Africa-Press – Rwanda. President Paul Kagame on Friday, August 29, received a delegation from the Leadership Centre of the State of Qatar at Village Urugwiro.
The delegation is in the country on a five-day study visit, which began on August 25.
During the meeting, President Kagame reflected on Rwanda’s painful history, particularly the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed the lives of over a million people.
He shared the lessons of resilience, unity, and self-reliance that shaped the nation’s recovery.
President Paul Kagame receives a delegation from the Leadership Centre of the State of Qatar at Urugwiro Village on Friday, August 29.
“Thirty-one years ago, whatever you saw around and beyond was not here. It was chaos, it was destruction. We went right to the bottom of the lowest people could go. So we found ourselves confronting a situation where the only way to go was up. You may need somebody to help, and people will always help. But remember, you are there for yourself, first and foremost,” Kagame said.
He further emphasized personal responsibility and bold leadership as key aspects in leadership.
“Others who want help can come and build on that. But if you think you can rely on other people to solve your problem, you are done. You will never solve the problem,” he challenged the young leaders to be bold and always hold one another accountable.
He said: “You may make a mistake, but so what? Every human being makes a mistake. But when you fall down again, don’t stay there, just get up and keep going. So that’s how we tried to rebuild ourselves, and we are continuing.”
The President also highlighted the importance of unity and inclusive development as central to Rwanda’s vision.
“The number one thing in the vision was to bring the country back together. The vision of a united country. It doesn’t matter whose background or what background people have.”
He however added that unity without prosperity amounts to nothing.
“You have left this divisionism, but if you are not divided, but you stay poor, what does it help? We want our country, our people, to grow and develop the nation.”
The Qatar delegation received by Rwanda Cooperation Agency on August 25, engaged with different government institutions, including Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), the Ombudsman’s Office, National Bank of Rwanda, and Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement.
The team also visited Kigali Genocide Memorial, paying tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide and deepening their understanding of Rwanda’s tragic history and its journey toward recovery.
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