South African and Rwandan Presidents Advocate for African Solutions to African Problems

Sitting side by side, Ramaphosa and Kagame supported each other's points and aligned on questions asked by journalist Larry Madowo. It's a stark contrast to a relationship that seemed icy after Kagame called out Ramaphosa for South Africa's involvement in the eastern DR Congo conflict.

"People may think President Kagame and I are in conflict, and some of you may have thought that there's going to be fireworks as we're sitting beside each other," Ramaphosa said in jest, later adding that both have each other on speed dial. This was likely a signal that relations between them had normalized, or it was cordiality for the sake of public optics.

During the panel discussion, which also involved Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani and Cote d'Ivoire Vice President Tiémoko Meyliet Koné, both Ramaphosa and Kagame harped on the need for Africa to become more independent and interconnected.

Speaking of the armed conflict in eastern Congo, spearheaded by M23 Rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda, Kagame said that the multiplicity of processes aimed at finding a solution was muddying up the possibility of lasting peace. He also stated that recent mediation processes by Qatar and the U.S., although with reportedly positive developments, can't be defined as expressly successful.

Ramaphosa added that the previous attempts at steadying DRC-Rwanda relations, like the Luanda process, have formed the foundation for ongoing talks, and that external interventions will not undermine African priorities in the resolutions. "We must remember the principle that [it is] African solutions for African problems," the South African president said.

Both presidents also advocated for Africa to have a firmer grasp on the direction of its development in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's aid cuts, as well as general calls for African governments to reduce their reliance on aid. "We should have been building up the momentum in terms of what we need to do to make Africa self-dependent and resilient, and also in how Africa works with other countries," Kagame stated, harping on the importance of working with partners "who have what to offer but, as Africa, to be able to define which direction you want to take and not entirely depend on what these people are contributing."

Ramaphosa shared optimism for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement as a beacon of the cross-continental success that can be achieved. He cited the cumulative efforts of African governments in containing COVID-19 as a sign that the continent can work together, urging the private sector to "follow in tandem to embrace AfCFTA," after Madowo noted that only 17 percent of respondents at the forum feel the trade agreement can be effective given its slow implementation. Ramaphosa added that he firmly believes AfCFTA is "going to open the floodgates for economic activity on our continent."

For Kagame, "There's everything in our hands to do whatever we need to do and benefit from that."