Just returned from a quick tour of Rwanda and a day at the Transform Africa Summit where I spoke about our connectivity initiatives at [Google] X and met some really cool people. What an incredibly vibrant place East Africa is and Rwanda is beautiful and sophisticated. The Summit attracted over 4,000 participants, and speakers including President Kagame of Rwanda, President Kenyatta of Kenya, Rwandan Minister of ICT Paula Ingabire, and the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary and Minister of Information and Communications Joe Mucheru, amongst many others.

President Paul Kagame, Rwanda - Transform Africa Summit - May 15, 2019

We had the opportunity to meet with Paula Ingabire and Joe Mucheru while there. Joe is a past Googler and both he and Paula are young, super intelligent, very action oriented and totally versed in all the relevant technologies they desire for their respective countries. Rwandan President Paul Kagame was also at the conference and although his reputation can at times be a little mixed, you have to give him credit for what he has been able to create in Rwanda just 25 years after over one million Rwandans (70% of the Tutsis population) were killed in one of the worst genocides in human history. Rwanda today is an incredibly sophisticated and vibrant place. It is often called The Land of a Thousand Hills thanks to the beautiful rolling hills everywhere you look. We spent a day out in the surrounding villages and country side outside Kigali meeting the people and local officials and I was blown away with not only the beauty there but also the local economy, the stability, the ease of doing business and how seemingly the entire country has embraced a dynamic and promising future. What a totally cool place! I am definitely headed back soon!