Rwanda Overview Country Overview Rwanda is a small mountainous country in central Africa, bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Birunga volcanoes rise steeply from Lake Kivu in the west. The principal areas of interest are the Virunga Volcanoes, the Kagera National Park and the region around Lake Kivu. The capital city of Kigali is mainly a commercial and administrative centre. Kibungu, in the east of the country, is in the centre of a region of lakes and waterfalls that include Lake Mungesera and the Rusumo Falls. Further west is the Parc des Volcans, one of the last sanctuaries of the mountain gorilla. This region is composed of volcanic mountains, of which two, across the frontier in Democratic Republic of Congo, are still active. Apart from the many small bars, there is little in the way of nightlife. The Rwanda National Ballet is famous for its traditional dancing and singing and can be seen either at national ceremonies or sometimes on request in the villages. General Information Area: 26,338 sq km (10,169 sq miles). Population: 7,235,000 (UN estimate 1999). Population Density: 274.7 per sq km. Capital: Kigali. Population: 233,640 (1991). GEOGRAPHY: Rwanda is a small mountainous country in central Africa, bordered to the north by Uganda, to the east by Tanzania, to the south by Burundi and to the west by the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country is divided by great peaks of up to 3000m (9842ft), which run across the country from north to south. The Virunga volcanoes, rising steeply from Lake Kivu in the west, slope down first to a hilly central plateau and further eastwards to an area of marshy lakes around the upper reaches of the A'Kagera River, where the A'Kagera National Park is situated. Government: Republic since 1962. Gained independence from Belgium in 1962. Head of State: President Paul Kagame since 2000. Head of Government: Prime Minister Bernard Makuza since 2000. Language: The official languages are Kinyarwanda, French and English. Kiswahili is used for trade and commerce. Religion: Animist (50 per cent), Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) and an Islamic minority. Time: GMT + 2. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Communications:   Telephone Country code: 250. There are no area codes. There is direct international dialling but this may be subject to occasional disruptions. Mobile telephone GSM 900/1800 network. Network operators include MTN Rwandacell (website: www.mtnrwandacell.co.rw). Handsets can be hired. Internet ISPs include Rwandatel (website: www.rwanda1.com). There are currently a few Internet cafes in Kigali, although the number is increasing steadily. Telegram Facilities are available in Kigali and main hotels. Post In Kigali post offices are open Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1400-1700, Sat 0800-1200. Airmail to Western Europe takes approximately two weeks. Press There are English-language newspapers. Publications are also in French or Kinyarwanda and are fortnightly or quarterly. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 17.89 15.42 9.630 6.005 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 15.58 11.98 6.035 0.909 Passport/Visa   Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British Yes Yes Yes Australian Yes Yes Yes Canadian Yes No/1 Yes USA Yes No/1 Yes OtherEU Yes Yes Yes Japanese Yes Yes Yes Restricted Entry: The Rwandan Government refuses admission and transit to nationals of Burundi without the proper entry documents. PASSPORTS: Passports valid for at least six months required by all. VISAS: Required by all except the following: (a) 1. nationals of Canada, Germany, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and the USA for stays of up to three months; (b) nationals of China providing holding Hong Kong (SAR), China passports for stays of up to one month; (c) transit passengers continuing their journey within 24 hours by the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport. Types of visa and cost: Single-entry/Multiple-entry: £50. Note: Nationals of Mauritius, South Africa, Sweden and UK require visas but can obtain them free of charge. Validity: Three months. Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. Application requirements: (a) Valid passport. (b) Two passport-size photos. (c) Two completed application forms. (d) Company letters or guarantee for business trips. (e) Fee payable by company certified cheque, postal order or cash. Working days required: 24 hours. Temporary residence: Visas can be extended at the Immigration Office in Kigali. Money Currency: Rwanda Franc (FRw) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of FRw5000, 1000, 500 and 100. Coins are in denominations of FRw50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Credit & debit cards: Accepted at only a few hotels in Kigali. MasterCard is most widely accepted, with more limited use of Diners Club. Check with your credit, or debit, card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services that may be available. Travellers cheques: Generally not recommended although banks accept travellers cheques by the holder. Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is limited to FRw5000. The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited, provided declared on arrival. Exchange rate indicators The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Rwanda Franc against Sterling and the US Dollar: Date May ’02 Aug ’02 Nov ’02 Feb ’03 £1.00= 667.30 708.74 784.38 810.45 $1.00= 457.90 466.00 496.00 509.00 Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1230 and 1400-1700, Sat 0830-1130. Duty Free The following items may be imported into Rwanda by persons over 16 years of age without incurring customs duty: 2 cartons of cigarettes and 2l of alcoholic beverages. Note: Game trophies can only be exported with special permission of the Game Department. Public Holidays Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. May 1 Labour Day. Jul 1 Independence Day. Jul 4 Liberation Day. Aug 15 Assumption Day. Sep 25 Republic Day. Oct 26 Armed Forces’ Day. Nov 1 All Saints’ Day. Nov 26-28 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Dec 25 Christmas Day. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. May 1 Labour Day. Jul 1 Independence Day. Jul 4 Liberation Day. Aug 15 Assumption. Sep 25 Republic Day. Oct 26 Armed Forces’ Day. Nov 1 All Saints’ Day. Nov 14-16 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Dec 25 Christmas Day. Note: Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last anything from two to ten days, depending on the region. For more information see the appendix World of Islam. Health   Special Precautions Certificate Required Yellow Fever Yes 1 Cholera Yes 2 Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A Malaria 4 N/A Note: There is a constant danger of disease, owing to the lack of sanitation. The risk of epidemics is high. 1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over one year of age. 2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to Rwanda. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential. Customs officials may demand to see some proof of immunisation. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. See the Health appendix for further information. 3: Typhoid is a risk, especially in rural areas. 4: Malaria risk exists all year throughout the country. The predominant, malignant falciparum strain is reported to be highly resistant to chloroquine and resistant to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. Food & drink: Visitors are advised to bring their own supplies of food, bottled water and vitamins. Clean water is scarce, and all water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products that are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. Other risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Swimming pools that are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Typhus fever, trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), onchocerciasis (river blindness), hepatitis A and E are widespread; hepatitis B is highly endemic. Menigococcal meningitis and TB occur. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix. Health care: Medical facilities are severely limited and extremely overburdened. Almost all medical facilities in Kigali were destroyed during the civil war, but the situation is now improving and most hospitals function to an acceptable level. However, medical insurance, including cover for emergency repatriation, is essential. Visitors are advised to bring their own personal medication. Travel - International Note: Foreign travellers are advised to avoid the rural areas in Cyangugu Province bordering Burundi (Gishoma, Dugarama, Kibangiro, Bugumya, Gasumo and Bweyeye) unless on essential business. For further advice contact a local government travel advice department. AIR: There is no direct commercial air service to Rwanda from the UK at present.The national carrier is Rwandair Express. Other airlines serving Rwanda include Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Air Burundi, East African and SN Brussels Airlines. Approximate flight times: From Kigali to London is 12 hours, including stopovers. International airports: Kigali (KGL) (Kigali International Airport), 12km (7.5 miles) east of Kigali (travel time – 25 minutes). Airport facilities include bar, duty-free shop, post office and currency exchange. Bus and taxi services are available. Departure tax: US$40 or equivalent in Rwanda Francs. ROAD: International routes are available from the surrounding countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Tanzania. Visitors are advised to exercise extreme caution, owing to political instability. Bus: There are daily services from Kampala in Uganda and Bujumbura in Burundi to Kigali. Travel - Internal AIR: Chartered planes are available, though these are expensive. Departure tax: US$20. ROAD: Traffic drives on the right. There are three types of road: National Routes which are tarmaced, Provincial Routes which are in quite good condition and Local Routes which are not tarmaced and on which a four-by-four vehicle might be a bonus. Extra care should be taken at night, as taxis use full headlights. The network is generally sparse; the roads linking the capital with Butare, Bugarana and the frontier posts are, however, good. Driving is not recommended and visitors are advised to exercise extreme caution. Bus: Services are operated by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and are classified into three groups: Urban (route numbers prefixed by A, B or C); Suburban (D routes); and Interurban. A timetable and tariff booklet is available in Rwanda. Taxi: Available in Kigali and other large towns. Fares should be agreed in advance. Tipping is not expected. Car hire: Limited facilities in Rwanda. There are no international car hire firms operating, but there are local companies in Kigali. Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required. Accommodation HOTELS: Found mostly in Kigali; they are expensive. There are some cheaper new hotels of reasonable standard. Missions with dormitory accommodation are also available, particularly in remote districts and smaller towns. Ruhengeri and Gisenyi mission station hotels are excellent. GUEST-HOUSES: Outside the main towns there are guest-houses, which are generally cheaper than hotels. There is a solar-powered house at the edge of the A'Kagera National Park. CAMPING: At present this is forbidden but facilities are being developed. Rest huts are available on the expedition route in the Virunga Volcanoes. Introduction Rwanda is a mountainous land in the heart of Africa, split by the Rift Valley, and dominated by a mountain range that traverses the country from north to south. The four principal areas of interest are the Virunga Volcanoes, the A’Kagera National Park, the Nyungwe National Park and the region around Lake Kivu. The capital city of Kigali is mainly a commercial and administrative centre and has little in the way of tourist attractions. For up-to-date information about tours and excursions in the country contact Kiboko Tours & Travel (e-mail: kiboko@rwanda1.com) or ORTPN in Kigali (see Contact Addresses section). A'KAGERA NATIONAL PARK: Kibungu (Umutara), in the east of the country, is in the centre of a region of lakes and waterfalls, including Lake Mungesera and the Rusumo Falls. It is also close to the southern tip of the A'Kagera National Park, which covers over 2500 sq km (1000 sq miles) of savannah to the west of the A' Kagera River (the frontier with Tanzania). The park has a variety of wildlife and is a habitat for over 500 species of birds. The major point of access is Kabarando; the roads within the park have recently been improved. In the rainy seasons (December, March and April) many of the routes become impassable. PARC DES VOLCANS: Northwest of A'Kagera is the Parc des Volcans, one of the last sanctuaries of the mountain gorilla. The ORTPN bureau and some private companies in Kigali can organise guided tours of the park for small parties; it is advisable to book well in advance. This region is composed of volcanic mountains, of which two, Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira, across the frontier in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are still active. LAKE KIVU: Gisenyi is the main centre for excursions in the Parc des Volcans. Plane trips can be made from here to view the craters. Situated on the north of Lake Kivu, it also offers many opportunities for water sports or for excursions on the lake. Kibuye, further south, is another lakeside resort. Near Cyangugu, on the southern shores of the lake, are the spectacular grottoes of Kaboza and Nyenji, and the thermal waters at Nyakabuye. Nearby, the Rugege Forest is the home of many rare species of wildlife. ELSEWHERE: East of Cyangugu, bordering with Burundi, is Butare, the intellectual capital of the country. It boasts an interesting museum, craft shops and a botanical garden. North of Butare is Gitarama, which has a good art museum; nearby is the cathedral town of Kabgayi; and at Mushubati, the grottoes of Bihongori. Sport & Activities The Parc Nacional des Volcans is most famous for gorilla tracking (Dian Fossey sepnt 18 years studying them here until her murder in 1985). Military units currently guard the park and ensure the safety of visitors, particularly from poachers. Safaris can be undertaken in A'Kagera National Park at Kabarando; the park is devoted to game preservation and has lions, zebras, antelopes, hippos, buffalo, leopards, apes, impala, crested herons, fish eagles, cormorants, giraffes, elephants, elands and warthogs. The Virunga Volcanoes between Ruhengeri and Gisenyi are popular with climbers. Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the most commonly climbed from Gisenyi. Rwandan guides are available for two- or three-day expeditions to view the craters. Social Profile Food & Drink: Hotels generally serve a reasonable choice of European dishes, while there are Indian, Chinese, Greek, Italian and Middle Eastern restaurants. Some restaurants also serve Franco-Belgian cuisine and African dishes. A fairly good selection of beers, spirits and wines is available. Beer is also brewed locally. Nightlife: Apart from the many small bars, there is little in the way of nightlife. There are a few cinemas in Kigali. The Rwanda National Ballet is famous for its traditional dancing and singing and can be seen either at national ceremonies or sometimes on request in the villages. There are now several night clubs, with Western, Congolese and African music; there are also some live music bars with food and dancing available. The French Cultural Centre runs a variety of activities. Shopping: Special purchases include woven baskets with pointed lids, native clay statuettes, masks and charms. Do not buy souvenir gorilla skulls or hands; if they are offered, report the trader to the police. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1300 and 1400-1730, Sat 0830-1230. Social Conventions: The traditional way of life is based on agriculture and cattle. The Rwandans settle in the fertile areas, but they do not form villages, each family being surrounded by its own fields. The majority of the population belong to the Hutu tribe. There is a significant Tutsi minority (15 per cent) and a smaller minority of Twa, a mixed race of traditional potters and hunters and said to be the country’s first inhabitants. Normal social courtesies apply. Tipping: Ten per cent is normal. Business Profile Economy: Rwanda’s economy, which is based on subsistence agriculture, was devastated by the massacres of 1994, the huge refugee populations that resulted, political upheaval and, since then, ongoing fighting in several parts of the country. Plantains, sweet potatoes, cassava and beans are grown for domestic consumption; tea and coffee are the principal cash crops and there is extensive livestock farming. Some rice and sugar plantations have also been developed. Rwanda has some mineral deposits – principally tin ores, but also several ores containing rare metals such as tungsten and tantalum, which are in heavy demand in the world market. Extraction of the large natural gas reserves discovered beneath Lake Kivu has begun, although it has been disrupted by local fighting. The industrial sector produces tobacco, metal goods, chemicals, rubber and plastics. In the service sector, the embryonic tourism industry (geared towards eco-tourism) has had to restart from scratch as a result of the 1994 genocide and subsequent events. Given the political situation, exacerbated by a series of poor harvests during the late 1990s, it is hardly surprising, therefore, that Rwanda continues to rely heavily on international aid. A new Structural Adjustment Programme was begun in 1998, followed by an ambitious privatisation programme: both are being conducted under the supervision of the IMF and World Bank. In 2002, telecommunications and government-owned tea plantations were put up for sale. The results so far have been quite good: the economy has been growing at around six per cent annually for the last four years without significant inflation. But, like most sub-Saharan African economies, Rwanda is especially vulnerable to commodity price movements. These are presently at a very low level. Aid donors have also promised further assistance conditional on Rwanda pulling its troops out of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is now going ahead. The country’s principal trading partners are Kenya, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Tanzania and Uganda. The main regional co-operation mechanism for Rwanda is the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. Business: Lightweight suits are advised and appointments are necessary. Best time to visit is from April to October or December to January. A knowledge of French is useful as only a few executives speak English. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1230 and 1330-1700. Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie du Rwanda, BP 319, Kigali, Rwanda (tel: 83538 or 83541; fax: 83532). Climate Despite its proximity to the Equator the climate in Rwanda is cooled by the high altitude. It is warm throughout most of the country but cooler in the mountains. There are two rainy seasons: mid-January to April and mid-October to mid-December. Required clothing: Lightweights are required for most of the year with warmer clothes for cooler upland evenings. Rainwear is advisable. History and Government History: In the late 13th century, pastoral Tutsi tribes arriving from the south conquered the agricultural Hutu and hunter-gatherer Twa inhabitants of Rwanda and established a feudal kingdom. In the 1600s, the Tutsi King Ruganza Ndori extended the area of the kingdom’s rule to cover most of modern Rwanda. A unified state was established by King Kigeri Rwabuguri during the 19th century, but this lasted only until 1890 when Rwanda was annexed as a province of German east Africa during the European ‘scramble for Africa’. Belgian forces occupied the country in 1916 and, as part of the post-World War I settlement, Belgium was granted the right to govern the territory of Rwanda-Urundi under a League of Nations mandate. The Belgians sponsored the continued dominance of the Tutsi minority at the expense of the Hutu but were forced, in the early 1960s, to concede internal autonomy and then independence under majority Hutu rule. Intercommunal violence between Hutus and Tutsis continued in the years after independence. Many Tutsis fled into exile in neighbouring Burundi, Uganda and Tanzania during this period and a Tutsi government-in-exile was established in the Ugandan capital, Kampala. Relations between the Rwandan Hutu government and both Uganda and Tanzania have been poor ever since independence; however, as a landlocked country needing access to nearby ports, Rwanda has kept its reaction – such as border closures – to a minimum. In 1973, Major-General Juvénal Habyarimana led a bloodless coup, which established a military government. A few years later, under his direction, the National Revolutionary Movement for Development was founded and remained in power until 1994. The internal political situation was relatively stable until October 1990 when a full-scale invasion was launched from across the Ugandan border by Tutsi exiles, styling themselves the Rwandan Patriotic Front. After three years of sporadic fighting, the two sides agreed a peace treaty signed in August 1993. But the political agenda of the Habyarimana government remained the same: to rid the country of Tutsis and their supporters. Once the deal with the RPF had been concluded, the Hutu extremists inside and outside the Government concentrated on developing a ‘final solution’ for the Tutsis and other political opponents. The trigger for the terrible events of 1994 was a plane crash which killed President Habyarimana and his Burundian counterpart, Cyprien Ntaryamira, both of whom were returning from a regional summit in Tanzania. Encouraged by official pronouncements and broadcasts, Hutus, led by armed militias known variously as interahamwe (roughly ‘those who struggle together’) or impuzamuganbi (‘those of the same mind’), set about the systematic murder of their ethnic and political opponents. The best estimate is that around 800,000 people were killed. The international community, and especially the United Nations, proved extremely reluctant to intervene, facing opposition from the USA, still haunted by its unfortunate experience in Somalia, and the French, who covertly backed the Habyarimana Government. From their bases in Uganda, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) took the only available course of action and launched a full-scale invasion. After a few weeks, the RPF entered a largely deserted capital and established a provisional government which has since consolidated its position and controls much of the country. The bulk of the Hutu militia had escaped to refugee camps in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania where they mingled with terrified civilians escaping the fighting. Within a few years, they were able to reorganise and pose a significant military threat to the Rwandan government. The Rwandan government believes that the Kabila regime in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) supports these Hutu exile forces, and in 1998, it intervened on the side of the anti-Kabila rebels (who have a significant ethnic Tutsi component). In September 2002, with a stalemate in the field, the Rwandans – along with Ugandan, Namibian and Zimbabwean forces who had also entered the war on the side of the Kabila government – pulled out under the terms of a peace accord brokered by the South Africans. However, the Rwandans are still deeply concerned by the presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo of armed Hutu militia who they believe pose a long-term threat to Rwandan security. They have already threatened on several occasions since late 2002 to return in force. Changes at the top of the Rwandan administration in 2000 brought Paul Kagame, a constant figure at the top of the Rwandan military since 1994, to the presidency; his prime minister is Bernard Mazuka. Meanwhile the government is prosecuting some of those it holds responsible for the genocide and trying to reorganise the country’s shattered economy with international support. Government: Legislative power is vested in a 70-member Transitional National Assembly. The President holds executive power, assisted by an appointed Council of Ministers. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.