The remarks were made on May 12, 2026, while President Kagame was attending a France-Africa summit in Nairobi.
The Rwandan Head of State participated in a panel discussion focused on the role of French and African business leaders in promoting environmentally friendly industries and modern energy solutions.
Other leaders who took part in the discussion included President William Ruto of Kenya, President Emmanuel Macron of France, President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, President Mamady Doumbouya of Guinea, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia.
President Kagame noted that Africa has received many promises over the years that were never fulfilled.
He said, “Many commitments have been made to Africa, but they often fail to materialize into tangible results. Is this unfair? Yes. But on the other hand, as Africans, we must take responsibility before anyone else.”
He stressed that no foreign nation can rescue Africa from its problems except Africans themselves.
“There is no world leader, no matter how powerful their country may be, who will save our continent. Discussions like these should remind us that through partnership and cooperation, we can overcome the challenges before us,” Kagame said.
The France-Africa summit attended by President Kagame aimed to explore ways both sides could strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and establish new frameworks for partnership.
The meeting brought together several African leaders alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.
President Macron stated that France no longer views Africa as its “backyard,” but instead seeks partnerships based on mutual respect and shared benefit.
“This is a continent that France should no longer see as its backyard, where investors believe they are automatically entitled to opportunities simply because African countries speak French,” Macron said.
The French leader added that there was once a perception that France had the power to install or remove governments in Africa, but insisted that era ended when he took office in 2017.
“Since 2017, those days have been over. First of all, because before 2017, our companies had already begun losing market share in French-speaking African countries. This was not widely discussed, but it reflected the growing competitiveness within Africa,” he explained.
President Macron emphasized that he supports balanced partnerships capable of creating transformation for both sides while respecting the sovereignty and independence of nations.
He also announced that France plans to invest $27 billion across Africa in sectors including energy and technology.
