Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Wednesday called on African nations to take greater responsibility for their own development and security, saying the continent has the resources, talent, and knowledge needed but often fails to act with conviction.
Speaking during a press conference at Urugwiro Village with local, regional, and international journalists, Kagame delivered pointed remarks on governance, regional diplomacy, and Rwanda’s economic decisions, including the end of the country’s “Visit Rwanda” partnership with Arsenal.
Kagame said Africa’s biggest challenges stem not from a lack of capacity but from choices made by its leaders and citizens.
“If I remember the saying, you can take horses to the well to drink water but you can’t force them to drink,” he said. “Africans have everything. We have the water in front of us and we are thirsty. We should be drinking. But we find an excuse to not drink the water.”
He added that the continent continues to fall short in areas it should easily control. “All these things and areas we fall short, I can only be surprised and say why. Why do we keep falling short on everything, including the provision of security for our people, when we have the people, we have the resources, we have the knowledge.”
Kagame on Leadership
The president also spoke about the meaning of leadership, stressing that it must be measured by tangible improvements in people’s lives, not personal accolades.
“Leadership isn’t about just serving yourself and being proud that you have done something for yourself, except if you are delivering something,” Kagame said. “If you are leading people and you are delivering, and you see the benefits reflected in the lives of those people, then you can have personal satisfaction and pride.”
He emphasized that leadership is defined by actions, not credentials. “There’s the practice of it, the real tangible results you can see and hear from people. That makes the biggest difference,” he said. “We can learn the theory but in the end, the practice is ours. You can study and have degrees bestowed upon you about leadership and be there teaching leadership, but the moment you step out of the door, the choice is yours.”
Washington Peace Efforts With DRC
Kagame addressed ongoing efforts to revive peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo under a U.S. supported initiative. He said Rwanda remained committed to dialogue but warned that negotiations cannot succeed unless all parties demonstrate consistent commitment.
“We are still hopeful that we will be meeting. Our mediators have the intention to move things,” he said. “It is not about a mere trip to Washington. It is about finding sustainable solutions to peace in our region. Rwanda is ready.”
He criticized what he described as shifting positions from some participants. “They agree one thing in the United States or in Doha and the next day or a week later someone says, no, we are not going to do this, even when what they are referring to has also been under discussion.”
Kagame added that the presence of powerful countries does not guarantee progress. “Some of these processes will not work just because we are meeting in Washington or the United States is involved but until those people concerned directly are committed to achieve end results.”
On Rwanda–DRC Tensions and External Influence
The president reiterated that the crisis in eastern DRC is shaped by many actors beyond Rwanda and Congo.
“There is nothing between Rwanda and Congo, and the conflict that is just Congo and Rwanda,” he said. “Underneath, there is a volcano that we have to contend with. There are these external factors and actors and forces that are operating.”
He criticized what he sees as a pattern of African nations accepting unfair treatment from more powerful actors. “The mighty tend to think they are right and they don’t care, even when they realize that what they are involved in is wrong,” Kagame said. “It’s like Africans are happily exploited. We tend to be so subservient that somebody does wrong to you and the tendency is for the Africans to be the one to apologize.”
End of the Visit Rwanda–Arsenal Deal
Kagame confirmed the conclusion of Rwanda’s eight-year commercial partnership with Arsenal, saying the decision stemmed from routine business considerations.
“Eight years is a long time. We achieved what we were looking for,” he said. “These are commercial partnerships. They are reviewed, renewed, or changed depending on new conditions,” he added, dismissing claims that Rwanda was pressured to end the agreement.
Across the press conference, President Kagame repeatedly returned to a central message: Africa’s progress depends on its own choices.