Rwanda: Current Issues

Rwanda: Current Issues

July 14, 2014
Rwanda: Current Issues
Overview
Under the leadership of President Paul Kagame,
Rwanda has become known for its rapid development
and security gains since the devastating 1994 genocide,
in which an estimated 800,000 people were killed.
Despite international praise for Rwanda’s progress,
however, some observers are concerned at restrictions on
political and civil rights. The minority Tutsi community
was targeted in the 1994 genocide, along with politically
moderate members of the majority Hutu population. The
largely Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which
took power in 1994 after ending the genocide, has sought to
improve health systems, reform the economy, and advance
gender equality. Life expectancy and health indicators have
shown marked progress, although challenges persist.
Rwandan development programs have received substantial
support from the United States and other donors.
Politics
“By investing in its people, Rwanda is building a strong
foundation for peace and prosperity in the years to
The RPF dominates state institutions, and Kagame
come.” Secretary of State John Kerry, July 2, 2014.
appears to face no serious internal challenger. Most legal
parties are part of an RPF-led coalition or act as RPF allies.
President Kagame has been in office since 2000 and is
Public criticism of the RPF’s overarching policies or
widely thought to wield ultimate state decision-making
legitimacy is not tolerated. Independent opposition groups,
authority. Observers debate whether Kagame will seek to
media outlets, and civil society organizations appear to be
remain in office after 2017, when his current term ends and
few in number and reportedly operate with difficulty.
he faces constitutional term limits. An ethnic Tutsi who
Detractors assert that laws criminalizing “genocide
grew up in exile in Uganda, Kagame commanded the RPF’s
ideology” and “divisionism,” along with state security
military wing during Rwanda’s civil war in the early 1990s
provisions, have been used to suppress criticism and to
and served as Vice President and Defense Minister in post-
justify prosecutions of journalists and opposition figures.
genocide transitional regimes. After becoming president
through an internal RPF election, Kagame was popularly
“The limited space for open debate is particularly
elected in 2003 with over 95% of the vote, and was
concerning in advance of the pivotal presidential
reelected in 2010 with 93%. While the 2010 vote itself was
elections scheduled for 2017. . Strengthening
peaceful and well-administered, the Obama Administration,
democratic governance—ensuring ful respect for civic
along with some non-governmental organizations,
engagement and civil liberties—continues to be a high
expressed concerns about the political environment.
priority for U.S. assistance in Rwanda.” State
Department Congressional Budget Justification, FY2015.
The World Bank, in its overview of Rwanda’s
development priorities, refers to the country’s “hard-
Some RPF defectors and other regime opponents have
won political and social stability.” Critics, however,
attempted to organize outside the country. Press reports
question whether repression of speech and political activity
allege that Rwanda has carried out assassination attempts
may threaten stability by depriving government opponents
on exiled political opponents. The government has denied
of peaceful avenues for activism. The State Department’s
any state involvement in recent unsolved attacks on
2013 human rights report states that Rwanda’s “most
dissidents overseas, but President Kagame maintains that
important human rights problems” include “the
using any means to address state security threats is
government’s targeting of political opponents and human
legitimate. In early 2014, a senior RPF defector who was
rights advocates for harassment, arrest, and abuse.”
active in diaspora opposition circles was found murdered in
Government officials reject allegations of abusing human
South Africa. President Kagame stated in a press interview
rights, while often arguing that some restrictions are needed
that “Rwanda did not kill this person... but I add that, I
to prevent large-scale ethnic violence and asserting that the
actually wish Rwanda did it.” The government has blamed
country is gradually liberalizing.
sporadic grenade explosions within Rwanda on the
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Rwanda: Current Issues
Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a
in 2009, could boost foreign investment and trade, but
militia based in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo
political differences among EAC members have hindered
(DRC) that is led by Hutu extremists who were involved in
progress toward such ends.
the Rwandan genocide. The FDLR and its leaders are under
U.N. and U.S. sanctions. Suspected FDLR sympathizers
Donor aid is substantial, and Rwanda qualified for
have been arrested within Rwanda.
international debt relief in 2005. However, since 2012,
some donors have reduced or redirected funding due to
Role in Democratic Republic of Congo
Rwanda’s role in the M23 crisis. In response, Rwanda has
sought new domestic and private-sector sources of finance,
Rwanda has security, political, and economic interests
including a national “solidarity” fund, which solicits
in DRC, its larger and chronically unstable neighbor.
donations, and a Eurobond launched in April 2013.
Rwanda has deployed its military into eastern DRC on
several occasions. Rwandan officials contend that DRC
U.S. Policy and Aid
security forces have failed to rein in—and have at times
collaborated with—armed groups, notably the FDLR, that
The United States and Rwanda have cultivated close ties
pose a security threat to Rwanda. Rwandan officials also
since the late 1990s, although in recent years the Obama
sometimes point to periodic DRC efforts to deny land,
Administration and Congress have expressed concerns
citizenship, and other rights to ethnic communities of
about Rwanda’s domestic and regional policies. U.S. aid
Rwandan origin, and to local violence targeting these
is largely focused on socioeconomic development goals,
communities, implying that they may require protection.
with some aid supporting Rwandan participation in
Some analysts further contend that powerful Rwandans
international peacekeeping operations. Rwandan
have profited from resource smuggling in mineral-rich
peacekeepers are considered among the most effective in
DRC. Rwandan officials dispute allegations of official
Africa. Since 2012, the Administration has openly criticized
involvement in smuggling.
Rwanda’s role in DRC. Congress has also enacted related
restrictions on certain types of U.S. assistance. This reflects
Rwanda, along with Uganda, was a key player in DRC’s
a change from earlier years in which U.S. officials largely
1996-1997 civil war, and in the civil and regional war
avoided public censure of Rwanda.
that afflicted DRC in 1998-2003. Previously, in 1996,
Rwandan troops entered DRC in pursuit of Hutu fighters
U.S. bilateral aid to Rwanda grew significantly over the
who had taken refuge there after participating in the
past decade, from $39 million appropriated in FY2003
Rwandan genocide. In recent years, Rwanda has been
to an estimated $197 million in FY2014 (figures not
accused of supporting several DRC-based armed groups. At
adjusted for inflation). In part, this rise reflects overall
times, Rwandan and DRC troops have also cooperated in
trends in U.S. aid to Africa, which increased substantially
operations to counter militia groups in eastern DRC.
during the same period, particularly in support of health
programs. It also reflects widely held views among donors
In 2012-2013, U.S. officials publicly criticized Rwanda
that Rwanda is a leader in implementing international
for providing support to a DRC-based armed group
development assistance. The Administration has requested
known as the M23. In late 2013, DRC military operations,
$171 million for bilateral aid to Rwanda in FY2015, of
backed by U.N. peacekeeping troops, defeated the M23.
which health assistance would make up about 72%. U.S.
However, in January 2014, U.N. sanctions monitors
bilateral support for Rwanda’s peacekeeping participation is
reported that M23 members had continued to receive
provided separately from the above bilateral aid allocations.
“various forms of support from Rwandan territory.”
Rwandan officials deny allegations of supporting the M23,
Congress has restricted certain types of U.S. assistance
blaming instability on DRC’s institutional dysfunctions and
to Rwanda. Under the FY2014 Consolidated
a lack of political will to confront security challenges.
Appropriations Act (P.L. 113-76), Foreign Military
Financing (FMF) is restricted, except for certain purposes,
The Economy
unless the Secretary of State certifies that Rwanda “is
taking steps to cease political, military and/or financial
Donor aid, political stability, and pro-investor policies
support to armed groups in [DRC].” Consistent with a
have contributed to economic growth averaging nearly
similar provision in the FY2012 appropriations act, the
8% per year over the past decade. Key foreign exchange
Administration suspended FMF for Rwanda in mid-2012.
earners include a small but growing mining sector, tourism,
The Senate FY2015 foreign operations appropriations bill,
and exports of coffee and tea. Still, about 90% of Rwandans
S. 2499, contains a similar provision. Starting in late 2013,
remain engaged in agriculture, many for subsistence, and
the Administration suspended additional types of security
about 45% reportedly live below the poverty line. Rwanda
assistance and military cooperation under the Child Soldiers
has the highest population density in continental Africa,
Prevention Act (P.L. 110-457, as amended), citing
which threatens the sustainability of subsistence farming.
Rwanda’s support for the M23, which reportedly used child
The government is undertaking ambitious efforts to
soldiers. These restrictions do not apply to most assistance
transform the economy into one that is services-oriented, to
related to Rwanda’s peacekeeping deployments.
lower birth rates, and to develop domestic sources of
energy, with the goal of making Rwanda a middle-income
Alexis Arieff, aarieff@crs.loc.gov, 7-2459
country by 2020. Regional economic integration backed by
IF00038
the East African Community (EAC), which Rwanda joined
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Document Outline

Overview