The two-day conference brought together about 2,000 Rwandans, including central government and local government officials, businesses, civil society, other members of the Rwandan community and diplomats.
Kagame said that there is no doubt that the country has grown stronger and more united, urging to continue to do better.
In agriculture he said, after a period of slow growth last year, agricultural production grew by 8 per cent this year. He said the production came despite challenges, such as army worm and drought in some parts of the country
“The hard work of citizens has really paid off and I wish to thank you for this and ask you to keep it up,” he said on the growth of Agriculture.
He said the cooperation among government institutions has made delivery of inputs to farmers more timely and reduced corruption in the system. He said that increased access to irrigation has also helped raise productivity.
“We have decided to invest in domestic seed production, to improve quality and also reduce our dependence on unreliable supplies from abroad,” he said.
“It is encouraging to note that graduates are also finding entrepreneurial success in agribusiness. I call on more young people, to consider the opportunities in this sector,” he said.
On the economic front, he said, $1.5 billion in new investment and infrastructure deals were registered in 2017, which includes the new international airport, which is under construction in Bugesera.
The head of state said the conference tourism strategy is bearing fruit as Rwanda hosted 169 international meetings this year, which brought tens of thousands of customers to hotels, restaurants and national airline, RwandAir.
On Made in Rwanda, he said, strategy has already boosted production compared to the same period last year.
“Our exports have increased by 50%, while our imports have declined by 3%. As a result, our trade deficit fell by more than 20%,” he explained.
He said more than 8,000 new manufacturing jobs were registered this year, adding that they will continue to build on such achievement.
Kagame said that mineral exports now exceed the value of all other exports, combined, which is attributable, in part, to more effort in value addition and new exploration.
He went on to say that Rwanda’s electricity supply continues to grow. He said to stimulate demand for that power; government will work with industrial investors to ensure a competitive tariff.
“The State of our Nation is something we should evaluate constantly. Is the pace of development as fast as we would like? Are we looking after the well-being of all Rwandans without leaving anyone behind? The responsibility to ask and provide answers is ours,” Kagame noted.
Kagame said he believes that a revolution in the quality of education, at all levels, must be among the country’s highest priorities.
“Human capital is the most important feature of a high-income economy,” he said.
“We have had to deal with so many challenges, even impossible ones. But we rebuilt, stronger and more resilient than ever before,” he added.
Kagame assured that they will continue to document and preserve the history of the country, and to pursue own accountability, and others, where necessary.
“We cannot take our gains, or our future prosperity, for granted. Peace, security, and national cohesion are not irreversible,” Kagame noted.
Kagame said the expectations of Rwandans are growing fast, adding that it is not a problem as it pulls the ambitions higher and fuels a culture of always striving to do more, and better.
“We have opportunities and we have each other. Hard work and the commitment to serve all Rwandans is what will lead to our country’s transformation,” he assured.
He thanked citizens for playing an active role in the country’s development, for preserving the gains that have been made and the security; he said adding that they are the foundation of progress.
He urged Rwandans to continue to work together, within the country as well as with the neighbours and with the continent as a whole.
During this year’s Umushyikirano, participants are discussing about the National Strategy for Transformation, Values for Prosperity and the Youth at the Centre of Transformation.
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