BASIC INFORMATION
Full Country Name: The Republic of Rwanda
Country Profile: Rwanda
Basic Information
Area: 26,338 sq km
Population: approximately 8 million
Capital City: Kigali (700,000, 1,000,000 during the day)
Language(s): Kinyarwanda (official), French (official), English (official), Kiswahili
used in commercial centres and by the Army.
Religion(s): Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 12%, Muslim 3%, indigenous beliefs and
other 37%.
Currency: 1 Rwandan franc = 100 centimes
Head of State: President Paul Kagame (since 22 April 2000, elected December 2003)
Prime Minister: Bernard Makuza (since 8 March 2000)
Foreign Minister: Dr Charles Murigande
Major political parties: Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF); Rwanda Democratic Movement
(MDR); the Social Democratic Party (PSD); Liberal Party (PL); Christian Democratic Party
(PDC); Islamic Democratic Party (PDI); Rwandan Socialist Party (PSR) and Democratic Union
of Rwandan People (UDPR); Congress Progressive Party (PPC)
GEOGRAPHY
Rwanda, a small land-locked mountainous country lying south of the Equator in Central
Africa, borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi. It
has a temperate climate with two rainy seasons (March to May; October to December) .
HISTORY
Rwanda existed as an independent, highly centralised state for several centuries, ruled by a
King and noble elite drawn largely from the minority Tutsi (15%) group. It became part of
German East Africa in 1899. Following WWI it became part of the Belgian-administered
territory of ‘Ruanda-Urundi’, with neighbouring Burundi, under a League of Nations mandate.
The colonial authorities initially consolidated the power of the existing Tutsi elite. In an
attempt to head off claims for independence from the ruling elite, the Hutu majority was
later encouraged to participate in the political life of the country. Independence from
Belgium followed in 1962, after a Hutu uprising (1959-61) and large-scale massacres of
Tutsi. This brought to power a Hutu-dominated Government led by President Kayibanda.
Inter-communal violence between Hutu and Tutsi continued until 1973, when Kayibanda was
deposed and a more moderate – but still firmly Hutu – Second Republic was declared under
President Habyarimana.
Rwanda remained largely peaceful during this period, although Tutsi were still excluded from
power and faced widespread discrimination. Many left the country, joining those who had fled
the killings of 1959. Power was concentrated in the hands of a single party, the Mouvement
Revolutionnaire National pour le Developpment (MRND). Habyarimana and the MRND won several
uncontested “elections” through the 1980's.
GENOCIDE
In 1985 Tutsi exiles in Uganda formed the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). Having failed to
negotiate their return to the country, the RPF invaded Rwanda from Uganda in October 1990,
demanding representation and equality for all Rwandans. A civil war in the border area
ensued. Each incursion by the RPF was followed by reprisal massacres, largely of Tutsis, by
government forces. A peace agreement was brokered in 1993, the Arusha Peace Accords, which
inter alia provided for a power-sharing arrangement involving all political forces and the
RPF. But, unwilling to share power, a group of extremist Hutu politicians planned to
consolidate their hold on the country by wiping out all the Tutsi, along with moderate Hutu
leaders. They prepared the largely illiterate population through ethnic propaganda, armed
extremist youth militia (known as the Interahamwe) and drew up lists of those to be
targeted. The killing was sparked by the assassination of President Habyarimana in April
1994. The genocide and massacres lasted until July 1994 and cost the lives of around 1
million Rwandans. It was halted by the RPF taking control of the country. The extremist
politicians and over 2 million Hutu fled the country together with many members of the
Rwandan Armed Forces and the interahamwe, both with their weapons to neighbouring countries.
The majority went to Zaire.
POLITICS
The RPF has remained the dominant party in Rwanda since July 1994 when they set up a
Transitional Government of National Unity, sharing power with other parties, under the
formula agreed at Arusha in 1993. This arrangement, together with a nominated 70-member
multi-party Transitional National Assembly lasted until 2003. During that period, the RPF
ensured domestic security, put in place programmes for economic reconstruction, justice and
community reconciliation and ended any official distinction between Hutu and Tutsi. Under a
new constitution agreed by referendum in May 2003, Presidential and parliamentary elections
took place in August and September 2003. Paul Kagame was elected President with 95% of the
vote for a 7-year term, and the RPF won 73.8% of the votes in the parliamentary elections.
Progress has been marred by military engagement in the neighbouring DRC. Although Rwandan
troops withdrew from the DRC in 2002, allegations persisted that Rwanda maintained a
presence in eastern DRC. There are also continued questions over domestic human rights and
political freedoms. Although voting in the 2003 elections was generally well run and
orderly, international observers reported irregularities in the electoral process, including
intimidation of voters. All alternative parties have to join the Forum of Political Parties,
chaired by the RPF and do not provide a strong opposition. In 2002, former President Pasteur
Bizimungu was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for a variety of offences after trying to
establish a political party. Bizimungu’s appeal against the sentence was turned down in
February 2006. He was subsequently granted a Presidential pardon and released in April
2007. The next elections will take place in September 2008 (parliamentary) and 2010
(presidential).
HUMAN RIGHTS
In 1994, the UN Security Council established an International Criminal Tribunal (ICTR) to
try the main leaders and planners of the genocide. Its progress has been slow but it has
now convicted 27 people. Given the large number of Rwandans involved in the genocide and the
inability of the local Judicial system to cope, the Rwandan government set up in 2002 a
modern version of the traditional justice system, called Gacaca, which tried lesser
offenders within their own communities. Gacaca is due to formally complete its work in
2008.
Human rights abuses continue to be reported in Rwanda. Human rights NGOs suffer restrictions
and harassment, the press is closely controlled, independent journalists and opposition
politicians face intimidation, and disappearances have been reported. Human rights
organisations assert that accusations of promoting ‘divisionism’ have been used to silence
criticism of the Government. In December 2004, President Kagame promised a national human
rights campaign. Many NGOs continue to focus on education and reconciliation in the wake of
the genocide. The Government has established a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and a
National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC).
Human Rights Annual Report 2006
ECONOMY
GDP: US$ 2.8 bn (2007)
GDP Growth: 6% (2008 est)
Inflation: 6% (2007 est)
Major Exports: Coffee, tea, coltan, cassiterite, fruit juice
Major Trading Partners: Exports – China, Germany. Imports – Kenya, Uganda, Germany,
Belgium.
Exchange Rate: Rwanda Franc 560 = $1 2007)
Landlocked and densely populated, Rwanda has few exploitable resources. The majority of
Rwandans exist on subsistence agriculture. Periodic drought, soil erosion and soil
exhaustion through over-cultivation on small family plots has led to food insecurity in some
parts. Coffee and tea are the main exports, both gradually recovering their former high
quality. The tourism sector, still tiny, has potential. Methane gas from Lake Kivu is
likely to have a positive impact on national electricity supply from 2009. Rwanda is
committed to a privatisation programme involving the telecommunications, water and
electricity, gas, transport and mining para-statals.
DEVELOPMENT
Rwanda is one of the 20 poorest countries in the world. It ranked 161 of 177 countries in
the 2007 Human Development Index. Since 1994, it has made significant progress in uplifting
the traditionally poor socio-economic indicators. The number living below the poverty line
(on less than $1 per day) declined from 70% in 1994 to 60% by 2002. Enrolment in primary
school is now at 94%. Underlining the progress Rwanda has made in poverty reduction, it
qualified in April 2005 for debt relief under the enhanced HIPC initiative, amounting in
real terms to some US$1.4 billion. Rwanda remains highly aid-dependent. Currently, some 50%
of government revenue comes from donor support.
The UK is the largest bilateral donor in Rwanda and will provide £46m in 2006/7. The UK
provides two-thirds of its support to Rwanda through Budget Support. Under the terms of a
Memorandum of Understanding signed in February 2006, the UK will provide at least £460
million in development assistance over the next ten years. DFID have a large office in
Kigali.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Since the genocide of 1994, Rwanda's international relations have been dominated by its
involvement in the DRC.(formerly Zaire). Remnants of the forces that carried out the
genocide, (known as ‘exFAR/I’), who fled there in 1994 soon began to conduct raids back into
Rwanda. Frustrated at international and Zairean inaction to resolve this problem, in 1996
the new Rwandan government sent its army into Zaire. The resulting chaos led to the removal
of long-standing Zairean dictator Mobutu Sese Seko from power, and his replacement by
Laurent Kabila.
Although the majority of refugees returned to Rwanda, significant numbers of exFAR/I took
refuge deep in Zaire’s forests where they again began to plan further operations against
Rwanda. Tensions between Rwanda and Laurent Kabila, combined with the latent threat from
the exFAR/I, led to a second Rwandan intervention in the Congo in 1998, supported by Uganda
and Burundi. This triggered a bloody and complex conflict in the DRC that continued until
2003. The last Rwandan troops withdrew in late 2002 but allegations of Rwandan involvement
in the DRC continued and relations between Rwanda and the DRC remain difficult.
The relationship between Presidents Museveni of Uganda and President Kagame has improved..
The Rwandan and Ugandan armies fought each other in Kisangani, DRC, in 1999 and 2000, and
cross-border tensions were bolstered by mutual accusations of support for dissidents. But
UK-led diplomatic involvement and co-operation at international organisations – notably
Ugandan sponsorship of Rwanda’s application to join the Commonwealth – have led to a
considerable improvement in relations in recent years.
Rwanda has taken an active role in the African Union.(AU). Rwanda deployed troops to protect
the AU ‘s monitoring mission in Darfur, Sudan on 15 August 2004, and has subsequently
increased its deployment. It also joined the East African Community in June 2007, along with
neighbouring Burundi. Rwanda is also a strong supporter of the New Partnership for African
Development, NEPAD, the AU’s flagship development plan, and was the first country to
complete NEPAD’s African Peer Review Mechanism.
RWANDA'S RELATIONS WITH THE UK
Before 1994, the UK’s relationship with Rwanda was formal but thin. There was no resident
diplomatic representation. An Embassy was opened for the first time in 1995. Relations are
now close. There is also a large DFID office.
Diplomatic Representation
Rwanda has an Embassy in London - Ambassador Mr Claver Gatete
UK Embassy in Kigali.
Trade and Investment with the UK
UK exports to Rwanda were £3.63 million in 2006. UK imports from Rwanda £0.28 million in
2006.
Visits
Outward: Jack Straw, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (January
2002), Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development (April 2004 and April
2007), Chris Mullin, Minister for Africa (June 2004)) and Baroness Vadera, International
Development Minister (November 2007).
Inward: President Paul Kagame (March 2003, May 2003, January 2004, December 2006), Dr
Charles Murigande, Foreign Minister (May 2003), Prime Minister Bernard Makuza (November
2003), Finance Minister James Musoni (March 2006), Protais Musoni, Minister for Local
Administration (March 2005).
TRAVEL
Travel Advice: Rwanda
Last reviewed: 02 January 2008
