Kagame urges Africans to assert themselves and reject external pressure

By The Inspirer.

President Paul Kagame has called on African leaders and business communities to stand firm, assert their interests, and refuse to be intimidated by global powers he said often act as if they control the world.

He made the remarks during a televised conversation that opened the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, a major gathering of business leaders, policymakers, and investors from across the continent.

Responding to questions on international sanctions linked to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kagame suggested that global engagement in the region is largely driven by competition over mineral resources, while African countries with fewer strategic resources are more easily subjected to punitive measures.

He questioned the fairness and consistency of sanctions, arguing that such decisions are often influenced by geopolitical and economic interests rather than objective justice.

“Sanctions are not always based on fairness. They tend to favour those who contribute more or have more influence,” he said.

Kagame likened global power dynamics to historical systems of control in which authority over territories and resources was delegated by those in power, noting that similar patterns persist today.

“When you listen to those preaching democracy and human rights, they often speak with one hand while taking away what belongs to Africans with the other,” he said.

He urged African countries to stop approaching international relations from a position of weakness and instead develop the confidence to protect their own interests.

“That is why African leaders and businesspeople must learn to respect themselves. We must be able to say ‘no’,” Kagame said.

On the question of whether sustained pressure and sanctions could weaken his resolve, the president dismissed the idea, saying his commitment to national and continental interests remains unchanged.

“I will not give up. I did not give up during the most difficult times of war; I cannot do it now,” he said.

While acknowledging that sanctions can have economic and political consequences, Kagame argued that inaction would be more damaging.

“Sanctions hurt, but it would hurt more if we failed to do what is necessary. Saying no is easier than saying yes to something wrong,” he noted.

He concluded by urging Africans not to fear global powers that behave as though their dominance is permanent, stressing that such influence is temporary and that the continent has both the resources and capacity to define its own future.