President Paul Kagame challenged African nations to prioritize self-reliance during the Africa Forward Summit 2026 in Nairobi.
President Paul Kagame has said that Africa’s future will be determined primarily by Africans themselves, stressing that no foreign leader, regardless of how powerful, will come to solve the continent’s challenges.
Kagame made the remarks on Tuesday, May 12, during the closing day of the two-day Africa Forward Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya. The summit brought together African and French leaders, policymakers and business executives to discuss new partnerships focused on innovation, investment, industrialisation and sustainable growth.
The summit comes at a time when African countries are seeking to mobilise more domestic resources, attract private capital and secure fairer terms in global financial systems that many leaders say continue to disadvantage the continent.
Speaking during a panel discussion on clean industrial development and energy, President Kagame said Africans must take responsibility for shaping their own future.
“As Africans, we have to take responsibility first and foremost,” Kagame said. “There is no leader anywhere in the world, no matter how powerful their country may be, who will come to rescue our continent.”
No Foreign Leader Will Rescue Africa
President Kagame said Africa has for decades received numerous promises and commitments from international partners, but many have failed to translate into tangible progress.
He argued that the continent must stop waiting for external solutions and instead focus on strengthening its own institutions, mobilising local expertise and investing in homegrown solutions.
Kagame’s remarks reflected a growing consensus among African leaders that sustainable development will depend largely on the continent’s ability to define and pursue its own priorities.
Africa Must Mobilize Its Own Financial Resources
Kagame’s message was echoed by Kenyan President William Ruto, who said Africa already has significant financial resources, including billions of dollars held in pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds and private savings.
“Why should we continue looking elsewhere for money to finance our projects when we have resources here in Africa?” Ruto asked.
Ruto said the continent’s challenge is not a lack of capital, but the fact that much of its domestic wealth remains underutilised. He also criticised a global financial system that makes borrowing more expensive for African countries through high risk premiums and credit ratings that often fail to reflect economic fundamentals.
He called for stronger African financial institutions capable of mobilising long-term capital for infrastructure, industrialisation and energy transformation.
President William Ruto co-hosted the inaugural Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi — pushing for investment over aid.
Ruto also urged African private sector investors to take the lead in financing opportunities on the continent.
“Our own investors should be the first to put their capital into Africa before we seek investment from abroad,” he said. “If African investors themselves are hesitant to invest here, why should foreign investors be more confident than we are?”
Partnerships Should Be Based on Equality and Shared Interests
Heads of State at the KICC in Nairobi, setting the agenda for innovation and sustainable growth at the Africa Forward Summit.
Speaking at the summit, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Africa remains underrepresented in global decision-making despite its demographic and economic significance.
“A global system designed without Africa is still largely operating without Africa,” Guterres said.
He said the imbalance is reflected in international governance institutions, access to finance and investment flows, particularly in climate and energy, where Africa receives only a small share of global funding despite its vast renewable energy potential.
Guterres reiterated calls for reforms to institutions such as the UN Security Council and international financial bodies to better reflect current global realities.
French President Emmanuel Macron said relations between Africa and Europe must move beyond traditional donor-recipient dynamics.
“What I’m offering is not assistance. Those days are behind us,” Macron told delegates.
He said future cooperation should be based on co-investment, industrial partnerships and joint value creation rather than dependency.
President Emmanuel Macron announces €23 billion in strategic investments during the Africa Forward Summit 2026 in Nairobi.
Macron announced €23 billion in investment commitments targeting strategic sectors including energy, agriculture, manufacturing and technology.
France has increasingly sought to redefine its relationship with Africa as competition for influence on the continent intensifies among global powers, including China, the Gulf states, Turkey and India.
Ruto said support from international partners should complement Africa’s own efforts rather than replace them.
“Any assistance that comes from President Emmanuel Macron or anyone else should be an addition to what we are already doing ourselves,” he said. “We will no longer accept being dependent on others. We must take charge of our own destiny.”
The Africa Forward Summit, held for the first time outside France, focused on redefining relations between Africa and Europe around trade, industrialisation, innovation, climate action and investment.
The strong messages from Presidents Kagame and Ruto, alongside calls from Guterres and Macron for reforms and more balanced cooperation, reflected a broader push for Africa to move beyond aid dependency and become a more self-reliant and influential force in global affairs.
