President Paul Kagame has called on African land forces commanders to strike a balance between speed and accuracy in responding to emerging security threats, warning that excessive bureaucracy and external interference continue to slow down the continent’s response to crises.
The Head of State was speaking on Tuesday, October 21, as he opened the second Land Forces Commanders Symposium at the Intare Conference Arena in Rusororo, which convened senior military leaders from across Africa and beyond.
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The two-day meeting, held under the theme "Leveraging Land Forces Capabilities for Enhanced Implementation of Peace and Security Strategies,” focuses on how land forces can adapt to drone warfare and how bilateral defense cooperation can complement broader multilateral frameworks.
At least 18 land forces commanders represented their countries at the two-day event, with partner states including France, Jordan, and Qatar delegating senior military officials.
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Kagame said today’s conflicts are increasingly asymmetric and complex, often requiring land forces to act as first responders and stabilizers in volatile environments.
"Land forces are the first to deploy and the last to leave,” he said. "Speed matters because conditions on the ground evolve rapidly. But speed without accuracy is dangerous, and accuracy without speed is pointless. There has to be a balance between the two.”
The President stressed that while agility is vital in modern military operations, so is the trust between armies and the civilians they serve.
He reminded commanders that their proximity to citizens places a special duty on them to act with discipline and professionalism.
"Everything that you do must serve the safety and well-being of citizens,” Kagame said. "The discipline and professionalism you show are either what builds or breaks the public trust.”
Kagame also highlighted the shifting nature of global security, where cyber threats and disinformation now rival traditional armed conflicts. He urged African militaries to modernize and adapt to this new frontier.
"Sovereignty today is not just about borders,” he said. "It is also about our ability to choose partners from a position of strength and align our interests. We cannot expect others to carry the responsibility for Africa’s security.”
The President pointed to ongoing regional collaborations as proof that African armies have the capacity to act collectively when properly coordinated.
For Rwanda, which has become increasingly active in regional peace operations, RDF Army Chief of Staff, Maj Gen Vincent Nyakarundi, said that the symposium reinforces its determination for continental security dialogue and capacity-building.
General Pierre Schill, Chief of Staff of the French Army, referred to the inaugural edition of the Land Forces Commanders Symposium, which took place in France, pointing out that the Kigali meeting reflects its valued contribution to security cooperation.
"It is an honor for me to be in Kigali for this symposium. It is also a pleasure to see dialogue between land forces that continues to grow,” said Schill.
"Beyond the differences, our land forces face similar challenges in operations in an environment that continues to be uncertain. We need collaboration, and that is the reason we are here.”
The French military chief, who met RDF Chief of Defence Forces Gen Mubarakh Muganga on Monday, noted that security cooperation founded on mutual respect is possible.
On the second day of the forum, experts will discuss civil-military operations as well as interoperability amongst armies.