Speaking in an interview with American blogger Mario Nawfall, Kagame was asked why some African nations have not achieved Rwanda's rapid development since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
In response, he suggested that other African countries with abundant natural resources could surpass Rwanda's progress if they adopted effective governance and leadership strategies.
'For others, what I see, if they want to do things similar to ours, they can maybe succeed even more. But the decision has to be made by leaders, and it's about politics,' Kagame stated.
He further emphasized that Africa has the potential to rise to global economic prominence, as the same factors that have made other regions prosperous exist on the continent.
'Africa is still lagging behind other continents, but the things that have made other nations wealthy are the same things that can make Africa wealthy. Because Africa is endowed with resources,' he explained.
The DRC spans 2.3 million square kilometers and has a population exceeding 100 million. Despite its vast land and resources, it continues to seek international aid.
"Take a country like DRC. Congo is an incredibly rich country. Why would a country like that ever have to beg for anything from anyone? Why? I'm just using the question to answer you to show that it's about politics. It's about management. It's about, by the way, that integrity that we're talking about,' Kagame remarked.
He further noted that Africans, including Rwandans, Senegalese, and Congolese, have the same capabilities as people in developed nations like the United States and Europe, but poor governance remains a major obstacle.
When asked what hinders DRC's development, Kagame pointed to broader political issues across Africa.
'It's the politics of our continent. The system is flawed,' he said.
The DRC is one of the richest nations in terms of mineral wealth, possessing vast deposits of coltan, gold, tin, and diamonds. However, despite holding an estimated $24 trillion in natural resources, it remains among the world's poorest countries due to governance challenges.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/president-kagame-questions-why-resource-rich-drc-relies-on-begging
