Rwanda’s Kagame Speaks At Ellen’s Amujae Forum -Calls for Change of Narratives for African People

MONROVIA: There appear strong indications that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Center for Women and Development through its flagship project the Amujae Leadership Forum is carving a niche in leading the cause for women leadership, greater democracy and freedom on the African Continent. To this apparent endeavor, the former Liberian president, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, founder of the Center, last week hosted Leadership Forum, which was well attended for two days in Kigali, where the President of Rwanda delivered a strong pan-African oration. The Analyst reports.

The first Amujae High-Level Leadership Forum, organized by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Center for Women and Development, took place April 19-20, characterized by key addresses from prominent guests, including the Rwandan leader.

The founder of the organization, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, made a welcome statement thanking all Amujae Leaders for showing up at the first Amujae High Level Leadership Forum, taking place in Kigali, Rwanda.

According to Madam Sirleaf, the forum was organized to “engage in conversations on how to amplify the voices of women leaders to help propel them on their journey”.

The importance of the gathering was seen by the presence of President Kagame who was praised by Madam Sirleaf for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of gender equality in public service.

“His leadership on advancing gender equality in public life is an inspiration, and we thank him for being part of this incredible gathering of accomplished African women,” first democratically elected female head of state in Africa said.

President Kagame, who is credited for being a forerunner in promoting women in decision making positions in his government, spoke on the sideline of the conference with inspirational thoughts on the need for Africans to have true leaders that will foster change to advance the cause of the people and the continent.

“Sometimes leaders understand leadership to be just about them and that is it,” he said. “It starts and ends with them and once they are okay, then everybody is okay. But that is not true as we know. We however know it to be a struggle that the continent will have to go through to raise our people and our countries to the level we are capable of achieving.”

The Rwandan president continued: “We cannot afford to keep having leaders who say the right thing and then do the wrong thing in the end. We need to find some point at which we can really change course and do things differently. It is just the hope that we carry that these young people will learn lessons from all these wrong things happening and maybe do better than all of us and put our continent where it needs to be.”

Speaker further, President Kagami said: “Sometimes it can sound very pessimistic, very discouraging but we can’t afford to be discouraged or pessimistic. We have got to carry out the fight that needs to be fought and take it where it should be. We can’t resign to this fate that everybody is doing the wrong thing, no.”

Also speaking at the Forum was Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, who gave a keynote address while Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), took the floor to share strategies to harness the collective power of women leaders in Africa.

Some of the participants who are Amujae Leaders had the opportunity to explore the role that relationship-building plays in their individual and collective success.

Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, a Surgeon, Entrepreneur, women advocate and humanitarian also took part in the conversation, saying she was privileged to be part of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development.

“The EJS Center aims to amplify the voice of women and girls in all spheres of life by increasing the representation of women in public leadership in Africa,” she asserted.

“Increasing women’s leadership in public governance has been shown to result in robust governance institutions and inclusive public policy. “This is why I’m excited to be part of this amazing experience.”

Another Amujae leader, Madam Joana Ruvimbo Mamombe, a member of the Zimbabwe parliament representing Harare West said it was a “great honour to be part of this transformative experience in Rwanda  with our Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development Mentor, Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, reconnecting with my fellow #AmujaeLeaders across the continent”.

“As young Woman Member of Parliament, I am proud to be part of the Amujae Initiative, designed to strengthen ties among a growing, experienced & capable network of women public leaders and to positively influence public perception of women’s leadership across Africa”, Madam Mamombe said further.

The forum also provided an opportunity for the participants to have an insight of what another Amujae leader, Madam Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the Lord Mayor of Freetown has been doing at her work place.

She has been improving the lives of Freetownians through the Transform Freetown initiative and fighting climate change.

In her recent participation in The Skoll Foundation World Forum, Mayor Aki-Sawyerr offered an overview of the progress achieved throughout the city and how inclusive environmental solutions can improve the lives of young city dwellers across Africa.

She noted: “Today, I was honored to speak at the 2024 Skoll World Forum on a panel on ‘Green Futures: Youth and Climate Positive Economic Growth in Africa’. 70% of Freetonians are under the age of 35, and with 70% of youth being unemployed or underemployed, facilitating the creation of jobs for youth is essential for Freetown. Through sanitation services, tree planting and monitoring and urban farming, over 4,500 direct jobs were created in my first term in office. Thousands more jobs are needed.”

Madam Aki-Sawyerr also said, “Today has been an opportunity to connect with organizations that have track records and experience of creating jobs in other parts of Africa by building markets, strengthening supply chains, facilitating access to finance and technology and providing skills training. “We are developing partnerships with a number of these organizations to support additional job creation in Freetown.”

Another leader, Madam Seregbe Keita who is a woman leader and a Director in the Presidency in Guinea said she was “delighted to participate in the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development’s Amujae High-Level Leadership Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.

“The forum provides an insightful opportunity to re-connect with my fellow cohort and other Amujae Leaders from across the continent to share our leadership experiences and explore the power of storytelling,” she asserted.

“I am proud to be part of the Amujae Initiative, designed to positively influence public perception of women’s leadership across Africa,” she said.

A female politician and the Governor of Hom Bay in Kenya, Governor Gladys Wanga, who also participated in the forum, said: “I am privileged to be joining remarkable African women leaders convening in Kigali for Amujae High Level Leadership forum. This forum hosted by HE Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development provides an invaluable platform for African women leaders to share experiences and hold each other as they walk the journey of leadership. We thank HE Paul Kagame for joining this morning’s session to share his invaluable experiences in rebuilding Rwanda.”

A woman leader from Senegal, Madam Aida N’Diaye, prior to the Forum, posted on her social media: “Today, I am attending the @Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center) Amujae High-Level Leadership Forum in Kigali, Rwanda. I look forward to joining former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, H.E. President Kagame of Rwanda, and an accomplished group of women leaders from across the continent, to strengthen ties among a growing, experienced, and capable network of Amujae Leaders. “The forum provides an opportunity to harness the collective power of women leaders across Africa.”

Former Minister of Education of Liberia, George Kronnisanyon Werner, also posted about the event prior to the time it was held.

He wrote: “The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development hosted a women’s leadership forum in Kigali, Rwanda, this week. The women who are part of this forum call themselves Amujae Leaders. Amujae, in Kru, means, ‘We are moving up’”.