Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Youth Connekt Africa Summit in Kigali on Friday, November 8, 2024, the Rwandan Head of State emphasized the need for leadership that prioritizes actionable change, urging leaders to align their words with practical, impactful solutions.
'We should get tired of saying the right things for so long. We want to see the right things happen,' President Kagame stated during a panel discussion at the Kigali Convention Center.
'At a personal level, I have been on this stage saying many things, even repeating myself, and then I see my brothers and sisters, my colleagues, saying the same things over and over. But we need to ask ourselves, even before anyone else asks us, what is there to show for what we have been saying? We really need to get tired of this,' he emphasized.
President Kagame acknowledged that Africa holds incredible potential with its young workforce. He noted that for Africa to position itself as a leading source of global talent, priority should be on improving quality and creating an enabling political environment for young people to thrive.
'Sometimes we forget that beyond providing education and healthcare, and encouraging their participation in their own growth and that of their country, there has to be an environment that allows everything to happenâ€"a political framework that ensures stability, enabling all the actions we talk about,' President Kagame explained.
He added, 'We must build infrastructure that serves young people, and from there, they will excel in entrepreneurship, innovation, or whatever careers can earn them a good living, which everyone aspires to. Africa has everything to be where we want to be. If we fail, we can only blame ourselves.'
Under President Kagame's leadership, Rwanda has been at the forefront of youth-driven innovation, setting an example with its commitment to fostering youth development through various initiatives like YouthConnekt.
Launched in 2012 by the Government of Rwanda and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the YouthConnekt program aims to empower young people by connecting them with resources, skills, role models, and peers to help them achieve socio-economic success.
The seventh edition of the Youth Connekt Africa Summit, held under the theme 'Jobs for Youth Through Innovative Skilling', has brought together more than 3,000 youths from across Africa.
During the panel discussion on intergenerational dialogue, focused on advancing Africa's future, President Kagame was joined by Lesotho's Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane and Mumbi Ndung'u, the Founder and Chief Changemaker of Power Learn.
Prime Minister Matekane urged young people to harness digital solutions available to them today to realize their dreams, including access to credit facilities.
Reflecting on challenges faced by African youth in a rapidly changing world, Mumbi encouraged young people to leverage access to information to drive change within their communities and elevate themselves.
'We have quite an advantage because we have been brought up in a generation where we have access to information. If we look at what we can do with that information, how we can empower ourselves to create change, I think it would take us to the next level where we can rely heavily on ourselves,' she said.
Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, emphasized the importance of empowering Africa's youth. She warned that without equipping young Africans, the continent risks losing its values and resources to others.
'Africans, young women and men, have what it takes to conduct their own affairs and lead their own destiny, so never again should you walk out of any room doubting your own ability," Eziakonwa stated.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
