NAIROBI – Rwandan President Paul Kagame has accused the international community of using it as a tool to control developing countries.
In an interview with X’s media personality Mario Nawfal, Kagame argued that foreign aid is often weaponized to influence the policies and decisions of recipient countries.
Speaking on the issue, Kagame acknowledged that assistance is essential for Rwanda’s recovery and development, but is also used to promote dependency and exert influence over the government.
“That (assistance) could be the responsibility of the state depending on how it is being managed, and that was our position from the start,” he said.
“We appreciate the help and need it, and yet we still need it to some extent, but we need it to build our capacity to not need it in the near future.”
Kagame argued that the international community intentionally ensures that developing countries are dependent on aid, thereby allowing donors to decide on their policies.
“The other (the problem) is the person who gives you help is someone who controls your life. In fact, they are why you want to stay in help by using it as a tool to guide you where they want to go, so that you continue to control your life and even threaten your life,” he said.
Kagame’s statement comes as the international community continues to intensify sanctions to accuse Kigali of supporting the M23 rebels.
He further noted that Rwandan’s attitude towards responsible use of aid often results in criticism and unfounded accusations of its leadership.
Sign up for the AllAfrica newsletter for free
Get the latest African news
success!
Almost finished…
You need to check your email address.
Follow the instructions in the email you sent to complete the process.
error!
There was a problem processing the submission. Please try again later.
“Some of us are branded as arrogant, insensitive or autocratic because we say we want to distinguish things. It’s not that we don’t want assistance because we don’t want it. We say that aid creates dependencies.
Kagame recalls debates from 1998 when Rwanda, still recovering from the devastating genocide of 1994, was heavily dependent on foreign aid.
He spoke about his conversation with then British Minister of International Development, Claire Short. There he expressed his desire to direct assistance to empower Rwanda to become self-sufficient.
“I told her, “I appreciate your help. It’s almost essential in the situation we were in. But at the same time, I will continue to talk to leaders and other ministers who want to start early, take responsibility, and we need to take responsibility for ourselves,” recalls Kagame.
Kagame noted that Short accepts his ideas and even invites other ministers from his allies to listen to his perspective on the use and management of aid.
According to Kagame, this involvement ultimately led to a contract that ensures accountability and transparency in aid allocations, including independent audits.
Kagame argued that Rwanda continues to accept aid when necessary, but that such support should be used strategically to build sustainable capacity in developing countries, rather than perpetuating dependence.
“That’s the standard for us. That’s what we say, and that’s what we do,” he asserted.
