justice.

Dieng, a former Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania, underscored that Rwanda’s efforts to advance peace, reconciliation, and the fight against genocide serve as a powerful step forward for all African nations to work together to prevent the spread of genocide ideology.

Originally from Senegal, Dieng stated that Africa’s collective action in genocide prevention would promote peace and safeguard human rights across the continent, drawing inspiration from Rwanda’s achievements in unity, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Rwanda has continued to prioritize genocide prevention initiatives and works to preserve the memory of the genocide, offering lessons to the world on the importance of remembrance and the commitment to ensuring that such history is not forgotten.