Rwanda, Past and Present

This blog post from Kristof's traveling companions in Rwanda highlights the leadership of President Kagazme

In 1994, Rwanda was the scene of killings at a rate of 10,000 people per day, and bludgeoned bodies literally lined the streets. When the Rwandan Patriotic Front (the current government of Rwanda) took over, they found dead people, moribund services, crumbled houses, and decimated hospitals. Latrines and lakes were stuffed with bodies, and churches were filled by the bodies of thousands of parishioners whose killings were facilitated by their own ministers. There was no government to speak of.
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The successes of rebuilding and reconciliation post-genocide are in no small part due to the vision of President Paul Kagame, whom we interviewed today. A lanky and soft-spoken man, President Kagame has an unassuming yet imposing presence. He is thoughtful, and presents a clear vision for Rwanda. Reputed to read the Harvard Business Review regularly, he believes in economic development as the key to reducing poverty and advancing Rwanda. “We are not in position to turn down aid, but we know that aid is not end in itself. Trade is undoubtedly more importantly.” He is critical of he calls the culture of dependency in Rwanda. “There is a tendency to blame others for what happened. But this will not work. We need to find a way forward for ourselves. We need to work to develop a culture of integrity peace, and hard work. People may not think this can be done. But let’s show they what is possible, and then do it.”