ABSTRACT
This chapter examines past connections and potential new ground for improved interactions between France and Rwanda and the implications for the continent. It shows that the Francophone policy has remained central in many ways to French foreign policy. The policy of favoring the French language often concealed much deeper personal connections between African leaders and French government officials, as was the case with Rwanda. The Francophone policy gave France a much larger sphere of influence and made Rwanda a relevant partner. Despite the end of the Cold War, a third wave of democratization, and many other changes in the world, the importance of language in the French circles has remained an essential component to understand the continuity between France foreign policy over time and African countries. At the end of May 2010, the Twenty-Fifth Africa-France summit brought together African presidents, foreign ministers, top officials, and over 200 African business leaders, all invited to discuss the future of Franco-African relations.
