President Paul Kagame has urged young Rwandans not to prioritise temporary trends over long-term growth, saying the foundation they build today will determine the future they create.

Kagame said this on Friday, July 17, while addressing participants at the RPF-Inkotanyi Bureau Politique meeting held at the party headquarters in Rusororo.

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"Do not wait until you are 70 years old and start asking yourself, ‘What did I do? I wish I had known.’ I am telling you now, understand this and find a way to act on it when you leave here,” he said.

"I often hear people talk about what is popular today, saying ‘vibes’ and ‘good vibes.’ I do not reject that, but ask yourself: where are you standing? Why are you standing there?”

"Before we talk about vibes, let us first strengthen the place where we stand. Please, do not invest in vibes; invest in the foundation that allows you to have those vibes,” he added.

The President said a society cannot be built on temporary excitement but must be supported by strong structures that make it resilient.

"You cannot build a resilient society only on vibes, but a resilient society can have vibes.”

Kagame said achieving personal and national goals requires commitment to the process, not only focusing on outcomes. "Nothing happens by itself. Nothing comes from nothing.”

He told young people that the country’s future depends on their ability to develop themselves through education, health and responsible choices.

"It is like planting a seed. If you plant a tree and provide what it needs to grow and remain healthy, it will develop. Similarly, as people, you must do everything possible to acquire knowledge and develop yourselves,”

Kagame also warned young people against alcohol and drug abuse, saying the effects eventually become visible despite attempts to hide them.

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"The first people harmed are those involved themselves. It also affects the wider community. But it is something that can be defeated. The first step in defeating it is refusing to make it normal, refusing to glorify it, and refusing to accept it.”

The President said young people have a major role in shaping Rwanda’s future through innovation and commitment.

"What we expect from you as young people is to become the new Rwanda that the country desires. You hear about innovation. Innovation comes from people who are healthy, knowledgeable, and ambitious. Innovation helps build people and build the country.”

Kagame said youth must see themselves as active contributors to the country’s future, not only beneficiaries of what it provides.