Rwanda, a tiny country in east and central Africa, aspires to be a knowledge-based, middle-income economy by the year 2020. By the same time Rwanda, which possesses relatively limited natural resources, especially in comparison to neighbouring countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, aims to transform into East Africa’s undisputed and indispensable services hub. Yet, 20 years ago, the world was witness to a very different country.
On April 7, 2014, Rwanda will begin the national commemoration of the genocide of 1994, a devastating tragedy that left hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and Hutus dead.
Two decades is a relatively short period in a nation’s lifetime and the Rwandan genocide is still etched in the collective memory of the international community. Yet, Rwanda’s achievements in this span of time are astounding.
As proof of its commitment to nurturing the private sector, Rwanda was ranked 32 out of 189 economies in the World Bank’s ‘Doing Business 2014’ report. This demonstrates the strength and openness of the business environment for both local and international entrepreneurs.
A strong leadership with an uncluttered developmental vision has resulted in sustained capacity development and institution-building. This has placed Rwanda firmly on the path to economic wellbeing. Moreover, members of the diaspora poured into the country in the years following the genocide in order to help build a peaceful and prosperous nation that would never again be vulnerable to conflict and discord.
In fact, Rwanda has made tremendous progress in repairing a society that was torn apart by mistrust and violence. The Gacaca courts were established in 2001 to try the many genocidaires, who could not be tried in the conventional courts due to the overwhelming numbers of perpetrators brought to trial.
Concluding in 2010, the Gacaca courts represent a unique form of communal and collaborative justice, which is motivated as much by reconciliation as by justice.
The umuganda effect Rwanda has developed other equally inventive ways of bolstering social cohesion.
On the last Saturday of every month, all Rwandan citizens, including President Paul Kagame, come together to clean their neighbourhoods.
Umuganda , as this event is known, seeks to instil a sense of purpose and unity among the people while simultaneously preserving the environment.
Empowering women is another integral aspect of Rwanda’s recuperative process. With a female-dominated parliament, the Rwandan government has demonstrated its dedication to gender equality and women’s representation, both of which are critical to creating a society that is whole and inclusive.
Rwanda is also known for generating innovative, ‘home-grown’ approaches to developmental issues. The ‘one cow per poor family programme’ ( girinka ), for instance, which was initiated by Kagame, aims to eliminate child malnutrition and raise incomes for farmer households. The programme is targeting 3,50,000 Rwandese families by 2015; it has already impacted over 1,77,200 families.
By steadily mending internal social and economic cleavages, Rwanda is becoming an increasingly attractive location for international investors and entrepreneurs who are eager to explore promising markets in Africa. The World Bank’s ‘Doing Business’ parameters reflect the realities on the ground, as establishing a company in Rwanda is a quick and an efficient operation.
Government officials at all levels are approachable, willing to respond to queries and share information. Moreover, public accountability is high and corruption minimal.
Holistic view However, even as the government has made private sector development one of its priorities, the pace of decision-making can impede timely project execution. The momentum of the public and private sectors is not always aligned. This can lead to businesses having to rearrange timelines and commitments; it may not always be easy to recover from these adjustments. In light of this, prospective investors should approach Rwanda and other developing nations in Africa with a long-term and holistic perspective, as projects can take time to materialise.
Securing finance in order to implement innovative and high-impact initiatives is not always a straightforward process, especially in the case of foreign entrepreneurs attempting to enter a new market. As African countries strive to reduce their reliance on donor aid, it will be necessary to innovate financial solutions that will serve their unique development needs. For new ideas, both strong political will and funds are necessary. This again points to the need for a long-term strategy.
Kwibuka20, the annual commemoration of the 1994 genocide, began on January 7 this year. The objectives of Kwibuka20 are three-fold: to remember those who died in and support those who survived; to unite Rwandans and the world at large in a spirit of reconciliation and empathy; and to renew by sharing and learning from their experiences in order to move forward collectively towards a brighter, more hopeful future.
As the date of the official commemoration draws near, it is incumbent on us to remember those who lost their lives 20 years ago and express our solidarity with the survivors. Moreover, we should use this time to reflect on how far Rwanda has come since then, and how much further it has the potential to go as a dynamic and positive force in the international arena.
Puljal, Managing Director, and Chakravarti, Associate, the Avignam group, are based in New Delhi and Kigali respectively.