President Paul Kagame has called on African youth to confront the continent’s challenges rather than seeking escape in foreign countries, warning that no place in the world is free of problems.
Speaking Monday at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2025 in Kigali, Kagame said young people should embrace responsibility and focus on finding homegrown solutions, even if they fail in the process.
“It would be better for us to focus on confronting our problems instead of running away from them,” Kagame said. “Wherever you go, you will still find challenges — and sometimes even more — especially when you are eventually sent back to where you came from.”
The president recalled that 15 years ago he urged young Africans to seek solutions at home instead of fleeing abroad, warning that many who left the continent would ultimately be deported. His comments come amid alarming data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which reports that more than 73,000 migrants lost their lives between 2014 and February 2025 during irregular journeys, most of them trying to cross into Europe.
Kagame emphasized that governments have a duty to create opportunities for youth, but insisted that young people must also take initiative rather than waiting for handouts.
“You are the engine behind many government programs, but responsibility should not be one-sided,” he said. “You cannot just wait until a problem arises and expect someone else to solve it for you. Instead, you should be out there using your energy to seek solutions, while governments and partners provide support.”
He further urged youth to set clear goals, pursue development with determination, and push for change in agriculture and food security across Africa.
“Why don’t we do what we know we should be doing? We need to move from words to action,” Kagame said. “These are our collective responsibilities. Take responsibility, make your contribution, and then you can hold others accountable.”
Kagame concluded by reminding young Africans that the continent has the resources to become a global food basket if its people, especially the youth, channel their energy toward building solutions at home.
