Nearly thirty students from Harvard University in the US yesterday met President Paul Kagame to broaden their knowledge about leadership through understanding Rwanda’s governance style. The students are pursuing three fields at the university, including international development, public policy, and business. They met the President at Camp Kigali shortly after he chaired the thirteenth edition of the National Dialogue Council (Umushyikirano), which they also followed. One of the students who spoke to the media on their behalf, Andy Agaba, said the discussions with President Kagame focused on the country’s leadership successes such as in the fight against corruption. “This discussion is about our own exposure,” he said, adding that himself as a student from Uganda he had always wanted to come to Africa with fellow classmates. Agaba is pursuing studies in public administration at Harvard, one of the world’s most prestigious universities. The chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board, Francis Gatare, accompanied the students to their audience with the President. Gatare said the discussions held were important for the students’ understanding of Rwanda and leadership in general. “They want to learn from Rwanda and they need practical lessons about what they learn in school,” he said. During their stay in Rwanda, the students will also take time off to visit the country’s tourism attractions such as the Volcanoes National Park, home to mountain gorillas, and the Akagera National Park.
