Kagame’s consistent message to Africa: Enough with speeches, let’s get to work

A railway line from Kenya’s port Mombasa to Kigali should have, by now, reached advanced stages. The cost of flying within the continent should have been probably half the current price, or much less. By now, the transport cost of goods and services crossing borders should have been down had the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) moved off the office shelves quickly enough. While some places are seeing these costly delays as business as usual, in Rwanda, it is the norm to get things done without delay. Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame is taking the crusade, against the laxity in implementing agreed programmes, to different capitals. The latest stopover was the Republic of Congo. In an address to a joint session of Parliament in the capital Brazzaville, Kagame outlined a notable list of projects or programmes on Africa’s recent ‘To Do’ list. But without holding back, the President noted: “We know the problems that Africa faces. And we also know the solutions. What is missing is for us to move together, from words, to action, with a sense of urgency.” Last week, DR Congo completed the entry requirements for the East African Community (EAC). This brings the population of the bloc to around 300 million, opening up opportunities in all sectors, for the people of our region and beyond. The welcome summit, held in Nairobi, Kenya, was hosted by Kenyan President Uhutu Kenyatta and attended as well by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. President Kagame made the same call: YES, Congo has joined us, what matters is how soon the Congolese enjoy the benefits. The coming of DR Congo, in itself alone, although a very big win, should be seen as a start – with a lot more work pending on the table. Kagame pointed out to his counterparts: “We have made many speeches in the recent past. We just have to get down to do the work that is entailed in the statements we have made to our people. I am with you all the way to achieve the objective of deeper and wider integration of our community.” Kagame’s call for results has been consistent for past many years. When the 14th Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) Summit was convened in Kenya’s capital in June 2018, various initiatives that had been agreed four years earlier were lagging behind. First held in June 2013, the Northern Corridor is the transport corridor linking Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya. In fact, when the 14th summit was held, the last time the leaders themselves had convened to review progress had been two years before. “I thank President Kenyatta for hosting and re-convening us after a two-year break to continue with the momentum we had started for our region…” said Kagame, additionally noting: “There is always going to be a lot of work to do but this moment provides an opportunity to re-examine what has been done and what we still need to do.” Another trouble spot for the continent, where Kagame has put his weight to resolve, is cost of flying from one country to another. It is more expensive to fly from Kigali to DR Congo’s capital Kinshasa (one-way trip at $358), than it is from Kigali to London (one-way trip at $317) – on another continent. This is per rates displayed by at least two international travel agencies, but the rates are higher depending on the airline. Closed air skies cost the African continent more than $700 million in 2015 and more than $800 million in 2016, whereas Europe made more profits amounting to $35.6 billion in 2016, according to the International air transport Association (IATA) data. The second Aviation Africa (AVAF) Summit was held in Kigali in February 2017. The African Union had resolved 15 years before, to revamp and promote the sector. For President Kagame, though, it is not enough to remove aviation growth barriers without building capacity at all levels which retard growth of aviation sector. “Removing barriers is imperative but not enough. We need to build capacity in different aspects of the aviation industry,” Kagame said. Referring to Rwanda’s national carrier RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines, Kagame said: “Rwanda has one of the youngest fleets and largest connectivity in the region. Ethiopian Airlines makes millions. Unless we open the skies and remove these barriers we shall make more losses.” Another initiative championed by President Kagame was the One Africa Network (OAN) initiated in July 2016 on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Kigali. OAN was to make intra-Africa communications secure and affordable, in order to accelerate the socio-economic integration of the continent. Here is one simple illustration: It was cheaper to call the US and Canada than it was to call a neighbouring East African country. You are charged exorbitantly when you carry your phone across borders (roaming charges). You are charged these rates both for making and receiving a phone call, at rather exorbitant rates too. Data costs, as the phone companies themselves will tell you, remain significantly higher. Why should the most urgent services and infrastructure take ages? The unique experience that many international observers have about Rwanda is that the government gets things done. In most other places, things don’t get done. Roads take decades to build. Schools don’t get established. Basically, nothing works. President Kagame has been consistent in advocating for results, results, results. Maybe, just maybe, someday the message will percolate. Quoting Kagame’s own words, ‘Let’s not settle for ceremonies, let’s get to work. We know what needs to be done. Take full advantage of available government services. We (government) will continue to expand and improve them, and uphold public integrity.’

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Kagame’s consistent message to Africa: Enough with speeches, let’s get to work