Reconciliation takes time. Sometimes many decades, as the example of Europe shows. It is hard work.

The situation in Congo shows nothing for which you could hold Rwanda responsible.

The West is anything but altruistic.

Rwanda is a very open and free country. Key to our recovery as a nation has a range of grassroots, citizen-centered polices we call "homegrown solutions." The idea that Rwanda is highly controlled from the center belies the reality, which is that citizens in every village have a powerful say in how things get done. We prize accountability and Rwandans are quickly adapting themselves to the possibilities of a digital economy.

Africa’s story has been written by others; we need to own our problems and solutions and write our story.

When people accuse us of taking coltan from Congo, I don't understand what they mean. The quality of our own coltan here from Rwanda is much better. But still people from the UN come here, we show them our coltan mines, we show them the documents, then they go and say: Rwanda smuggles coltan.

It is the first time in the history of Rwanda that political change in the highest leadership of the country has taken place in peace and security.