On the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Summit, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Public Policy and Management by Yonsei University.
In his acceptance speech, President Kagame expressed his gratitude, stating that it is an honor both for him and his country to receive this recognition.
“I would like to thank you for the tremendous honor you have bestowed on me and my country with the award of this honorary doctorate. This is my fourth visit to Korea but my first to the Yonsei campus. I wish that our connection had started much earlier,” said President Kagame.
He also praised Yonsei University, noting, “Yonsei clearly ranks among the world’s finest universities, and I am very proud for Rwanda to be associated with your institution.”
Yonsei University, a private institution founded in 1885, is among the top three universities in Korea and houses 178 research centers.
Among these is the Ban Ki-moon Center for International Cooperation, established in 2017.
President Kagame expressed his pleasure at seeing his “very good friend and colleague, whom I respect, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who in Rwanda is held in the highest esteem.”
President Kagame has received numerous accolades over the years. His previous honorary degrees include:
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of the Pacific, USA (2005)
- Honorary Doctorate from Oklahoma Christian University, USA (2006)
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Law from the University of Glasgow, Scotland (2007)
- Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from William Penn University, USA (2012)
