President Paul Kagame says Rwanda and Israel share the dark history of the Genocide – similarity that has instilled a close bond between the two countries.
In 1994, Rwanda fell into 100 days of darkness, as over one million Tutsi were exterminated.
The tragedy took place fifty years after the Nazi Holocaust saw six million Jews killed – the worst Genocide of the 20th century.
Speaking to thousands of participants at American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference in Washington DC. on Sunday March 26, 2017, President Kagame said, “My message today is simple: Rwanda is, without question, a friend of Israel.”
Following those tragedies, Rwanda and Israel have established strong partnerships in several sectors including education, health, energy; agriculture and technology with aim to boost livelihoods of their citizens.
Benjamin Nyetanyau, Israeli Prime Minister, paid a visit to Rwanda in July last year during which he stressed that both countries have “shared understanding of Genocide.”
Holocaust and Genocide against Tutsi plunged both countries into many intractable problems but they have defied against all the odds to rebuild their nations economically and socially. Currently, both countries stand as models of prosperity across the world.
President Kagame said that no tragedy is so vast that human ingenuity and resilience cannot give rise to a better future, adding that the security of people who have once been targeted for extermination can never be exclusively physical.
In his speech during a visit to Rwanda, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We both persevered despite the pain, and despite the hurt, we survived. We never lost hope and you never lost hope. Today, Israel and Rwanda are successful states and models for progress.”
The world still grapples with challenges of Genocide denials – despite the two worst tragedies that befell Rwanda and Israel.
President Kagame called for renewed efforts and global solidarity against the efforts to deny Genocide and trivialize the victims.
During the head of state’s address, he put a pat on Israel’s back for its productive partnerships and cooperation the African continent.
“For Rwanda and many other countries in Africa, engaging productively with Israel has opened new horizons.”
The AIPAC Policy Conference is the largest meeting of America’s pro-Israel community.
It brings together more than 18,000 pro-Israel Americans from all walks of life including government presidents, congressmen, businessmen, researchers, academicians and students among others.
