President Kagame speaks during the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
President Paul Kagame says the African continent has all it needs to decide which direction to take to shape its own destiny—if it finds the courage and discipline to do so.
The Head of State made the candid and impassioned call for African self-reliance, political will, and action-oriented leadership at the Africa CEO Forum 2025 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, emphasizing that recent global events show that African countries need to start depending on themselves, rather than sitting back and expecting someone to come to their rescue.
President Kagame was speaking alongside fellow heads of state President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, Tiémoko Meyliet Koné, Vice-President of Côte d’Ivoire on a presidential panel titled “Leadership Dialogue: Africa in the Driver’s Seat”—a high-level session aimed at unpacking what political leadership must do to support the ambitions of Africa’s private sector amid shifting global dynamics.
Addressing a room filled with business titans, investors, policymakers, and development financiers, President Kagame challenged the audience to go beyond optimistic rhetoric and face the uncomfortable truth: that Africa, while making progress, is still falling short of its potential.
“We can pat each other on the back and feel good that we’re making progress—which is true,” President Kagame said. “But at the same time, we must be brutally honest with ourselves. We don’t need to blame anybody else; we just need to do what we have to do—because I believe we can do better. We can do more. And we can do many things together that will take us far.”
The Africa CEO Forum, now in its 11th year, has become the continent’s premier platform for engaging both political and business leadership on issues of economic transformation. This year’s gathering in Abidjan came at a pivotal time for Africa, as nations continue grappling with post-pandemic recovery, geopolitical uncertainty, climate resilience, and the urgent need to implement continental frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
No more dependency
President Kagame, never one to mince words, said that Africa must let go of the long-standing mindset that someone else will always fund its development. Reflecting on past budget cuts from partners like the United States, he noted that the time for reactionary posturing is over.
“Take, for example, the issue raised about budget cuts—like the one from President Trump’s administration, cutting hundreds of millions in support. All of a sudden, we Africans wake up to this reality, and we start scrambling: What do we do? No. What we need to do is what we should have done years ago—and still can,” Kagame said.
President Kagame said that it is time Africa stops relying on others.
“There’s a mindset across the continent that someone out there will foot the bill for our development. That mindset has undermined our own efforts to contribute as much as we can to our own development. We need to move beyond that.”
In a strong appeal for practical action, President Kagame emphasized the need for solidarity and a united if Africa is to overcome these challenges.
“We can’t keep depending on what others are saying or doing about us. We need to be working with each other and other countries on the global stage that offer what we need, and offer what they need. I think this is the context,”
“So it isn’t like we should just wake up one morning and because of what somebody has done that affects us, we should react. We should have been building up the momentum in terms of what we need to do to make Africa self-dependent and resilient. As Africa, we have to be able to define which direction we want to take,”
The remarks drew applause from the packed room of business leaders and policymakers, many of whom have long called for more predictable policy environments, stronger institutions, and reduced bureaucratic red tape across the continent.
Incentivize the private sector
President Kagame stressed that governments cannot just ask the private sector to “come on board” without providing the necessary environment to succeed.
“It’s about resources, it’s about money, it’s about investment. But we can’t just appeal to the private sector to come on board—to join the public sector in doing what needs to be done—without incentivizing them. There’s a lot governments can do to create incentives: better regulation, stronger laws, and the kind of support that creates a secure environment.”
That point echoed calls made throughout the two-day forum by CEOs and entrepreneurs from across the continent—many of whom cited uncertainty, slow policy implementation, and weak regional integration as barriers to growth.
President Kagame said that bureaucracy and lagging political will are some of the challenges the continent must address.
“I was involved in championing reforms at the African Union with many other leaders. But there’s still a gap between what we agree on and what actually gets done,” he said. “The systems can be so bureaucratic, you’d think they operate in a different world—one where the urgency and harsh realities of our context don’t exist. That can’t continue.”
He also questioned Africa’s continued dependence on foreign skills and value chains.
“We export raw materials, and then import finished products. We export talent, then turn around and hire foreign experts to do what our own people could do. Why? Why not retain that talent and put it to work for ourselves?”
A call to own the future
Building on his years of advocacy for institutional reform, Kagame underscored that the continent has everything it needs to succeed—except consistent implementation.
“We have the knowledge, we have the vision, we have everything. We have resources, and we have organizations. Africa should be far ahead of where we are now and we shouldn’t take any comfort that some progress has been made here or there. We just need to do what we have to do. And we have all the means to do it.”
He added that African leaders must have the courage to engage in difficult conversations, even if it means “washing our dirty linen in public.”
“Sometimes, yes—we may have to wash our dirty linen in public for the sake of making progress. But we cannot afford to be comfortable. We have to be honest. And we have to act.”
President Kagame called for more rigorous, private, and focused settings where African leaders can hold one another accountable—outside of scripted conference panels.
“We need to continue this conversation—not just on stage, but in serious, focused, private settings where we can be brutally honest and hold each other accountable. And I promise you: we will do our part.”
President Ramaphosa on relationship with President Kagame: “We speak often—ongoing family meetings”
The panel discussion also touched on regional peace and the role of political leadership in resolving conflicts. Though President Kagame and President Ramaphosa have at times been seen on opposing sides of the conflict in eastern DRC, the South African leader emphasized that the two have more in common than is often portrayed.
“Some may assume that President Kagame and I are in conflict. Perhaps some expected fireworks as we sat next to each other—but the truth is, we’ve had many discussions behind the scenes,” Ramaphosa said. “We speak often—ongoing family meetings, if you will—even if others aren’t aware. So don’t focus on media noise. Focus on what we’re doing together to build peace on this continent.”
President Kagame joined other African leaders in Abidjan for the Africa CEO forum.
President Ramaphosa also paid tribute to President Kagame’s role in spearheading the African Continental Free Trade Area and AU reforms, saying Africa owes much of its integration momentum to leaders like him.
“Under the African Union’s leadership, with champions like President Issoufou and President Kagame, the continent made a wise and bold choice—not just to talk about unity, but to lay down the real building blocks for integration and progress.”
The unfinished business of unity
For President Kagame, however, the story of Africa’s unity and independence is far from complete.
His remarks—delivered in a measured but urgent tone—were not just a critique, but a challenge to fellow leaders and private sector players alike to get serious about doing the hard work of transforming Africa from potential to reality.
“The reality is: we have the means, we have the knowledge, we have the vision. We have the resources. What we don’t always have is the political will or the follow-through, pointing out that often it is a source of frustration for him.
The annual forum will continue on Tuesday with more global and continental figures discussions emphasizing how Africa’s time is now—but only if its leaders stop waiting for permission, and start acting with courage and purpose.
African leaders pose for a group photo.
