Bottom Line
- Rwanda, once known primarily for the horrors of the 1994 genocide, has become a model for post-war reconstruction and rapid economic development, gaining significant soft power influence in Africa in recent years.
- Despite Rwanda’s notable progress, President Paul Kagame’s authoritarian model of governance marked by manipulated elections and human rights abuses presents challenges for US foreign policy.
- The US must be thoughtful about its approach to Rwanda, potentially through conditioning aid on human rights benchmarks, leveraging multilateral forums to encourage good governance, and preparing for a post-Kagame Rwanda through supporting civil society and fostering democratic values among the youth.
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- United States of America
Table of Contents
- BOTTOM LINE 1
- Rwanda, once known primarily for the horrors of the 1994 genocide, has become a model for post-war reconstruction and rapid economic development, gaining significant soft power influence in Africa in recent years. 1
- Despite Rwanda’s notable progress, President Paul Kagame’s authoritarian model of governance marked by manipulated elections and human rights abuses presents challenges for US foreign policy. 1
- The US must be thoughtful about its approach to Rwanda, potentially through conditioning aid on human rights benchmarks, leveraging multilateral forums to encourage good governance, and preparing for a post-Kagame Rwanda through supporting civil society and fostering democratic values among the youth. 1
- Rwandan Soft Power on the Rise – What it is, and Why it Matters 1
- US-Rwanda Relations 2
- Authoritarianism and the Problem with Rwanda 3
- A Strategic Foreign Policy Strategy Toward Rwanda 3
- 1. Empower civil society and support an independent media. 3
- 2. Support the strengthening of democratic institutions. 3
- 3. Make economic aid conditional. 4
- 4. Emphasize strategic military cooperation. 4
- 5. Leverage multilateral forums. 4
- 6. Plan for a post-Kagame Rwanda. 4
- Toward a Balanced Approach 5
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