Rwanda President Paul Kagame and Chad President Idriss Deby get their Africa Passport
President Paul Kagame has told delegates attending the 27th African Union summit in Kigali that this time they are here to discuss serious business.
He said this summit has been organised in a business-like manner allowing leaders to concentrate on Africa’s priorities without any distractions from lobbyists.
After his 15minutes speech, President Kagame was handed his first Africa common passport.
Below is the entire speech as presented by Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame
As we begin our deliberations let us take a moment to reflect together on the meaning and purpose of which is the first principle of our organization.
the concept of unity is what anchors human diversity in the bedrock of universal values whenever we gather on the basis of what unites us, there is a peaceful solution to every problem. But when people meet as strangers even small problems are hard to resolve.
Belief in the healing power of unity is the defining virtue of African political culture. indeed in an increasingly divided world by upholding this principle Africa has a lot to offer.
Then unity of our continent with an emplashsis on integration among other things should never be a subject to preconditions or exceptions because lasting solutions always involve everyone
Twenty two years ago this country was nearly erased, a history that will forever serve as a testament to the consequences of divisionism.
National unity was the starting point for the transformation we have undertaken here in Rwanda with good progress.
Driven by necessity, Rwandans had to fund unconventional solutions to the challenges of reconciliation and development often through a process of trial and error.
We relied first and foremost on our ideas efforts and resources as well as on choices of Rwanda’s citizens.
We believe that a Rwandan is just an African, from a particular place. The tissue of brotherhood and sisterhood cannot be amputated by lines drawn on map in another century.
In that spirit we meet here as the African Union to discuss serious business; beginning with a focus on the rights of Africa’s women and this matter is on the agenda for good reason. If men and women do not stand in solidarity, then we are going to come up short across the board.
We will also address urgent threats to peace and security and elect new leadership for our organization. good ideas were discussed yesterday on financing the African Union. We should be the ones to pay for activities in which everyone has a stake.
This puts responsibility and ownership in our hands and we are capable of it and we were shown how to do so and I urge us to move forward with the required political will without delay.
We need to start doing things differently and better. If Africa’s challenges are treated as routine it means we have accepted to be held back by them forever. We must all reject that future.
An important change in the decision to organize the summit in a way that allows Africa to concentrate on its priorities with fewer distractions in the corridors and lobby’s leads us to thank the chairperson of the Au-Summit, President Idriss Deby and the chairperson of the commission Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for the business-like manner in with which they have managed this process from the beginning.
There is no doubt that strength comes from relationships with other regions of the world.
Partnerships produce benefits that flow equitably to all parties when everyone involved has clearly defined their respective interests, objectives and capabilities.
I am of the view that we should continue to use our summits to identify the right priorities and outcomes besides the best way to achieve them and be ready to do just that.
We might then share our perspectives in an appropriate forums where we regularly invite strategic partners and regions to meet Africa as a whole and deepen our cooperation.
Dear brothers and sisters, Africa is rising but not as a result of impersonal forces over which we have no control.
Africa is being raised actively by us the people of this continent. Our job is simply to raise Africa even higher.
Unity is not a feel good slogan– it’s a tool for delivering real results in the lives of Africans.
Every item on our agenda comes back to them.
I wish to welcome you once again to Rwanda and wish all of us productive discussions.
Thank you very Much
