VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLGB #0111/01 0420917
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 110917Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5112

UNCLAS KIGALI 000111 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM MASS EAID RW
SUBJECT: RWANDA SCENESETTER FOR PRESIDENT BUSH'S TRIP TO 
RWANDA 
 
 ¶1.  (SBU) Summary and Introduction: President Bush's 
February 19 visit to Rwanda is eagerly anticipated by the 
Government of Rwanda (GOR) and the Rwandan people.  President 
and Mrs. Bush will be warmly welcomed.  This visit is already 
widely viewed as serving to underscore the U.S. Government's 
deep partnership with Rwanda on a wide-range of bilateral, 
regional and global issues such as economic development, the 
situation in Darfur and fighting the spread of global 
scourges such as HIV/AIDS and malaria.  Finally, Rwandans 
deeply appreciate that the United States is the largest 
bilateral aid donor operating in Rwanda, with almost $170 
million in assistance in FY07. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Although Rwanda is a highly stable country, 
it is still struggling to overcome the legacy of the 
devastating 1994 genocide when upwards of one million 
Rwandans lost their lives, and the nation's 
infrastructure, economy and society were terribly 
damaged.  Today, the Government is deeply 
committed to forging national unity through the 
reconciliation of Rwanda's ethnic groups, and has made 
great strides in restoring security and establishing 
the underpinnings for a developing democracy. 
The economy has been largely rebuilt and Rwanda is 
seeking to position itself as "the Singapore of 
Africa."  Yet much remains to be done, and we are 
working with the Government of Rwanda (GOR) to 
finalize a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Threshold 
Country Plan. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Regionally, Secretary Rice's December facilitation 
of the Heads of State Tripartite-Plus Summit in Addis Ababa 
built upon and strengthened the November Nairobi agreement. 
In this agreement Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo (DRC) agreed on a "common approach" to resolve the 
security threat posed by the FDLR (the Democratic Forces for 
the Liberation of Rwanda) an armed group operating inside the 
DRC consisting of the remnants of the former Armed Forces of 
Rwanda and the Interahamwe militias, who in large measure 
carried out the genocide.  Subsequent to the Summit in Addis 
Ababa, the January Goma Peace Conference, held in the DRC, 
resulted in a clear road-map for disarmament of other 
indigenous militias.   Additionally, Rwanda has become an 
important player in peacekeeping operations in Darfur.   Four 
battalions of Rwandan peace-keepers now serve there; we have 
trained twelve battalions for those operations (with the 
thirteenth now undergoing training); the U.S. has provided 
much of the airlift for these Darfur deployments. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Schedule in Rwanda is designed to address 
issues of mutual concern.  The visit to the Genocide Memorial 
will offer the chance to pay homage to those Rwandans who 
fell in the 1994 genocide.  The meeting with President Kagame 
provides an excellent opportunity to commend Rwanda's efforts 
to further peace in eastern Congo, and express U.S. support 
for Rwanda's efforts at economic development.  The dedication 
of the new U.S. embassy will showcase our longterm commitment 
to Rwanda.  With over USD 120 million in PEPFAR funds in 
FY08, the PEPFAR event will showcase our superb cooperation 
on HIV/AIDS.  The event with Rwanda Defense Force 
peace-keeping troops who have served in Darfur highlights our 
mutual goal of protecting the people of Darfur so they can 
live in peace and security. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Regional Security:  On November 9, the DRC and 
Rwanda signed an agreement in Nairobi on a common approach to 
end the threat to peace and stability in both countries and 
the Great Lakes region posed by the FDLR, which continues to 
operate in the North and South Kivu provinces of eastern DRC. 
 The Secretary's December hosting of the Heads of State 
Q The Secretary's December hosting of the Heads of State 
Summit greatly reinforced this agreement. Tensions between 
the DRC and the GOR have also centered on renegade Congolese 
Rwandaphone General Laurent Nkunda who has not cooperated 
with the DRC in reintegrating his militia forces into the 
Congo's army.  The January Goma conference, attended by all 
the ethnic groups and many of the armed militias, has created 
a clear avenue toward a peaceful future in the Kivus. 
Elsewhere, Uganda and Rwanda enjoy the most positive 
relations in years, and the simmering internal political 
problems in Burundi show signs of improvement.  Kenya's 
post-election turmoil has highlighted Rwanda's dependence 
upon long transport corridors from Indian Ocean ports; Rwanda 
briefly imposed fuel rationing when tanker trucks from 
Mombasa were delayed by the violence. 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) AU/UN Mission in Darfur:  The Rwandan Defense 
Forces (RDF), one of the most competent and professional 
militaries in sub-Saharan Africa, currently has four 
battalions deployed in Darfur, attached to the African 
Union Mission/United Nations Hybrid Operation (UNAMID). 
The USG has been providing logistical and training 
 
support for the Rwandan contribution to peacekeeping 
efforts in Sudan since initial deployment in August 
¶2004.  The U.S. Air Force and US-funded contract 
airlines have provided transport for nearly all troop 
deployments.  American contractors under the ACOTA 
program (Rwanda became a full ACOTA partner in June, 
2006) have conducted training for twelve battalions 
in preparation for the Darfur deployments -- a 
thirteen is now being trained. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Global Health:  Rwanda is one of 15 "focus 
countries" under the PEPFAR program.  The national HIV 
prevalence rate is approximately 3.0 percent (3.6 percent 
for women, 2.3 percent for men).  A 2005 survey suggests 
that women are contracting HIV/AIDS at a younger age than 
men, and that for both sexes prevalence in urban areas is 
approximately three times higher than in rural areas.  By 
the middle of FY 2008, the PEPFAR program in Rwanda will 
provide at least 50,000 persons with anti-retroviral 
treatment (ART), prevent 158,000 new HIV infections, and 
provide care and support to 250,000 persons affected by 
HIV/AIDS, including orphans and vulnerable children. 
FY07 PEPFAR funding for Rwanda was approximately USD 
103 million.  FY08 levels are expected to be nearly USD 
123 million.  In June 2007, Rwanda hosted the yearly 
PEPFAR conference and garnered high praise for its 
energy and initiative in its HIV/AIDS programming. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) In addition, Rwanda is a phase II country for 
the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI). This program 
works to dramatically reduce the incidence of malaria 
through new treatments, indoor residual spraying, 
home-based management of fever in children and 
increased bed-net use.  PMI funding for the first year 
of the program was $20 million and we anticipate $17 
million in FY08.  The Mission also implements successful 
programs in child survival, maternal and child health, 
reproductive health and family planning.  These programs 
have annual budgets of approximately $8 to $10 
million. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Domestic Political Issues:  In 2003, President 
Kagame was elected to a seven-year term with 95 percent 
of the vote; members of the Chamber of Deputies were 
elected to five year terms in the same year (indirect 
Senate elections were also held).  The Presidential and 
Deputies elections were peaceful, but marred by serious 
irregularities.  The next legislative elections will be 
held this September, with presidential elections 
following in 2010.  Although constitutional and 
regulatory restrictions on political party operations 
remain in place, and use of broadly-worded criminal 
statutes sanctioning "divisionism" and "genocide 
ideology" concern the human rights community, a June 1 
law allows parties to organize down to the lowest 
administrative level.  As a result, Rwanda's political 
parties report renewed interest among average Rwandans 
in politics. Other human rights concerns include 
lingering restrictions on a free press, a judicial 
system still hampered by capacity limitations, and a 
developing civil society that must satisfy extensive 
licensing requirements.  Pending legislation appears 
to loosen many restrictions on civil society, and to a 
lesser degree on the press; their final form will be 
determined in the course of the next several months. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Press Freedom:  Press freedom remains the 
subject of much debate and action in Rwanda.  While 
senior GOR officials recognize the importance of a 
free, effective free press to the development of 
Rwanda's democracy and to international perceptions 
of the country, there have been incidents of 
harassment, occasional run-ins with the police 
and other government authorities, and jailing and 
Qand other government authorities, and jailing and 
prosecution of several journalists.  Press freedom 
diminished in 2007, although independent newspapers 
regularly publish articles critical of senior 
government officials and institutions and the 
ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front without government 
sanction (two papers temporarily suspended 
publication to protest what they considered to be 
harsh government criticism).  Local journalists, who 
do admit to self-censoring on occasion, often 
confess that their over-riding concern is the 
day-to-day economic obstacles to making journalism 
profitable. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Justice and the Genocide:  Over 800,000 
suspected "genocidaires" (those who participated in the 
1994 genocide) are the subject of judicial inquiry by the 
"gacaca courts," a traditional system modernized and 
expanded by the GOR.  Over 90 percent of the pending 
 
cases had been adjudicated by approximately 3000 gacaca 
courts by the end of 2007.  The gacaca service is 
optimistic it can finish all cases including appeals by 
the end of 2008.  The GOR decreed last summer that gacaca 
prisoners would serve their suspended and community 
service sentences first, and return to prison at 
a later date.  Since then, the large prison population 
has diminished, alleviating crowded and unsustainable 
conditions, as the government began releasing prisoners 
previously convicted.  While a small number of the most 
serious genocide offenders will continue to be judged by 
the regular courts,  the gacaca courts represent the 
principal attempt by the GOR to achieve justice and 
reconciliation -- a difficult policy balance -- 
given Rwanda's history of ethnic animosities. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Democracy and Governance Programs:  USG 
programs focus on local government and reconciliation. 
We are supporting decentralized governance 
through an innovative program in which health 
and governance objectives combine to ensure local 
management and delivery of high quality health services. 
The program is intended to demonstrate ability for local 
governments to manage and fund public services.  This program 
is complemented by support for capacity building programs for 
local civil society organizations. We also support a series 
of 
smaller projects related to reconciliation, such as 
activities in land management and land policy and 
legislation, and youth radio.  We also fund youth radio for 
peace and reconciliation through a Great Lakes regional 
initiative. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Economic Development:  Rwanda's main 
development challenges remain its small economy, relative 
isolation, poor infrastructure, the high cost of energy, 
and poorly developed human capital.  Rwanda's economy 
remains largely dependent upon foreign aid, while its 
population remains overwhelmingly rural with over 85 
percent of families earning a living through subsistence 
agriculture and 56.9 percent of households living below 
the poverty line of 250 Rwandan francs a day (about 
$0.45).  However, Rwanda has achieved an average GDP 
growth rate of 6 percent over the past six years and 
increased the total value of exports each year.  The 
government has established important policy benchmarks 
for overhauling the economy, and seeks to establish 
Rwanda as a regional crossroads bridging the 
Francophone west and Anglophone east.  It has achieved 
major improvements in the areas of tax collection, 
banking, trade agreements, anti-corruption, and fiscal 
policy.  It has improved road conditions throughout 
the country, and maintained a low corruption rate 
relative to neighboring countries. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Specialty Coffee:  In 2001, the country 
produced only low-grade commercial quality beans for 
export despite coffee being the traditional number 
one export earner.  Over the past six years, the USG 
has invested an estimated USD 11 million in promoting 
and developing the Rwandan coffee industry, building 
and rehabilitating coffee washing station, training 
farmers and "cuppers" (coffee tasters), organizing 
cooperatives, encouraging banks to lend to Rwandan 
investors to build coffee washing stations, and 
improving rural infrastructure.  Today, Rwandan coffee 
has become known as one of the "best of the best" 
coffees in the world. Rwanda exported 2,600 tons of 
specialty coffee in 2007.  While still a small 
proportion of overall coffee exports, these 
crops earn top prices for the coffee growers, and 
have resulted in better health care, education, and 
housing in coffee farming communities.  In 2006, 
Starbucks launched a promotional campaign featuring 
QStarbucks launched a promotional campaign featuring 
the best of Rwandan coffee, a program seen by an 
estimated 19 million customers in over 5,000 
Starbucks retail stores throughout the U.S. 
Starbucks and Costco today purchase sizeable amounts 
of Rwandan specialty coffee. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) Poverty Reduction:  The government has made 
efforts, with measurable results, to reduce poverty and 
to improve access to health care and education, 
despite its severely limited resources.  Under its 
national policy of universal primary education, the GOR 
provides free primary education to all children.  A 
joint GOR-donor task force is focusing on improvement 
of girls' education.  The GOR is also attempting to 
improve access to health care through greater 
decentralization.  In addition, it has 
implemented plans for the prevention, protection, 
and reintegration of street children (currently 
 
7,000 out of 4.2 million children), including 
 vocational training to promote self-reliance 
through development of income-generating skills. 
Rwanda completed its Economic Development and Poverty 
Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) at the end of 2007 with the 
help of the donor community.  Rwanda had completed the 
Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt relief 
initiative and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative 
by the end of 2006.  Completion of these two debt 
initiatives significantly reduced its overall debt, 
freeing significant funds for social programs. 
Anticipated GDP growth for the immediate future should 
continue at 5-6 percent, while inflation has risen 
slightly given high energy costs and large donor 
inflows.  Rwanda does face challenges to food security 
from cyclic rainfall shortages. 
 
¶16.  (SBU) Millennium Challenge Corporation Country 
Threshold Program: Rwanda was selected in 2006 for the 
Threshold program. The GOR with assistance from the 
Mission is putting the finishing touches on a 
Threshold Country Plan intended to improve its scores 
on three MCC Ruling Justly indicators: civil liberties, 
political rights and voice and accountability.  The 
Threshold program will focus on three main components: 
strengthening the judicial sector, aiding civic 
participation, and promoting civil rights and 
civil liberties 
 
 
ARIETTI