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KIGALI, Dec. 18-- Rwandan President Paul Kagame said on Monday that his country has grown stronger and more united despite many challenges. "We have had to deal with so many challenges, even impossible ones," Kagame said in his state-of-the-nation address at the 15th edition of the annual National Dialogue Council. "But we rebuilt, stronger and more resilient than ever before." "Without doubt, our country has grown stronger and more united," Kagame told the gathering, locally known as Umushyikirano, in the Rwandan capital Kigali. The two-day forum, which runs through Tuesday, has brought together about 2,000 Rwandans, including central and local government officials, business people, civil society representatives, members of the Rwandan community in the diaspora and foreign diplomats to Rwanda. It aims to assess Rwanda's achievements registered in the last few years and plan for the future. Organizers said the event gives all Rwandans, both in the country and abroad, the opportunity to ask their leaders questions directly and discuss the country's challenges, opportunities and growth agenda. Kagame said the country can keep doing better, adding that hard work and the commitment to serve all Rwandans is what will lead to Rwanda's transformation. Rwanda registered 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in new investment and infrastructure deals in 2017, and more than 8,000 new manufacturing jobs were recorded in the same year, he said. | 
