Solutions to Africa’s challenges are within – Kagame

Answers to Africa’s challenges and problems can be found within the continent, President Paul Kagame has said. The President was speaking at the graduation of African Leadership University School of Business. This was the inaugural graduation of the business school with 38 students from 17 countries (15 African countries). Speaking at the graduation, the president said that answers and solutions to some of Africa’s biggest challenges can be found within the continent. “Answers for Africa’s greatest challenges can be found right here in Africa, we just need the conviction and confidence to go forward. This is what ALU represents. By bringing together Africa’s youngest leaders and giving them the true opportunity to put their talents to use, they are playing a big role in the transformation our community,” the president said. Kagame added that the increasing global uncertainty could serve as an opportunity for Africa to get organised and provide leadership on global issues. “We are all keenly aware of global uncertainty. Nationalism and protectionism are on the increase as citizen’s question their political systems even in the most economically advanced nations…However, as bleak as the news may seem at times, there is an opportunity for African countries to get better organised and provide leadership on vital global issues,” the Head of State said. Among the ways that Africa is getting organized he said include implementation of reforms as well as signing of agreements on trade and free movement of people. “For example, the African Union is steadily implementing our institutional reform as we continue to pursue greater integration and economic prosperity. To date forty-nine countries have signed the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. More than half of member states have also signed the agreement on the free movement of people,” the president said. He challenged the graduates to make the most of the developments and get involved towards driving the development and transformation. “These positive developments provide immense scope for graduates like you with entrepreneurial talent and skills. You have such a major stake and we hope that you will get involved at all levels and in all sectors to drive Africa’s transformation agenda,” Kagame said. Sharing his leadership experience with the graduates, Kagame said when they set out initially during the liberation, few had adequate management experience but were forced to learn quickly on the job and they used experiences and failures as lesson. “The lesson here was that there will always be challenges along the way but what matters is to confront them head on in order to make progress,” Kagame told the graduates. Kagame also commended the institution for proving that it is possible for the continent to provide relevant world-class education that is relevant globally. Earlier in the day, the President gave a lecture to the graduating class. Using Rwanda as case study leadership using Rwanda as a case study. During the lecture, he showed the contrast between leading a liberation movement and heading a government as well his adjustment process following the liberation. He also gave insights to reasons he is keen on being detail oriented and working with goals in mind and accountability as well as the importance of gender equality. “We are driven to achieve, we are looking for solutions and that suggests you want to see a difference and I don’t think you can get to where you want to be without accounting for the process,” he said. “It doesn’t start with women. Mindset is that of starting with everyone. You cannot talk about everybody and leave women behind. You have to ask how we can move forward if women are treated like that,” he said on gender equality. Econet Group Founder, Strive Masiyiwa who gave the commencement speech said that contrary to popular perception, there was nothing lacking to take the continent towards the much desired growth. African Leadership University founder, Fred Swaniker said that part of the reason they chose to settle the MBA class in Kigali was to give learners an experience of leadership and transformation that is found in Rwanda. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Solutions to Africa’s challenges are within – Kagame