The state of the nation

The International Herald Tribune's Ken McKenzie interviewed President Paul Kagame during a recent visit to Switzerland. Introduction and transcript below:

The Government of National Unity, which has been led by President Paul Kagame since April 2000, is planning to hold parliamentary and presidential elections this year. The president, a 45-year-old major general, spoke about his aspirations and concerns while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

What messages have you given to the World Economic Forum?

First, I wanted to talk about the situation in Rwanda, and second to place this in the context of Africa generally -- how Rwanda and Africa are meeting the challenges before them and what needs to be done for the development of Africa in terms of governance and the organization of world trade so that the continent can fulfill its potential.

In the Rwanda elections this year, are observers right in assuming that you will be running for president?

This is not a decision for me alone, but for the party I lead. There is a process laid down for choosing a presidential candidate. It might be me; it might be someone else.

There is almost a tradition in Africa of military leaders becoming political leaders, notably in Nigeria, for instance. Does a military background help -- perhaps in terms of discipline?

Our experience in Rwanda is different from that in some other places, in that we were involved in a liberation struggle, so that military and political roles were combined. In my case, military experience has provided valuable lessons on what leadership is and how it should be exercised.

Security and stability have been largely achieved in Rwanda, but poverty remains, the prisons are full and international aid is declining. What are your main concerns after nearly three years in power?

Rwanda has been facing these serious problems since 1994 and before. When we came to power, there were no illusions that governing the country after the genocide would be an easy ride. We inherited a lot of problems -- complex issues that we are attending to seriously.

Our main achievement has been to bring constitutional government and peace, stability and security as well as improved relations with other countries in the region. There is poverty, but we have policies for the concentration of resources on dealing with poverty. It is true that the prisons are full, mainly of people accused of being involved in the genocide, but we are dealing with that problem. My main concerns are about these issues, which have been with us for many years. But progress has been made. There is a lot of hope based on what we have already achieved.

A speeded-up and more informal way of dealing with genocide suspects -- known as Gacaca -- has attracted attention. What do you think of this, and of the UN-sponsored genocide trail going on in Arusha?

Gacaca is an attempt to deal with the huge numbers of people involved in genocide accusations, many in prison. The aim was to set up a place where people could tell the truth. Justice could then be done, but there could also be some hope of reconciliation. People are not able to forget, but they are able to forgive in some circumstances. The process has had success in dealing with some sort of wrongdoing. It has won praise from victims and the accused.

The UN trials at Arusha have caused concern because of the huge sums of money being spent and then very few results emerging.

What would you say to foreign investors about the possibilities and risks of investing in Rwanda now?

I would say that the prospects are good. I think we can boast of more stability and security than other nations in the region. We have put in place policies of economic reform, working for transparency and against corruption. Rwanda is well placed to provide access to countries in the East Africa region and to other parts of Africa. Rwanda has no great natural resources -- like oil or diamonds -- though promising discoveries of methane gas are now being exploited and there is much prospecting for other metals. Rwanda's main resource, however, is its people, and much money is being spent on education and training to improve the quality of the work force available to an investor. Tourism is an area ripe for development.

If peace is maintained in the Great Lakes, what role should Rwanda play in the region and in Africa?

Rwanda has been mostly preoccupied up to now in setting its own affairs in order, but it is ready to play its full part in developing and exploiting regional links, and then in the politics of Africa as a whole.

INTERVIEW BY KEN MACKENZIE