KIGALI - President Paul Kagame has urged the young generation to acknowledge the problem that aid is before soliciting for answers of how and why Africa should be less dependent on foreign aid.

He said this last evening while officiating at the graduation of the first 100 graduates of the Academy for Leadership in Competitiveness and Prosperity (ALCP) initiative.

The programme, facilitated by the OTF Group Rwanda through the Accelerated Competitiveness and Execution (RACE), saw its maiden graduates interact with the President at the event held at Prime Holdings.

Reacting to a question on how Africa can get rid of aid dependency, the President who is also the brain behind the programme, said that its high time the young generation learnt to be creative and innovative in order to become self dependent.

"If you recognise that aid dependency deprives us of the best values of human kind, that is esteem and dignity, then you will be able to recognise the need to get rid of it.”

"Think of areas you can be very creative, self dependent and that’s the strategy we need,” Kagame said. He emphasized the need for hard work if they are to liberate themselves and the country from the syndrome.

"It’s upon you, these people (OTF Group) have trained you, but there is another distance you need to actually ‘run’ not walk,” Kagame cautioned the group.

The group referred to as the ‘President’s 100’ is made up of young professionals from the Private and Public sectors.

The programme was designed and inspired by Kagame with an aim of breeding a generation of young persons capable of taking on the challenges and demands as tomorrow’s future leaders.

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