Rwandan President Paul Kagame has sharply criticized Western countries over what he described as double standards on democracy and the continued exploitation of Africa’s resources, calling on African nations to become more self-reliant and assertive on the global stage.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the Africa CEO Forum 2026 in Kigali, Kagame addressed an audience of heads of state, business executives, and policymakers, urging Africans to reject dependency and take charge of the continent’s future.

“We can’t just be people who are waiting to be ripped off, by somebody who is shrewd enough and has the power, we must be able to say, ‘No’,” Kagame declared.

The Rwandan leader argued that growing geopolitical pressure and external interference should instead serve as a wake-up call for Africa to rediscover and utilize its own strengths and resources.

“These pressures that we get from the rest of the world, Africa is being reminded to wake up,” he said. “So the pressures are not entirely bad, they force Africa to look within for what we have.”

Kagame emphasized that Africa possesses enormous untapped potential but has failed to fully harness it for the benefit of its people. He challenged African leaders, entrepreneurs, and citizens to work together in building a stronger and more independent continent.

“I want people to know that each one of the people in this room and beyond have something to contribute and to benefit from, benefit each other, and the continent has a lot that is not being put to good use,” he said.

“It is up to us — it is not people from anywhere else — to be able to raise ourselves to that level where we should be in this world of injustices and other challenges.”

Kagame’s remarks come amid increasing debates across Africa over economic sovereignty, foreign influence, resource control, and the continent’s position in an evolving global order.