Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

Rwanda’s delegation, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, included Ambassador to the United States Mathilde Mukantabana, Brigadier General Patrick Karuretwa, responsible for international military cooperation, and Government Spokesperson Yolande Makolo.

The U.S. team, headed by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Troy Fitrell, comprised Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos and U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda Eric Kneedler.

Minister Nduhungirehe emphasized that the dialogue establishes a structured framework for regular discussions between the two nations focused on political, economic, security and health pillars.

Ambassador Mukantabana also took to X to highlight the significance of this milestone.

“This week has marked an important step in advancing Rwanda-U.S. relations. Through high-level discussions on an array of topics, we reaffirmed our shared commitment to deepening our cooperation. We look forward to building on this momentum to strengthen our enduring partnership and address common challenges together,” she stated.

The launch follows a U.S.-facilitated signing of the Declaration of Principles between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on April 25, aimed at promoting stability and cooperation in the Great Lakes region.

Earlier in April, Massad Boulos, during visits to Rwanda and the DRC, reaffirmed U.S. support for development projects and pledged to encourage American investment in the region.

Embaló had previously visited Kigali in July 2024 for President Kagame’s inauguration ceremony.

In 2023, Kagame traveled to Guinea-Bissau, where he was honored with the Amílcar Cabral Medal, the highest distinction awarded to heads of state from nations friendly to Guinea-Bissau.

Named after the African hero who fought against colonialism, the medal symbolized the deepening ties between the two countries.

During that visit, Kagame toured the national museum dedicated to Amílcar Cabral, and Guinea-Bissau’s soldiers performed a song celebrating the strength of Rwandan forces, with lyrics proclaiming, “The Rwandan army is strong; we defeated the enemy and chased him away.” Rwanda’s diplomatic relations with Guinea-Bissau are overseen by its ambassador to Senegal.

Located in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau has a population of about 2.1 million people, most of whom rely on peanut farming and fishing, and its growing partnership with Rwanda reflects a shared commitment to African solidarity.

Held in the culturally significant city of Qufu on April 25, 2025, the forum united participants in a shared mission to harness media as a force for weaving humanity’s diverse voices into a cohesive, resilient future.

Organized by China Media Group in partnership with the People’s Government of Shandong Province, the event brought together media professionals, scholars, government officials, and industry leaders from around the world.

Focused on strengthening global dialogue through media innovation and sustainable development, the forum featured keynote speeches, panel discussions, and field visits to high-tech enterprises in Qingdao and Yantai.

Its purpose was to explore how media can advance intercultural understanding and contribute to a more resilient and inclusive global future.

As the sunlit courtyards of Qufu witnessed the exchange of ideas, participants were reminded that civilization itself depends on communication rooted in respect and inclusiveness.

Drawing from Confucian teachings, Deputy Head of Publicity, Department of the CPC Central Committee and President of CMG, Shen Haixiong, emphasized, “Exchanges and mutual learning are essential for civilizations to flourish.”

Reflecting on President Xi Jinping’s call for a “civilizational outlook based on equality, mutual appreciation, dialogue and inclusiveness,” the speaker called for the media to embrace a new role—not just telling stories, but weaving civilizations together.

Addressing the complexity of today’s media landscape, Melissa Fleming, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, underscored the pressing need for information integrity.

“Much of the world denounces the information from social media,” she warned, lamenting that algorithms often prioritize sensationalism over truth.

Fleming urged leaders and journalists to “raise and enforce editorial standards” and to “safeguard our future by providing quality journalism based on facts and reality,” reinforcing the forum’s shared belief that reliable media is essential for a sustainable global community.

The Forum also reflected Shandong’s broader commitment to openness and innovation. Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of Shandong Provincial People’s Congress, stressed that “media serves as a bridge and link to enhance mutual trust and an important force to promote cultural exchanges,” emphasizing the province’s strategic vision to strengthen international communication through technological empowerment and cultural storytelling.

Media innovation was not seen as a force opposed to tradition, but as an extension of civilization’s enduring values. As Shen Haixiong noted, “The wisdom of Confucianism—harmony in diversity and unity of all things—has shaped the open-mindedness and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization.”

This wisdom, they argued, must guide the media’s evolution in an era of artificial intelligence and global digital connectivity.

The Forum showcased how new technologies can deepen cultural exchanges rather than dilute them.

“We are injecting benevolence and civilization progress values into the intelligent transformation,” Shen affirmed, envisioning a future where AI strengthens human bonds rather than fragments them.

“An RSF force carried out a horrific massacre, executing 31 people from the Al-Salha area, including underage children, in the deadliest documented mass killing the area has ever witnessed,” the Sudanese Doctors Network, a volunteer group, said in a statement.

“We consider this mass execution a war crime and a crime against humanity. We call on the international community to act urgently to save the remaining civilians and to open safe corridors to allow them to leave Al-Salha, which is home to thousands of unarmed civilians,” it added.

Meanwhile, the Central Resistance Committees of Al-Salha, another volunteer group, also reported the killing, saying that the militia abducted unarmed civilians from the area and executed them.

“Available data suggests that the number of civilians killed exceeds 30,” the group noted.

The Emergency Lawyers Initiative, a third volunteer group, also condemned the killing, calling it “a brutal crime and a grave violation of all international conventions, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Videos shared by soldiers wearing RSF uniforms showed detainees sitting on the ground before being shot. In the footage, one soldier was heard saying, “We will leave no prisoners anymore.”

The RSF currently controls the Al-Salha area, situated in southern Omdurman, which has seen frequent clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. The RSF has not yet responded to the allegations.

Sudan has been mired in conflict between the SAF and RSF since mid-April 2023, a war that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, with the exact toll unknown. The International Organization for Migration estimates that the conflict has displaced over 15 million people, both within Sudan and abroad.

Addressing a diverse audience of Rwandan compatriots, young people, friends of Rwanda, and diplomatic representatives, she reflected on the nation’s painful history and its remarkable recovery while sounding a warning about ongoing threats to peace.

The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi remains one of the most harrowing chapters in modern history. In just 100 days, over one million Tutsi—men, women, children, and newborns—were systematically exterminated in a meticulously planned campaign.

Amb. Munyangaju emphasized that this was no spontaneous act but the culmination of decades of ethnic division, hateful ideologies, and discriminatory policies sown during colonial times and perpetuated by post-independence regimes. “It was one of the fastest and most brutal genocides,” she stated, carried out under the world’s gaze.

The theme of the commemoration, “Remember – Unite – Renew”—encapsulated Rwanda’s approach to healing and progress.

Remembering, Amb. Munyangaju stressed, is an act of truth and justice. It involves honoring the victims, acknowledging the devastation of entire families, and recognizing the courage of survivors whose resilience continues to inspire.

It also demands confronting the complicity of international actors whose inaction or support enabled the atrocities. “Remembering is rejecting forgetfulness, trivialization, and denial,” she declared.

Yet, the ambassador warned, the fight is far from over. Thirty-one years later, genocidal ideology persists, fueled by denialist networks and revisionist narratives often backed by international funding.

Groups like the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) remain active, tolerated, and even supported in some regions, notably by elements within the Congolese government.

“We cannot ignore the continued spread of genocidal ideology, nurtured by groups like the FDLR,” Amb. Munyangaju asserted, calling for unwavering vigilance and action to counter these threats.

Rwanda’s response to its tragic past has been nothing short of remarkable. Refusing to be defined by horror, the nation chose reconciliation over vengeance. Amb. Munyangaju saluted the survivors’ extraordinary strength, noting their ability to forgive and contribute to rebuilding a united Rwanda as a testament to shared humanity.

Under visionary leadership and with a forward-looking youth, Rwanda has transformed into a beacon of stability, social progress, and restored dignity. “We refused to be prisoners of the past,” she said, highlighting the collective commitment to coexistence and healing without erasing the scars.

The ambassador also underscored the role of the Rwandan diaspora, particularly young people, as guardians of memory and defenders of truth.

“You are the ambassadors of our history,” she told them, urging them to combat misinformation, support survivors, and uphold Rwanda’s values in their host countries.

To the friends of Rwanda present, she expressed profound gratitude for their solidarity, emphasizing that their fight against denial reinforces the global call of “Never Again.”

Looking forward, Munyangaju reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to preventing genocide worldwide and fostering peace within the international community.

The commemoration, she noted, is not only a moment of reflection but a call to action—a shared responsibility to build a future where justice, unity, and dignity prevail.

“This is our moral duty, our shared promise, and our common legacy,” she concluded.

Lawyer Richard Gisagara, who made a presentation on the journey to justice, emphasized that “justice was—and remains—the first condition for hope in peace” in rebuilding Rwanda after the tragedy.

He described the genocide as “a failure of Rwandan society, but also a failure of the international community,” where ordinary citizens massacred “men and women, the elderly and newborns alike” over 100 days.

Gisagara stressed that a society that does not punish such crimes risks perpetual violence, making justice essential to break the cycle of impunity and restore hope.

He urged Europe to treat the Genocide against the Tutsi with the same seriousness as the Holocaust, advocating for robust action to combat denial and protect societies from hatred, ensuring justice for victims and survivors.

karirima@igihe.com