Paul Kagame Best Quotes & Sayings

National security is vital for economic and social progress. — Paul Kagame

I do not want to be cynical, but if developing nations are kept backward by being told, again and again, you belong to the poor and you are there, where you actually belong, then nothing will change. — Paul Kagame

Africa's story has been written by others; we need to own our problems and solutions and write our story. — Paul Kagame

Such problems are not solved in one day but there is a great step toward peace and security in the region. — Paul Kagame

Rwanda is a very open and free country. Key to our recovery as a nation has a range of grassroots, citizen-centered polices we call "homegrown solutions." The idea that Rwanda is highly controlled from the center belies the reality, which is that citizens in every village have a powerful say in how things get done. We prize accountability and Rwandans are quickly adapting themselves to the possibilities of a digital economy. — Paul Kagame

My purpose is to develop a country, to empower its population. It's from that same population that will emerge the man or woman who will succeed me. And they will be chosen based on the consensus that they have the capacity to lead the country. — Paul Kagame

Infrastructure is key, but also how it's used, and that's political. — Paul Kagame

I often wonder why the West is much more interested in aid deliveries than in fair trade, for example. The fair exchange of goods would place far more money into the hands of the affected people than relief operations. — Paul Kagame

Human rights groups are locked in a fierce competition for big checks from wealthy donors and they need to generate big headlines. — Paul Kagame

In Africa today, we recognise that trade and investment, and not aid, are pillars of development. — Paul Kagame

Technology has brought many possibilities in education and health that are key to women. — Paul Kagame

I am not responsible for creating an opposition, neither am I responsible for appointing my own successor. My job is to allow for the opposition to exist within what the realms of the law. There is space in Rwanda for political parties - if fact we have about a dozen of them - as long as their objective is not to take us back twenty two years. On that point, we are and will always be very vigilant. — Paul Kagame

Let no one think that flexibility and a predisposition to compromise is a sign of weakness or a sell-out. — Paul Kagame

The history and national interest of Rwanda and the Rwandan people dictate our national orientation. — Paul Kagame

It is the first time in the history of Rwanda that political change in the highest leadership of the country has taken place in peace and security. — Paul Kagame

Aid leads to more aid and more aid and more aid and less independence of the people that are receiving aid. — Paul Kagame

The West has institutions that can punish the misconduct of individuals. What drove Rwanda and Africa into decline was the fact that certain people weren't held accountable. When we move to make corrupt mayors or officers answer to the courts, people always immediately say that we are repressive. But should we allow these people to continue to get away with it? — Paul Kagame

Israel and Rwanda both play an active part in international organizations, including the U.N., but I think it's true that our unique experiences as nations have shaped a fierce independence that we will not relinquish. — Paul Kagame

There is a need to take advantage of the change that has taken place in the Congo, however tragic that has been in its coming. — Paul Kagame

Rwanda is a monarchy not a democracy. — Paul Kagame

Democracy holds little appeal for people who are struggling to survive. — Paul Kagame

Rwanda is not over needing aid, but we can survive with less aid than before. — Paul Kagame

The West is anything but altruistic. — Paul Kagame

There are some who are scared by unity and by building a country on the basis of ideas. — Paul Kagame

There are things I admire, for example, about South Korea or Singapore. I admire their history, their development and how intensively they have invested in their people and in technology. — Paul Kagame

The efficiency of a President at the beginning of his term depends on their capacity to get everything under control. That was my case. But once the institutions have been put in place, and the responsibilities delegated, the leader becomes a reference, a referee, a symbol and unifying figure for the nation. The issue is how and when to recognize the moment when staying in power becomes counterproductive. — Paul Kagame

It is the population which decides when it's time for a leader to leave, not foreign powers. — Paul Kagame

Strong economic growth, and especially a significant increase in private sector investment, is the only sustainable path forward for Rwanda. — Paul Kagame

Rwanda has its own problems and never sought to blame others or cause others trouble. I advise Burundi to do the same. — Paul Kagame

I had to fight hard for everything. I wanted to get out. I want to take my destiny into my own hands and escape the vicious cycle of retaliatory violence. This struggle has shaped who I am to this day. — Paul Kagame