| USAID's Strategy in Rwanda Since the civil war and genocide of 1994, the Government
of Rwanda (GOR) has made significant progress in restoring
security in the country and rebuilding its social and economic
infrastructure. Recovery from the devastation in 1994 is slow
and has been complicated by invasions of Hutu extremists into
Rwanda from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
and Rwanda's ensuing role in the war in DRC. In accordance
with the terms of the Pretoria Peace Accord signed with the
DRC in July 2002, the GOR has overseen the withdrawal of 22,000
Rwandan soldiers from the eastern region of the DRC.
While some Rwandan and Burundian rebels still pose a threat
in the region, Rwanda itself is secure at this time. If peace
and stability continue to improve as expected, the country
will also see a rapid increase in the number of Rwandan Army
soldiers and rebel ex-combatants in neighboring DRC being
demobilized and reintegrated into their communities. Increasing
numbers of Rwandan refugees are also expected to return. The
reintegration of these tens of thousands of ex-combatants
and refugees, along with the expected release of tens of thousands
of prisoners under the traditional Rwandan method for resolving
conflicts being used to try genocide crimes (known as "gacaca"),
will increase the potential for violent conflict in communities
throughout the country. Democratization in Rwanda is underway. As part of Rwanda's
decentralization program, local government officials, elected
for five-year terms in 2001, now have responsibility for providing
many of the country's social services at the district level.
Securing adequate resources for local government projects
and services is a major challenge for the GOR. In spite of the progress in Rwanda, severe development challenges
remain. More than 60 percent of Rwanda's people live below
the poverty line and Rwanda also is one of the most densely
populated countries in the world. The key U.S. national interests in Rwanda are regional stability,
democracy and governance, and economic prosperity. Improved
regional stability and economic growth will facilitate progress
in the global war on terrorism. Economic cooperation will
promote growth and increased trade in addition to lessening
dependence on international humanitarian assistance.
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