In Rwanda, the United Nations delayed its intervention until the genocide was in full swing. The peacekeeping force that was already present in the country was too small and ill-equipped to stop the killings. The international community also failed to impose economic sanctions on Rwanda or to take other diplomatic steps to pressure the government to stop the genocide.
In Darfur, on the other hand, the United Nations and the African Union quickly deployed a peacekeeping force to the region. The force has been able to prevent the mass killings from spreading, and it has helped to create a safe environment for humanitarian aid workers. The international community has also imposed economic sanctions on Sudan and taken other diplomatic steps to pressure the government to end the conflict in Darfur.
As of 2009, the genocide in Rwanda had claimed the lives of an estimated 800,000 people. The mass killings in Darfur have claimed the lives of an estimated 200,000 people. Although both situations involved the deliberate killing of large numbers of people, the response from the international community was significantly different in each case.