New Documents Shed Light: Why Did Peacekeepers Withdraw during Rwanda’s 1994 Genocide?

Abstract

Why did the international community decide to withdraw United Nations peacekeeping troops from Rwanda during the 1994 genocide? Analysis of newly released documents and results from an international conference with former U.N. and government officials sheds further light on our understanding of what took place leading up to and during the Rwandan genocide. This article focuses on two key moments: 1) the United States’ reluctance to support the peacekeeping mission from before its mandate began and prior to the killing of U.S. troops in Somalia in autumn 1993; and the United States’ central role pushing the United Nations Security Council to call for a withdrawal of UNAMIR. It provides a greater understanding of international decision making in the U.N. security council, as well as foreign policy making within the U.S. government, contributing to more effective genocide prevention policy and advocacy efforts.