Kagame, known for his assertive leadership style, took aim at what he described as hypocritical foreign powers. “If someone comes and says, ‘Hey, we’re going to sanction you.’ What? Go to hell,” he said, drawing applause from the audience. “You have your own problems to deal with go fix your own problems and let me deal with mine.”
While Kagame did not directly name any countries, his comments were widely interpreted as a response to the United States and the European Union, both of which have recently criticised Rwanda for its alleged involvement in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where Kigali has been accused of supporting M23 rebels claims Rwanda denies.
The speech came at a sensitive time, as Rwanda continues to face mounting international pressure over its regional influence and human rights record. Kagame used the occasion, meant to honor the memory of the over 800,000 people killed during the genocide, to also assert Rwanda’s sovereignty and resist what he sees as external interference in its affairs.
The tone of his message underscored Rwanda’s increasingly strained relationship with some Western nations, even as the country continues to receive international aid and investment. Kagame, who has ruled since 2000, remains a polarising figure on the global stage praised for his role in stabilising Rwanda after the genocide but criticised by some for his government’s authoritarian tendencies and suppression of dissent.
