Denver Colorado - President Paul Kagame, on Friday, said that the partnership between the Young Presidents' Organisation (YPO) and the Rwandan people was important in linking to global networks of trade, learning and investment.

In the keynote address at the YPO Global Leadership Summit in Denver, Colorado, The President spoke of the importance of integrating the Rwandan market into the worldwide marketplace in order to sustain economic growth.

"Partnerships are the core of our strategy. We appreciate the efforts of a diverse group of organizations to be part of that strategy. There is space for all who seek to work with us, but a partnership with the YPO, with its breadth of capabilities and its focus on the long term, holds the possibility of infinite returns,” he said.

"We in Rwanda understand that economic growth is important for creating a strong society. Growth supports optimism for the future, tolerance, and civic engagement."

President Kagame encouraged members of the Rwanda chapter of YPO to continue engaging with the local population and to build lasting, partnerships within the government.

"We understand and believe that the private sector is the prime engine of our economy; that investment creates prosperity and opportunity for our people, as a basis of the society to which we aspire," he told the gathering of over 2,000 who attended the event.

John MacCall MacBain, YPO Founder, commended Kagame and the people of Rwanda for the tremendous progress made over the last sixteen years.

President Kagame also interacted with participants at the summit, answering several questions on leadership, progressive business climate and Rwanda’s zero tolerance for corruption.