President Kagame reaffirms Rwanda’s firm stand on national security
President Paul Kagame has reiterated that Rwanda drew a clear line long ago—it will not tolerate anything that threatens its security.
He made the remarks during the Inkera y’Abahizi ceremony that concluded the 18th edition of the Unity Club Intwararumuri Forum on November 8, 2025.
The Head of State pointed out that the agreements Rwanda signs with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are riddled with deceit, but emphasized that Rwanda had already set its boundaries clearly.
He said, “Those agreements contain a lot of deceit. Everything we do, say, and how we live or fight alongside others—we drew the line long ago. Anything that destabilizes Rwanda is something we will never tolerate.”
He went on to stress, “Our determination to live is something we either live for or die for.”
President Kagame urged citizens not to live in despair or lose hope in achieving progress, but rather to strive for a good life without depending on others.
He explained, “The reason you choose how to live should not depend on others sustaining your life or wellbeing. You should not always look to others to provide for you. If that were the case, why shouldn’t they also look to you for their own survival? Why shouldn’t everyone see in one another the potential to sustain life?”
The President highlighted that Rwanda’s progress has been achieved through the combined efforts of leaders and citizens, encouraging everyone to constantly reflect on their individual contribution to the nation’s development.
He further questioned why African countries, despite having gained independence over 50 or 60 years ago, have not made significant strides in development, while other nations that were at the same level have advanced economically.
He said, “As we are here today, people have different abilities and levels of reasoning, which is good because when combined, they lead to collective progress. But the question remains—Rwanda, Africa—where were we 50 or 60 years ago? Looking closely, we are still almost where we were back then.”
He added, “We must find solutions to our challenges once and for all. Otherwise, we might have to openly admit that there is a curse upon us. We cannot continue to pretend everything is fine while we remain stagnant.”
President Kagame said he finds it hard to understand why African countries accept to live in poverty and poor conditions when they have both the resources and the choices to transform and achieve real development.
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, said that the problem facing African nations lies in poor governance and a mindset that accepts poverty as a permanent condition.
Charles Murigande noted that Africa’s main problem is bad leadership—leaders who do not love or serve their people but rather seek personal gain.
He stated, “A true leader should eat last, but we have leaders who eat alone and leave no one to succeed them.”
Father Consolateur said the continent’s challenges stem from the lingering effects of colonialism, which taught Africans that they were inferior—and unfortunately, many accepted and internalized that belief.
He said, “They uprooted us completely—and we accepted it.”
Minister of Internal Security, Dr. Vincent Biruta, concluded that African nations could free themselves from dependency if they commit to self-reliance.
