This country is trying to think about its wounds linked to its encounter with the world of colonizers, neo-colonialists and their pawns in the world.
It is on permanent alert and knows how to defend itself because, on its path, it faces the pawns of neo-colonialism or their obligors in Africa. These pawns sow insecurity, divisions, tribal and ethnic hatred.
Because divide and rule is the modus operandi of colonialism, two weapons are usually employed; corruption and impunity. As thus, Rwanda is facing various challenges, including international organizations whose appellation, their Trojan horse, hides their harmfulness.
Nevertheless, in its search for originality, Rwanda takes into account the West and the East in a win-win context while observing the limits of Western-style democracy where political parties lead to a dead end.
As in Belgium, where the inability to form a government sometimes lasts more than a year and where minority parties make the law, the lack of a parliamentary majority in France leads to a dead end or compromises.
In the United States, two parties alternate without solving the fundamental problems of crime while elsewhere in the world, these are far-right parties or pseudo-democratic alternations.
Some actually act like mafias who share the cake in a mode of pseudo-democratic alternation in a give-and-take phenomenon. We are witnessing the peak of an ideological, identity and moral crisis in the West.
Unfortunately the West is infecting other continents, because it remains the reference at the religious and worldview level where those who want to seek other ways are misunderstood by conservatives and fought by interposed pawns.
Good enough, some in the West are beginning to understand that the solution can come from elsewhere, particularly in this diverse youth of all colors, including black Africans and others.
Indeed, their talents are exploding in all fields, including the Olympic Games but the solution could also come from the model of some countries whose way or strategy intrigues or arouses interest.
In reality, Rwanda does not rival anyone. It is simply looking for its own way, based on Peace and Security, fighting poverty and unemployment. It is trying to create knowledge industries, schools of the future and reference hospitals for its people.
If some countries come to look for the model there, Rwanda opens the door to them, without hesitation. It is worth noting, moreover, that it attracts international conferences and tourists.
Moreover, a true democracy is distinguished by countervailing powers and not by the number of political parties. In Rwanda, the countervailing powers are essentially the Churches with assured freedom of worship, associative movements, NGOs, trade unions, to mention but a few.
While in the West, abstention during elections is breaking records, in Rwanda, the enthusiasm amazes observers.
Elsewhere in Africa, clashes during elections are common but in Rwanda, it is communion and festive celebration during elections. The reason is simple; the President of the Republic is perceived as the one who does justice and the protector of his people. He travels through Rwanda to listen to the people’s grievances many at times.
He travels the world during Rwanda Day, and across continents, to listen to the observations and opinions of the Diaspora in order to grasp or understand the problems and harvest alternative Solutions.
Elsewhere in Africa, corruption and impunity are the rule while in Rwanda, the Leadership combats the two scourges.
In the West, especially in the USA, the elders are running and entrenching themselves in the administrations but in Rwanda, the young and the ladies take over the Government and Parliament.
Let’s cite one example among many others: The Minister of State for Education is a young woman who has signed agreements with the Tampere University of Applied Sciences and Finest Bay Area Development Oy in Finland to stimulate and support the education of young people in applied sciences and entrepreneurship.
Projects for future generations are designed by young leaders in all sectors such as the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in Kigali, Carnegie Mellon, Africa Leadership University, among others.
In Rwanda, decentralization ensures the “five common goods” which are; Health, Education, Housing, Food and Justice.
These five “common goods” are the fundamental bases of a participatory democracy, in which the leadership is based on locally designed solutions and traditional Values.
Finally, the third element ensuring the success of Rwanda is the sixth Province which is the Rwandan Diaspora- structured and organized in several countries to offer permanent investments.
It ensures above all the defense of Rwanda throughout the world with a dynamic network. And as the old adage goes, “the bird that does not fly ignores where the harvest is” meaning the Diaspora brings solutions designed elsewhere by adapting them to Rwandan realities.
Among such tremendous achievements is, IRCAD Africa, an institute of “training and continuous education” in minimally invasive surgery, covering the five specialties of Surgery, where all the fifty-five African countries come to train.
Other innovations include Kigali Lab, Unleash Rwanda, Hills Connect, and the Rwanda Business Forum organized by the Rwandan Diaspora in Finland with Finn partnership and the “Finest Future” institution.
It is the gray matter that develops Rwanda and not the raw materials stolen from neighbors. It is the leadership with vision that develops a country more than its underground wealth.
In a win-win geo-strategy and geopolitics, Rwanda does not want to depend on anyone. It subscribes to a strategy of openness and integration of foreigners with the option of Rwandan naturalization, without distinction of race or ethnicity.
Whatever the criticisms and imperfections, the will to take charge predominates in Rwanda with this permanent search for unity, peace and security.
Thus Rwanda, continues its march towards its destiny with courage, resilience and dignity.
Dr. Twahirwa Setako J is an African Thinker.
Rwanda’s stunning beauty attracts international tourists.
