France to open Mitterrand's Rwanda archives

France will open the Rwanda archives of former French president Francois Mitterrand, President Emmanuel Macron's office said in a statement on Wednesday.

Macron's office said the decision to make the 1990-94 archives freely accessible aims at creating the conditions to understand the role of France in Rwanda.

"France joins the Rwandan people to commemorate the genocide of the Tutsis and expresses on this day of remembrance its compassion and solidarity towards those who escaped and towards the families of the victims," the statement said.