Addressing 51 students from 14 African countries, Kagame urged them to recognise the continent's challenges, take responsibility for its development, and act decisively to shape its progress.
Founded by President Kagame and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, the Kigali-based ASG was designed to transform governance in Africa by offering world-class public policy education and research programs tailored to the continent's realities.
The inaugural cohort, representing Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, South Sudan, Gambia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, embodies the school's vision of nurturing pan-African leaders.
During his keynote at the matriculation ceremony of the inaugural cohort, Kagame praised the founders and partners, including the Mastercard Foundation, for bringing the institution to life.
'Africa deserves focus and deep study, and that should be done by you, our youth and our future. Unlike anywhere else, your education here will challenge you to think critically and practically about how to move our continent forward,' he said.
'This school will prepare you for leadership, but the journey starts from within," he added.
Kagame outlined three qualities he said are essential for the cohort:
Awareness
He urged students to pay attention to how Africa is perceived globally, question whether those perceptions are fair, and confront both inherited and self-inflicted challenges that continue to hold the continent back.
Responsibility
The Head of State emphasised that students must value themselves, their countries, and their people. He noted that Africa will only be taken seriously if its leaders respect their own roles and contribute actively to their communities.
Action
He called on students to apply their knowledge and skills decisively, warning that the continent cannot afford to lag behind as global economies and technologies advance.
'An institution is only as strong as the people it serves. Make the most of your time here. Soon, when your country looks to you for answers, you must be ready,' Kagame told the cohort.
Following the matriculation ceremony, the two co-founders participated in a panel discussion with ASG students under the theme, 'Mindset and Attitude of Leadership.'
During the discussion, Kagame reflected on Africa's developmental trajectory, urging students to think critically about the continent's past and future.
'Africa cannot just remain where it is. We need to move forward and progress like many other parts of the world that are at our level of developmentâ€"or even behind usâ€"but are now so far ahead of us. What happened to us? What happened to the continent? What happened to Africa? If we can have an institution like this, it allows people to have soul searching and figure out what we can do to move forward,' he said.
Former Prime Minister Desalegn highlighted lessons from other nations' rapid transformations.
'Some countries, especially in Asiaâ€"Singapore, South Korea, even Chinaâ€"moved in a generational time from rags to riches. We African nations, which were better than them at certain periods, in most cases, remain in the shackles of poverty. The whole idea is that mindset, attitude, and leadership matter. We do have a leadership deficit and a problem of governance, and our young people should not continue as we were,' he said.
Kagame concluded by expressing confidence in the cohort's potential to shape Africa's future: 'We are counting on you. You are exactly who Africa needs."
With its focus on practical leadership training and research grounded in African realities, ASG aims to equip a new generation of policymakers with the tools to address the continent's pressing challenges and transform its governance landscape.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
