A high-level delegation from the Central African Republic (CAR) is visiting Rwanda this week to meet with, and learn from, organisations and governmental commissions working on post-genocide reconstruction across the country.
The Central African delegation is led by Dr Clément-Anicet Guiyama-Massogo, Minister in the Office of the President. It includes cabinet ministers, religious leaders and members of civil society.
This visit was initiated by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), a Swiss-based private diplomacy organisation which works to help prevent, mitigate, and resolve armed conflict through dialogue and mediation, with the support of Rwanda’s National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), and Aegis Trust Rwanda, a genocide and mass atrocity prevention organisation.
Over the course of this week, the CAR delegation will learn from Rwanda’s management of the post-genocide period. Participants will also have the opportunity to observe first-hand the justice and reconciliation initiatives put in place by Rwandans to foster national unity.
The CAR delegation will meet with representatives of the Rwandan National Unity and Reconciliation Commission and of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide.
It will also meet with survivor organisations including Ibuka Foundation, the Association of Genocide Widows (AVEGA), and the Genocide Survivors Students Association (AERG), as well as representatives of various ministries. The delegation will visit genocide memorials across the country and the Mutobo Demobilisation Centre.
HD’s project in CAR seeks to support transitional institutions to establish an inclusive national political dialogue framework, which will foster reconciliation and reconstruction pro-cesses as well as durable peace in the country. HD was instrumental in supporting the Bangui National Forum in May 2015 as part of these processes.
The organisation’s project in CAR is funded by the European Union.