Rwandan President Paul Kagame speaks at the 20th National Dialogue Council, in Kigali, Rwanda, Feb. 5, 2026. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
KIGALI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Thursday called for renewed commitment to self-reliance and accelerated national development, as the African country convened the 20th National Dialogue Council.
Opening the dialogue, Kagame said Rwanda has made measurable progress but must move faster to meet its long-term ambitions.
"For a country like ours, considering both the challenges we face and the opportunities available to us, that progress is not sufficient," Kagame said. "We must take a bigger step forward than the one we have already made, and we must maintain consistency."
Kagame called on leaders at all levels to strengthen accountability and responsibility in public service, stressing that accountability should be enforced promptly across local government and national institutions to ensure effective service delivery.
He underlined self-reliance as a central pillar of Rwanda's development strategy, urging citizens to take collective responsibility for the country's future, stressing that national dignity and equality among nations should remain guiding principles.
During the event, Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva presented a report on the implementation of the Second National Strategy for Transformation.
"One key priority is productivity. As a country, we continue to face productivity gaps in both agriculture and industry," Nsengiyumva said, noting that the government is strengthening collaboration with the private sector.
According to Nsengiyumva, economic expansion continued in 2025, with growth averaging 8.7 percent across the first three quarters.
"This shows us that our country's economy continues to grow at a good rate, giving us hope that we will achieve the goals we have set," he added.
The dialogue, locally known as Umushyikirano, runs through Friday in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.
It has gathered members of the Cabinet and Parliament, representatives of the private sector, the diplomatic community, local government leaders, and Rwandans from home and abroad for discussions focused on Rwanda's transformation agenda, economic progress, governance, and citizen engagement. ■
Rwandan President Paul Kagame speaks at the 20th National Dialogue Council, in Kigali, Rwanda, Feb. 5, 2026. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)