{"id":51195,"date":"2024-08-11T17:32:23","date_gmt":"2024-08-11T17:32:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/peace-cannot-come-by-itself-kagame-s-4th-term-message-on-regional-security\/"},"modified":"2024-08-12T11:32:59","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T11:32:59","slug":"peace-cannot-come-by-itself-kagame-s-4th-term-message-on-regional-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/peace-cannot-come-by-itself-kagame-s-4th-term-message-on-regional-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Peace cannot come by itself: Kagame\u2019s 4th term message on regional security"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite years of diplomatic efforts and international interventions, peace remains elusive, and Kagame\u2019s speech laid bare the fundamental reasons why this is the case.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeace cannot be delivered by anyone from anywhere, no matter how powerful, if the party most directly concerned does not do what is needed,\u201d Kagame said.<\/p>\n

This statement emphasized that peace efforts cannot succeed if the parties directly involved in the conflict do not take the necessary steps. His words were a clear reminder that external forces, no matter how strong, cannot impose peace where there is no commitment from those at the heart of the conflict.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t wake up one day and decide to deny whoever you want their citizenship rights and expect to get away with it,\u201d The Head of State warned.<\/p>\n

Over the years, numerous initiatives have been launched to address the security challenges in eastern DRC. Diplomatic interventions, peace agreements, and mediation by regional leaders have all played crucial roles.<\/p>\n

Kagame specifically acknowledged the contributions of Kenya and Angola’s leadership in these efforts. <\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to thank the President of Angola, President Jo\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o, and the President of Kenya, President William Ruto, among others, for everything they have done and continue to do,\u201d he said, expressing gratitude for their dedication to regional stability.<\/p>\n

However, despite these efforts, Kagame pointed out that peace cannot be achieved without a genuine commitment from those directly involved in the conflict.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeace cannot happen all on its own. We all have to do our part, and the right things, in order to achieve and sustain peace,\u201d he emphasized. <\/p>\n

The failure to address fundamental injustices, such as the denial of citizenship rights to certain groups, has been a significant barrier to peace. \u201cThere has to be a meeting in the middle. There has to be a compromise,\u201d Kagame stressed, highlighting the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding.<\/p>\n

Kagame also spoke about the broader global context, criticizing the double standards and unaddressed inequalities that have exacerbated regional conflicts. He called for a more just and equitable approach to international relations, where powerful nations do not impose their will on others. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no longer room for the powerful to impose their vision about how others ought to live, or to create narratives that falsify the truth. This must always be resisted, even when under pressure,\u201d he cautioned.<\/p>\n

The President also highlighted the role of the African Union in promoting regional security and development. Since its establishment, the African Union has been instrumental in fostering a more integrated and secure Africa.<\/p>\n

Kagame pointed to Africa\u2019s progress in areas such as security, health, infrastructure, and youth employment as evidence that the continent is taking responsibility for its own challenges and offering homegrown solutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is the mindset that brings us closer together and creates positive change over time for everyone,\u201d he said, emphasizing the importance of African unity and self-reliance.
\nKagame expressed optimism about the future, both for Rwanda and the broader region, imploring the need for continued hard work and dedication to achieving lasting peace and development.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not do even better than we have done? That expectation to keep improving is not a dream, it is realistic. We can do it, and we will do it,\u201d Kagame declared.<\/p>\n

Peace has remained elusive in the region despite numerous efforts and while external interventions are important, true peace can only be achieved when those directly involved take responsibility and commit to the necessary compromises and actions. <\/p>\n

The ongoing efforts by regional leaders and the African Union provide a strong foundation, but it is up to the local actors to make peace a reality. <\/p>\n

This fourth presidential term is a challenge for all leaders and citizens to rise to the occasion and work together to build a stable, secure, and prosperous future for all.<\/p>\n

\"In<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a powerful and candid inauguration speech on August 11, 2024, President-elect Paul Kagame addressed the ongoing struggles to achieve peace in the region, particularly in the conflict-ridden eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000073779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[75],"byline":[3135],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-51195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics-48","tag-homenews","byline-sam-k-nkurunziza-2"],"bylines":[{"id":3135,"name":"Sam K Nkurunziza","slug":"sam-k-nkurunziza-2","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":null}],"contributors":[{"id":3135,"name":"Sam K Nkurunziza","slug":"sam-k-nkurunziza-2","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":null}],"featured_image":{"id":2000073779,"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/gutxhhswcaiz9sq.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":0,"height":0,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/gutxhhswcaiz9sq.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/gutxhhswcaiz9sq.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/gutxhhswcaiz9sq.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/gutxhhswcaiz9sq.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/gutxhhswcaiz9sq.jpg","width":0,"height":0}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/131"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51195\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000073779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51195"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=51195"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=51195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}