All Africa
Government of Rwanda (Kigali)
President Paul Kagame was awarded the MEDays Grand Prix for peace and democracy by Amadeus Institute, a Moroccan think tank and policy organisation.
In his acceptance speech in Tangier, Morocco, President Kagame said that the award is meaningful to him personally and to all Rwandans because it celebrates the values of peace and democracy:
“By recognizing the universal values at the heart of our journey of liberation and renewal, you have hounoured the Rwandan people’s struggle and resilience.”
The President further told an audience – composed of governments’ representatives, public administrators, business leaders, researchers, civil society and international government experts – that the most important thing to know about Rwanda is not that genocide happened, but how the country recovered from the tragedy.
“Peace is the starting point for growth and development. But peace is much more than the absence of violence. True peace is above all a mindset. It is a condition produced, when citizens are taken seriously as individuals, as stakeholders and mobilized towards a good politics, and fully participate in governance.”
He stressed that Rwanda’s socioeconomic progress rests on safety and security of people, being accountable, as well as inclusive and democratic governance. The aforementioned principles have been the basis for recovering the country’s dignity and making meaningful contributions to the international community.
The right of poorer or darker countries to chart our own course, President Kagame said, is constantly questioned, if not overtly subverted.
“Judgment is passed on the choices we make, but without serious analysis of the realities and/or context on the ground, much less consideration of the views of the citizens most concerned.”
President Kagame reiterated the call to African countries to work together to secure their freedom and improve lives of citizens in their respective regions. He emphasized that countries across the continent should support each other to do the right things, not covering up the wrongs.
“If the South has one message to convey to the North, it should be that our interests in working with each other, not against each other. Let us seek solutions, through consensus and dialogue [… ] to manage the pace of change in the world today; we need more openness and exchange. We have what we need to succeed, right here on our continent.”
The President paid tribute to Moroccans for remaining true to themselves – in the face of colonial negation of identity, culture, and dignity – while making practical contributions to Africa. He welcomed Morocco’s increasing engagement around the continent, an engagement whose fruits Rwanda is already enjoying through investments in different sectors.
Founded by Brahim Fassi Fihri, Amadeus Institute is a think tank and policy organisation based in Morocco. It produces research and analyses on strategic issues concerning Morocco, North Africa and Middle East, the Mediterranean region, Africa and the South.
MEDays is an annual event which brings together international policy makers to discuss issues concerning the South. The gathering takes place in Tangier.
