Africa must better manage its resources and move beyond reliance on external support, President Paul Kagame has said, stressing the importance of self-reliance and strategic decision-making for the continent’s progress.
“It is not a question about being big or small, or having sufficient resources. It is about making the right choices. This is well within Africa’s means,” President Kagame remarked during the Continental Forum on Education and Youth Employability in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
Joined by leaders including Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, and UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban, Kagame emphasized that effective partnerships must complement, not replace, African leadership.
“Effective partnerships should not be confused with outsourcing responsibility, or leadership,” Kagame said. “When you take ownership, this becomes even more attractive to those that will want to invest in and with us.”
The forum, themed “Educating and Qualifying Our Youth for a Prosperous, Integrated, and Dynamic Africa,” focused on equipping Africa’s youth with the skills and education necessary for sustainable development. Discussions centered on improving education systems, bridging the skills gap, and boosting youth employability, recognizing the continent’s young population as a key driver of future economic growth.
The leaders concluded with a call for bold and innovative choices to secure Africa’s prosperity through self-reliance, empowered youth, and sustainable partnerships.
