Western prescriptions for resolving and managing issues could not be applied to other countries as these have their own failures and things should be addressed within their context, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame has said.
Speaking at Doha Forum 2019 yesterday, President Kagame said change of leaders and presidents is not an end in itself and should be considered within the context of the choice of the people.
In response to a question on whether he would run for another term in office, he said change should be dependent on the context and what the people have decided. He said he personally would like to enjoy his life and would not like this to happen, but the situation at that time would determine the decision.
Kagame stressed that great things have been achieved in Rwanda but work is still in progress and challenges need to be overcome. There are a number of problems to deal with, in particular regarding the history and geography of the country, and they are working hard to resolve them.
Asked whether he liked the idea of being the “darling of Europe”, he said it is up to them to call him so but he is looking for co-operation and partnership and not dictation. He also talked about the need for more collaborative efforts to combat the spread of corruption in Africa, stressing that countries in the West that receive the embezzled assets and benefit from it are considered partners in spreading corruption.
He said this issue has been discussed with the neighbouring countries as a serious impediment to the efforts of progress and development, stressing that there is a real determination to continue the fight against all possible forms of corruption and eradicate this culture from Africa.
President Kagame is credited for his efforts to end the ethnic cleansing and clashes in Rwanda and maintaining peace, stability and security of the country. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and President Kagame honoured the winners of fourth edition of Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award at a ceremony at the Kigali Convention Centre Garden recently in recognition of Kagame’s efforts in the fight against corruption.
Regarding the precious metal wealth of Rwanda, Kagame stressed that he wants to introduce the metal processing industry in the country rather than exporting them as raw materials to give the people of the country the maximum possible benefit in partnership with investors from around the world.