Rwanda Embassy | China

This evening at Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, President Kagame joined his host, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, and other Heads of State for the Opening Ceremony of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The first Olympic event held on the African continent, the Games bring together approximately 2,700 young athletes aged 15 to 17, competing across 25 sports, with 153 medal events. #YouthOlympics

This afternoon at Urugwiro Village, President Kagame met with members of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Private Sector Coalition Group, led by Dr. James Mwangi of Equity Group Holdings and Dr. Robert Ochola of AfricaNenda Foundation. Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration to advance interoperable digital payment systems, expand financial inclusion, and contribute to the economic integration needed to achieve the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

"Whatever you do, wherever you are, don't waste time. Learn, work, and make the effort to understand what is right and what is wrong. Do what is right, and avoid what is wrong. Keep building yourself as time goes on. This requires discipline, self-control, and a clear understanding of what you are doing. And it has to be consistent. You cannot be disciplined at night and then lose that discipline during the day. You have to keep at it. At your age, this is when your life can take one direction or another. You can come out of these years having built yourself into a better person, or the opposite. Things move very fast at this stage of life. You can either build yourself or destroy yourself. It's never too late. Even when you realise that you have lost something along the way, perhaps because you were carried away by emotions or the easy things in life, and you lost your way, whenever you come to your senses, remember that there is still time to turn things around and build a better life. Don't give up and say it is too late, that the damage has already been done. Even when things have gone too far, they can still be put right. Never give up." President Kagame | Youth #MeetThePresident

"What you must understand is that we could spend the whole day here talking about good things, and there should be lessons to take away from them. But learning, or having discipline, is not something anyone can force into you. No one can force you to be disciplined, but you can learn from people to be disciplined. When it comes to drugs, alcohol, marijuana, and the other substances that were mentioned, we can teach you about them. We can show you the harm they cause, their consequences, and the people whose lives have been affected. But it is when you take those lessons and reflect on them yourself that they can help you change for the better. Ultimately, it has to start with you." President Kagame | Youth #MeetThePresident

This afternoon, following the announcement of the Formula 1 African Grand Prix to take place in Rwanda, President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame hosted a luncheon, where they were joined by @fia President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, @F1 President Stefano Domenicali, key private sector leaders on the continent and partners from the motorsports community.

“It is an honour and privilege for Rwanda to be chosen as a destination in the Formula One calendar. What brought us together is a shared conviction that Africa has the potential to elevate the quality of motorsports as a global and elite discipline. Integrating African markets with global sports franchises and competitions offers transformative opportunities. Yet, if we have to be honest with ourselves, this cross-border connection has existed for a long time, just not in Africa’s favour. The message for all of us is simple: sports is a great equalizer, but we have to be intentional about delivering this promise. Rwanda is happy and excited to be part of a journey that will change how Africa is perceived in the world of sports. We want to contribute, not just participate, and this new chapter in motorsports starts today" President Kagame | Formula 1 African Grand Prix Announcement