Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Says UN Has Failed to Learn from Past Genocides

Kigali, January 27, 2026 - Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, has accused the international community, particularly the United Nations, of failing to draw meaningful lessons from past genocides, citing the continued targeting of vulnerable communities decades after the Holocaust and the Genocide against the Tutsi. Speaking at the 81st commemoration of the Genocide against Jews at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, Nduhungirehe said that despite global vows of “never again,” mass atrocities have continued. “In 1945, the whole world said it would never happen again, but it happened again 49 years later in Rwanda,” he said, referring to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. “Even today, 32 years later, Tutsi and Mulenge communities in eastern DRC are still being targeted because of their identity.” He questioned whether the UN has truly learned from the genocides in Europe and Rwanda, arguing that hate speech and violence continue to be ignored in parts of the region. The ceremony brought together international organizations, members of the Jewish community in Rwanda, diplomats, and senior Rwandan officials. It marked the annual remembrance of the Holocaust, in which more than six million Jews were killed under Nazi rule. Israel’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Einat Weiss, reflected on the shared histories of Israel and Rwanda, describing humanity as a mix of great good and profound evil. He acknowledged the persistence of Holocaust denial and distortion but praised Rwanda for its approach to remembrance, justice, reconciliation, and reconstruction. The UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, Ozonnia Ojielo, called for stronger international cooperation to combat hate speech and punish those who trivialize genocide, stressing that the principle of ntibizongere (“never again”) must be implemented, not merely repeated. German Ambassador Heike Uta Dettmann noted that while Jews rebuilt their lives in Germany after the Holocaust, antisemitism continues to surface worldwide, calling it shameful and urging stronger action against hatred.