{ "id": "R44402", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "R", "number": "R44402", "active": true, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov, EveryCRSReport.com", "versions": [ { "date": "2021-02-23", "title": "Rwanda: In Brief", "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "typeId": "R", "id": "R44402_11_2021-02-23", "retrieved": "2021-03-19T04:03:55.816898", "formats": [ { "filename": "files/2021-02-23_R44402_3f17c8d5fc05dcfeb9bb1b405dbc13a5a521a3a2.pdf", "sha1": "3f17c8d5fc05dcfeb9bb1b405dbc13a5a521a3a2", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44402/11", "format": "PDF" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2021-02-23_R44402_3f17c8d5fc05dcfeb9bb1b405dbc13a5a521a3a2.html" } ], "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=R44402", "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "active": true }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 598435, "date": "2019-05-14", "retrieved": "2019-12-20T19:13:34.986749", "title": "Rwanda: In Brief", "summary": "Rwanda, a small landlocked country in central Africa\u2019s Great Lakes region, has seen rapid development and security gains since about 800,000 people\u2014mostly members of the ethnic Tutsi minority\u2014were killed in the 1994 genocide. The ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) ended the genocide by seizing power in mid-1994 and has been the dominant force in Rwandan politics ever since. The Rwandan government has won donor plaudits for its efforts to improve health, boost agricultural output, encourage foreign investment, and promote women\u2019s empowerment. Yet, analysts debate whether Rwanda\u2019s authoritarian political system\u2014and periodic support for rebel groups in neighboring countries\u2014could jeopardize the country\u2019s stability in the long-run, or undermine the case for donor support.\nPresident Paul Kagame, in office since 2000, won reelection to another seven-year term in 2017 with nearly 99% of the vote, after the adoption of a new constitution that effectively exempted him from term limits through 2034. Kagame\u2019s overwhelming margin of victory may reflect popular support for his efforts to stabilize and transform Rwandan society, as well as a political system that involves constraints on opposition activity and close government scrutiny of citizen behavior. In response to external criticism, Kagame has generally denied specific allegations of abusing human rights while asserting that restrictions on civil and political rights are necessary to prevent the return of ethnic violence. \nThe United States and Rwanda have cultivated close ties since the mid-1990s, underpinned by U.S. development aid and support for Rwanda\u2019s robust participation in international peacekeeping. Congress has helped shape U.S. engagement through its appropriation of foreign aid and other legislative initiatives, along with oversight and direct Member outreach to Rwandan officials. Over the past decade, successive Administrations and Congress have continued to support U.S. partnership with Rwanda on development and peacekeeping, while criticizing the government\u2019s human rights record and periodic role in regional conflicts. Congress has notably enacted provisions in aid appropriations legislation restricting U.S. military aid to Rwanda if it is found to be supporting rebel groups in neighboring countries. The Obama Administration temporarily applied such restrictions, along with others pursuant to separate child soldiers legislation, citing Rwandan support for rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi. There have been fewer reports of Rwandan support for rebel groups in recent years. \nAfter meeting with President Kagame in early 2018, President Trump expressed appreciation for U.S.-Rwandan economic ties, Rwanda\u2019s contributions to peacekeeping, and Kagame\u2019s pursuit of African Union institutional reforms. In line with the Administration\u2019s proposals to decrease foreign aid worldwide, its FY2020 budget request would provide $117 million in bilateral aid to Rwanda, a 28% decrease from FY2018 levels. U.S. peacekeeping-related military assistance for Rwanda has drawn on regionally- and centrally-managed funds, and is not reflected in these totals. The Administration has also suspended Rwanda\u2019s eligibility for trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA, reauthorized under P.L. 114-27), in response to alleged market barriers to U.S. exports of used clothing.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R44402", "sha1": "89191c2c52856d7db821c4c758f01eb2ab0997d8", "filename": "files/20190514_R44402_89191c2c52856d7db821c4c758f01eb2ab0997d8.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R44402_files&id=/0.png": "files/20190514_R44402_images_d1afc4006469f445c8f86c1656cec839814889b9.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R44402", "sha1": "b0176930a1ea35bd29dd2c2374a4c6e5bf3c7c47", "filename": "files/20190514_R44402_b0176930a1ea35bd29dd2c2374a4c6e5bf3c7c47.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4879, "name": "Sub-Saharan Africa" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 585121, "date": "2018-02-07", "retrieved": "2018-09-13T22:40:43.960395", "title": "Rwanda: In Brief", "summary": "Rwanda, a small landlocked country in central Africa\u2019s Great Lakes region, has become known for its rapid development gains in the wake of the 1994 genocide, in which some 800,000 people were killed. Since then, efforts by the Rwandan Patriotic Front-led government to improve health outcomes, boost agricultural output, promote investment, and increase women\u2019s participation in politics have been lauded internationally. Yet, analysts debate whether Rwanda\u2019s authoritarian political system\u2014and its government\u2019s periodic support for rebel movements in neighboring countries\u2014could jeopardize this progress in the future, or undermine the case for donor support.\nPresident Paul Kagame, in office since 2000, won reelection to a new seven-year term in August 2017 with nearly 99% of the vote, after a new constitution adopted in 2015 carved out an exception to term limits for him. His overwhelming margin of victory was interpreted by some observers as reflecting popular support for the president\u2019s efforts to stabilize and transform Rwandan society, while others viewed it as the product of a political system that involves tight constraints on opposition activity and close government scrutiny of citizen behavior. In response to external criticism of Rwanda\u2019s political system and human rights record, Rwandan officials, including Kagame, have often asserted that some restrictions on civil and political rights are needed to prevent the return of ethnic violence. \nThe United States and Rwanda have cultivated close ties since the 1990s, underpinned by U.S. development aid and support for Rwanda\u2019s participation in international peacekeeping missions. Congress has helped shape U.S. engagement through the aid appropriations process, other legislative initiatives, oversight activities, and Member outreach to Rwandan officials. Over the past decade, U.S. officials, including some Members of Congress, have continued to hail Rwanda\u2019s development and peacekeeping record while voicing growing criticism of the government\u2019s human rights record and its role in regional conflicts. Congress has notably placed restrictions on certain types of U.S. military aid if Rwanda is found to be supporting rebel groups in neighboring countries. The Obama Administration periodically applied such restrictions, and others under separate child soldiers legislation, citing Rwandan support for rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi.\nTrump Administration officials have continued to pair support for U.S.-Rwanda partnership on shared objectives with statements of concern regarding political conditions within Rwanda. U.S. interest in partnering with Rwanda on Africa-wide initiatives may increase in 2018 as President Kagame assumes the yearlong rotating chairmanship of the African Union (AU). President Trump met with President Kagame at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2018, after which President Trump expressed appreciation for U.S.-Rwandan economic ties, Rwanda\u2019s contributions to peacekeeping, and Kagame\u2019s pursuit of AU institutional reforms.\nIn line with its proposals to decrease foreign aid worldwide, the Administration\u2019s FY2018 aid budget request would lower annual U.S. bilateral aid to Rwanda from $159 million to $105 million (not including peacekeeping support). The Administration has also initiated an out-of-cycle review of Rwanda\u2019s eligibility for trade benefits it receives under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA, reauthorized under P.L. 114-27) in response to alleged market barriers to U.S. exports resulting from policies in the East African Community, to which Rwanda belongs.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R44402", "sha1": "70da63094222969a2e858d8cd39fcfff2381592d", "filename": "files/20180207_R44402_70da63094222969a2e858d8cd39fcfff2381592d.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R44402_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180207_R44402_images_d1afc4006469f445c8f86c1656cec839814889b9.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R44402", "sha1": "d60cb984c4d459d64cedf09b4e56ef7017e9bc73", "filename": "files/20180207_R44402_d60cb984c4d459d64cedf09b4e56ef7017e9bc73.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4879, "name": "Sub-Saharan Africa" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 450182, "date": "2016-02-26", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T16:59:39.913853", "title": "Rwanda: In Brief", "summary": "Rwanda has become known for its rapid development and security gains since the devastating 1994 genocide, in which over 800,000 people were killed. The minority ethnic Tutsi community was targeted in the genocide, along with politically moderate members of the Hutu majority, in a state-backed extermination campaign. (Hutus make up some 84% of the population and Tutsis 15%.) The Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a Uganda-based insurgent group at the time, ended the genocide and took power in mid-1994. Since then, RPF efforts to improve health systems, the economy, and gender equality have received substantial support from foreign donors, including the United States, and development indicators have improved markedly. However, poverty remains widespread. \nPresident Paul Kagame has been in office since 2000 and previously served as Vice President and Defense Minister in post-genocide transitional governments. Kagame appears likely to seek to remain in office past 2017\u2014the date of Rwanda\u2019s next elections\u2014after a constitutional referendum removing his current term limit passed in late 2015. U.S. officials and other observers have expressed concerns about the referendum, Kagame\u2019s decision to seek a third term, and broader limits on political space in Rwanda. Human rights groups also report harassment, restriction on opposition parties and the media, disappearances, and assassinations. Rwandan officials reject allegations of human rights abuses, while arguing that some restrictions on civil and political rights are needed to prevent the return of ethnic violence and asserting that the country is gradually liberalizing. Nevertheless, some observers contend that limits on political and civil rights may threaten Rwanda\u2019s stability by depriving opponents of peaceful avenues for activism.\nThe United States and Rwanda have cultivated close ties since the late 1990s, although in recent years the Obama Administration and some Members of Congress have expressed concerns about Rwanda's domestic and regional policies. While praising Rwanda's progress, U.S. officials have criticized its constraints on political and civil freedoms. The United States is also concerned about the Rwandan government's history of backing rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and reports of Rwandan support for rebel activity in Burundi. Most recently, a political crisis in Burundi has sparked growing international concern over ethnic violence and Rwandan intervention, which could have broader implications for U.S. engagement in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa.\nSubstantial U.S. engagement and aid is focused on supporting economic development, health outcomes, good governance, military professionalism, and Rwandan participation in international peacekeeping. U.S. bilateral aid to Rwanda has grown significantly, from $39 million appropriated in FY2003 to more than $177 million in FY2015, not including peacekeeping support. U.S.-Rwanda trade, however, is limited, and U.S.-Rwandan relations could be impacted by growing international concern over Rwanda\u2019s role in Burundi, as well as the direction of Rwanda\u2019s democratic trajectory. Congress may examine U.S. engagement on Rwanda\u2019s role in regional security and its 2017 election when considering humanitarian aid, security assistance (including for peacekeeping), trade authorities, and policy oversight.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R44402", "sha1": "43e2222caaa9d38f4a7916984c0287b10954a811", "filename": "files/20160226_R44402_43e2222caaa9d38f4a7916984c0287b10954a811.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R44402", "sha1": "17965d6130f3f2f0ca1ae406f08a898f6f497391", "filename": "files/20160226_R44402_17965d6130f3f2f0ca1ae406f08a898f6f497391.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 276, "name": "Sub-Saharan Africa" } ] } ], "topics": [ "African Affairs", "Foreign Affairs" ] }