At least nine heads of state and government from Africa and beyond have confirmed their participation at the 25th commemoration of the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi which takes place in Kigali on 7 April, a senior official confirmed Tuesday.
The Rwandan State Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe also indicated that on the list of invitees includes former US president Bill Clinton, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and the Prime Minister of Belgium, Charles Michel.
Confirmed guests include the Governor General of Canada, Julie Payette; Beninese president, Patrice Talon; President Denis Sassou-Nguesso of Congo Brazzaville, Djibouti President, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh; Mali leader, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, the president of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou and the president of Tchad, Idriss Déby Itno.
Among other invitees are the East African Community leaders and heads of regional economic communities from Africa and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat and the president of the European Union Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.
It also include Morocco Prime Minister, the speaker of the Swiss parliament, the advisor of Egyptian president, French MP Hervé Berville, the Nigeria VP, Senegalese and Tanzania Foreign Affairs ministers, the representative of the UN General Secretary and Madagascar’s Minister of Defense.
As Rwanda is set to mark the 1994 genocide on April 7 preparations are underway with some works having started as early as December last year.
This year’s commemoration is themed around the youth with activities focusing on young people, especially with regard to teaching them about history.
CU/as/APA