Kagame urges global leaders to build strong nations from within
By
Mbera Tony Gad Lee
Published on
October 29, 2025
On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, President Paul Kagame attended the 9th Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he emphasized national accountability and self-reliance as foundations for global success, drawing on Rwanda’s post-Genocide transformation. He also participated in panel discussions and met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss bilateral cooperation.
His Excellency President Paul Kagame stressed that leaders should consider the needs of their citizens and implement them in order to earn their trust. He reiterated this message during a high-level panel discussion with heads of state and government, as well as the President of FIFA.
“The starting point is always going to be how you deal with your own business. We (Rwandans) have emerged from terrible challenges. 30 years ago, the country was completely destroyed, and those of us who survived had to make a choice,” President Kagame said, reflecting on lessons learned and the difficult decisions taken over the last 31 years since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
President Kagame emphasized that Rwanda’s progress is rooted in strengthening national capacity, ensuring accountability, and reducing dependency on external support. He argued that true international partnerships are not built on reliance but on mutual respect fostered by internal resilience.
The key takeaway from President Kagame’s engagements was his firm stance on prioritizing internal strength before seeking external validation. He urged global leaders to focus on addressing domestic challenges first. According to him, self-driven progress ultimately leads to more valuable cooperation and balanced relationships on the global stage.
