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President Kagame and First Lady attend 50th Anniversary of the African Union |
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Addis Ababa, 25 May 2013
President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame today joined over 70 Heads of States and Government for the 50th Anniversary of the African Union themed “Pan - Africanism and African Renaissance.”Leaders from both member states and non-member states will gather in Addis Ababa to celebrate Africa's achievements, elaborate solutions to common challenges and renew their commitment to the founding values of the African Union.
Minister Louise Musicianship stressed the importance of acknowledging the progress of the past decades while finding common solutions to challenges that remain ahead:
“At the 50 year line, we do not just celebrate we reflect on the road travelled and the long way still ahead. This African Day is about us leaders pledging to expedite the well being of our citizens and increase dialogue with our global partners in order to have a truly dignified and liberated Africa.”
Today's ceremony began with an interactive debate on Panafricanism and African Renaissance during which academics and heads of states looked back on the 50 year journey of the African Union and reiterated the need to accelerate continental integration and fulfill the vision of a unite and prosperous Africa set out fifty years ago.
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President Kagame receives UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and World Bank President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim |
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Kigali, 23 May 2013
President Kagame today received UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and the President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim who are in Rwanda as part of a joint regional mission to Mozambique, DRC, Uganda and Ethiopia to support efforts to build peace, stability and development particularly in the Great Lakes Region.
UN Secretary General and the World Bank President visited and toured a project of the Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission, laid wreaths at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre and laid a foundation stone for a new Centre for Excellence to fight violence against girls and women in conflict situations at the headquarters of the Rwanda National Police.
At official talks held at Urugwiro Village, where they were joined by senior Rwandan Government officials, President Kagame thanked Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon for creating the partnership that Rwanda fully supported and for creating the peace framework which forms the basis of renewed commitment and efforts toward stability and progress. He also thanked the World Bank President for being a partner in creating peace, security development saying that this joint visit meant a lot to Rwanda and the region.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed admiration for President Kagame’s leadership and strong commitment not only in the region but to development and prosperity in Rwanda, especially in meeting the Millennium Development Goals:
“President Kagame has been working and leading as co-chair of MDGs together with the Prime Minister of Australia. I hope many African nations will emulate what Rwanda is doing. I highly commend you, Mr. President for gender empowerment. Rwanda has demonstrated the best example with 56% of female representation in government - the highest level in the whole world.”
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President Kagame receives Wharton Business School Students |
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Kigali, 23 May 2013
President Kagame today received a group of students and instructors from Wharton Business School Students, who are part of the Rwanda Global Modular Courses, class of 2013. The students are in the country to find answers to several issues pertaining to Rwanda’s rapid transformation after suffering a brutal genocide in which nearly one million people were killed in a 3-months period.
Katherine J. Klein, an instructor at the school who is accompanying the students said:
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Dignity cannot be donated |
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London, 18 May 2013
Three thousand Rwandans and friends of Rwanda from across Europe, North America and Africa gathered in London to celebrate Rwanda Day themed “Agaciro: Delivering Prosperity.”
President Kagame greeted the cheering crowd of thousands by referring to both as “imfura” or dignified:
Referring to the challenges Rwanda has faced in the past year, President Kagame urged all present to remember the ability of Rwandans and Africans to find solutions within:
“It is when faced with challenges that a nation or a people prove their ability and their unity. Imfura do not run away from challenges and they do not change the integrity of imfura. Our history has taught us that we must be the solutions to our challenges and determine our destiny. What Africans should have in common is not the burden of dependency but the solution of self reliance.”
President Kagame stressed the importance of Agaciro that begins at home:
“We must begin by respecting ourselves. Dignity cannot be donated to us. We must give it to ourselves.
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Empowering people cannot happen without democracy |
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Oxford, 18 May 2013
This morning at Oxford University, President Kagame received the African Growth Award following his keynote speech at the 5th Oxford Africa Business Conference.
Pointing out that Africa is the second fastest growing region in the world with nine out of the fifteen countries with the highest rate of economic growth, President Kagame emphasized that growth in Africa is driven by the determination of Africans and well thought out policies that will ensure sustainability:
“There is no shortage of skeptics where Africa is concerned who think this growth cannot last. Equally, there are many who are convinced by the evidence that it will. Among these are those Africans, who are driving it and are resolved to maintain the momentum. The current growth is driven by structural changes within African countries, which means it can and will last. ”
When asked about critics perceived lack of democracy in favor of economic growth in Rwanda, President Kagame explained that Rwanda's transformation was a result of democracy and not at its expense:
“Is providing education to over 90 percent of Rwandan children and healthcare to over 90% of population authoritarian? How can providing food security and empowering people to feed themselves be against democracy or human rights?”
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