The President of the African School of Governance (ASG), Francis Gatare, has said a new generation of African leaders have the challenge to break what he called cycles of failure that have hindered the continent’s development for centuries. Speaking during a visit to Fudan University in Shanghai, China, Gatare said Africa’s history of slavery, colonialism, post-Independence conflict and bad governance should serve as a lesson for emerging leaders determined to transform the continent. ALSO READ: Africa School of Governance a 'call to action initiative', says Gatare “We have got to break the cycle,” Gatare said during a discussion with Yin Zhiguang, a professor of international politics at Fudan University. “Africa has experienced collective trauma over several generations, from the slave trade and colonialism to struggles for independence and post-independence challenges. Many nations have gone through different forms of trauma, including bad leadership that divided communities and squandered opportunities through mismanagement.” Gatare said the Kigali-based African School of Governance is training a new generation of leaders who are committed to doing things differently. “At the African School of Governance, we are saying the new generation of leaders on our continent must recognise this as a collective failure and say, ‘We can’t do it like this,’” he said. ALSO READ: What will the proposed Africa School of Governance offer? He emphasized that leadership should not be viewed as the responsibility of presidents and senior government officials alone, arguing that change begins at the community level. “Many times, the focus is put on heads of government and nations, but the responsibility starts with leaders in communities, whether in local government, non-profit organisations, companies, or volunteer groups,” he said. Gatare said that ASG places strong emphasis on values-based leadership, teaching students that leadership is rooted in responsibility and service to others. “We teach people to take responsibility for themselves. Good management starts with me, by managing myself well,” he said. “That’s why at the African School of Governance, we start with values. We say that good leadership has got to be values-based.” The discussion also touched on Africa’s place in global governance and the importance of regional and continental cooperation. ALSO READ: African Leaders Launch the African School of Governance (ASG) Initiative Gatare stressed that no African country is currently strong enough to compete effectively on its own at the global stage, which makes intra-African cooperation essential. “When you look at the political economy of the world today, you do not see any African state that is big enough or strong enough to compete by itself in the global economy,” he said. He noted that Africa’s population of about 1.5 billion people and its vast resources give the continent significant potential if countries work together. “Africa continues to be marginalised in discussions on global governance. Yet a billion and a half people is not a number that should be ignored,” he said. Gatare said ASG seeks to cultivate leaders with a Pan-African mindset while fostering a commitment to public service and long-term development. The ASG president was visiting China as part of efforts to build partnerships and learn from the Asian country’s experience. Describing China’s poverty reduction achievements as inspirational, Gatare said Africa can draw important lessons from it. “Where else would we learn about fighting poverty and lifting the lives of people than in China, considering what you have achieved?” he said. He pointed to China’s success in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and said the scale of that achievement offers valuable insights for African countries seeking inclusive development.
