20122015
Embassy of the Kingdom
of the Netherlands Kigali
Embassy team

EKN KIGALI
MULTI-ANNUAL STRATEGIC PLAN

EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS
KIGALI, RWANDA
MULTI-ANNUAL STRATEGIC PLAN 2012-2015

Mission statement
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is committed to support the Government
of Rwanda in its ambition to alleviate poverty through sustainable and inclusive
economic growth, stability and the rule of law, by supporting the development of
Rwanda’s Judiciary as well as its socio-economic potential, while actively promoting
Dutch-Rwandan private-sector links.

Disclaimer
The Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012-2015 is a rolling document. The plan was approved
by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs in December 2011, as well as by the
Rwandan Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, based on the then current
situation. In some cases plans presented here will have to be further elaborated and
considered, before they can be implemented as part of the strategic plan. Changes in the
Dutch or Rwandan socio-economic and political context may warrant adaptation of the
plan during its implementation; such adaptations will be based on dialogue with the
Government of Rwanda.

i

Contents
1

Summary

1

2

Review of the Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2008 - 2011

2

3

Country context analysis

3

3.1

Introduction

3

3.2

Binding constraints in key policy areas

3

3.3. Thematic analyses

4

5

6

7

3.4

Strategic choices

8

3.5

Guiding principles

8

Objectives and results

11

4.1

Spearhead ‘Security and the (international) Legal Order’

11

4.2

Spearhead ‘Food and Nutrition Security’

13

4.3

Spearhead ‘Water Resources Management’

15

4.4

Phasing out

17

Other instruments of foreign policy

17

5.1

Political and diplomatic initiatives

17

5.2

Economic diplomacy

18

5.3

Peace-Keeping Operations (PKO)

18

5.4

Consular services

19

5.5

Programmes implemented in Rwanda from non-delegated funds

19

Financial implications

19

ii

Abbreviations
CPAF

Common Performance Assessment Framework

DAD

Development Assistance Database

DoL

Division of Labour

DP

Development Partner

DPAF

Development Partners Assessment Framework

DRC

Democratic Republic of Cong

EKN

Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

EDPRS

Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy

FDI

Foreign Direct investment

GoR

Government of Rwanda

GIZ

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit

HIMO

Haute Intensité Main d'Œuvre (labour intensive investments)

HQ

Headquarters

ICTR

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

ILPD

Institute of Legal Practice and Development

IWRM

Integrated Water Resources Management

JADF

Joint Action Development Forum

JGA

Joint Governance Assessment

JRLO

Justice, Reconciliation, Law and Order

JRLOS

Justice, Reconciliation, Law and Order Sector

MASP

Multi-Annual Strategic Plan

MDG

Millennium Development Goals

MFS

Medefinanciering stelsel (co-financing of civil society programmes)

NGO

Non-Governmental Organisation

PUM

Netherlands Senior Experts

RCN

Réseau de Citoyens/Citizen's Network

RISD

Rwanda Initiative for Sustainable Development

RNRA

Rwanda National Resources Authority

SBS

Sector Budget Support

SMEs

Small and Medium Enterprises

SNG

Service National des Juridictions a Gacaca

SRHR

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

TVET

Technical and Vocational Education Training

iii

1

Summary

Rwanda features among the fifteen countries with which the Netherlands will maintain a long-term
bilateral aid relationship. The foreign policy of the Netherlands is based on three priorities: welfare,
security and freedom. Implementation of this policy in the fifteen partner countries requires
development programmes and their objectives to be in line with the policy priorities of the host
country and in tune with programmes of other donors, notably EU member states.
In line with the Dutch development priorities and Rwanda’s Vision 2020, as well as the Government
of Rwanda’s Division of Labour, which coordinates donor programmes, the Embassy of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) in Kigali has selected three priority areas: Security and Legal
Order, Water Resources Management and Food Security in its Multi-Annual Strategic Plan (MASP)
for the period 2012-2015. The Dutch support will contribute to achieving the following country
outcomes:

A just and fair society

More food-secure persons

Sustainable use of water resources
These outcomes are ambitious, but so is Rwanda’s Vision 2020. Rwanda, supported by its
development partners, is largely on track in realizing this vision. The broad outcomes are linked to
specific country outputs and Embassy outputs, specifying the Dutch contributions in detail. These
contributions will entail more than the transfer of money: they demand full engagement of the
Rwandan Government and, indeed, the Rwandan society, particularly the private sector. The
selected priority areas provide ample opportunity to engage Dutch experience and value added,
which will also create a conducive environment for business-to-business relations. Rwanda
supports this approach as it believes it will enhance Rwanda’s chances to become more self-reliant
and less aid dependent in the near future.
As fiduciary risks are moderate in Rwanda, it is effective to work with Government, which already
has an impressive track record with regard to socio-economic development. The Embassy therefore
prefers aligned aid modalities, but will also support civil society and the private sector. Through the
various assessment frameworks, Government and donors are committed to be fully accountable
and transparent on results. The Embassy will regularly report on results, based on monitoring and
evaluation exercises as well as value-for-money checks. A mid-term evaluation for the MASP is
foreseen in 2013. The Embassy will give high priority to efficient management.
The MASP, including proposed activities, has been discussed in the preparatory phase with such
stakeholders as the Government of Rwanda, the EU partners, the Agriprofocus network, Dutch
International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) and, of course, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in The Hague as well as other relevant Ministries in the Netherlands.
The Embassy in Kigali has also been entrusted with a facility which caters for cross-boundary
programmes in the region, aimed at regional stability through economic development.

1

EKN Kigali Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2102 - 2015

2

Review of the Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2008-2011


On focus
The condition in 2008 to limit interventions to two sectors only, whilst following the sector
approach, appeared difficult to reconcile. The two selected sectors, ‘Justice and Good Governance’
and ‘Private Sector Development’ actually were thematic areas comprising seven sectors, two of
which would be phased out before 2011. The objective to limit the number of activities was
realized, contributing to streamlining the development programme. Failing to fully apply the sector
approach to thematic areas had, with hindsight, the advantage that EKN Kigali could easily comply
with the demands of division of labour by the Rwandan government. Justice, Decentralisation and
Energy were the areas where Rwanda wanted the Netherlands to be active. While the Multi-Annual
Strategic Plan (MASP) did not feature decentralisation and energy as sectors, both areas were well
embedded in the private sector development programme. The new Dutch development policy,
which is thematic rather than sectoral, thus presents few transitional problems for the 2012-2015
MASP.

On modalities
At the time of writing the previous MASP, budget support was the preferred modality. According to
that MASP, by 2011 more than 50 per cent of the budget should have been disbursed as budget
support. However, in 2009 the Netherlands aborted General Budget Support (GBS) to Rwanda due
to concerns about Rwanda’s role in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A
constructive dialogue with the Government of Rwanda (GoR) has been maintained over the
following years and Rwanda has taken measures to address these concerns. As the level of Sector
Budget Support (SBS) was maintained above 10 million US$, the Netherlands remained an active
participant in the Budget Support Harmonisation Group. Contributions through implementing
organisations will be reviewed as they do not always represent the typical Dutch expertise that
needs to be factored into the new programme.

On analysis
Some binding constraints mentioned in the previous MASP are still valid. High costs for transport
and electricity as well as a poorly skilled work force are still an issue, albeit important progress has
been made through vocational training, energy projects and improved infrastructure. The cost of
doing business and the intertwining of government and private sector interests are still relevant
today, even though Rwanda has risen on the ‘Doing Business List’ and started a privatisation
programme. The recent growth in agricultural production has proved the pessimistic predictions in
the previous MASP wrong. The household survey of 2012 will have to show whether the poverty
rates are indeed falling. Concerns about Human Rights that were formulated under the previous
MASP, such as a limited democratic space, remain valid. However, the outlook today is more
positive than in 2008.

On Paris/Accra
During the 2008-2011 period, donor alignment and harmonization greatly improved: Common
Performance Assessment Framework (CPAF), Development Partners Assessment Framework
(DPAF) and Development Assistance Database (DAD) have become well-used tools. However,
alignment of non-delegated programmes remains a challenge, for those managed by Headquarters
(HQ) and much more so for programmes managed by other organisations. The Embassy will
continue to organize round tables to meet with Dutch INGOs to enhance alignment.

On results and monitoring
On instigation of HQ the Embassy has heavily invested in the development of result chains during
the 2008-2011 period. They prove to be good analytical tools, particularly in the annual planning
cycle, but less so for results reporting and for regular monitoring of on-going activities. The latter
needs strengthening, also in order to improve the effectiveness of field-monitoring visits.

2

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

3
3.1

Country context analysis
INTRODUCTION

“Rwanda beyond the sterile debate between believers and non-believers” was the aptly chosen title
of an analysis on Rwanda published by IKV Pax Christi in 2009. In the case of Rwanda there hardly
seems to exist a middle ground. On the one hand there are those who firmly believe that the
country is on the right track with its visionary and effective government, delivering tangible results
both in development and in economic growth. They point to the impressive progress of a country
that was completely devastated in 1994. On the other hand there are those who believe just as
firmly that the country may be heading for a new period of conflict and instability. They argue that
politics are not inclusive, as shown by exclusion of certain political parties, limited freedom of
speech and a rural-urban divide which leaves many people in the hills ever more marginalised, a
process that may eventually develop into renewed ethnic violence.
Difficult as it may be, a context analysis should be based as much as possible on verifiable facts
and the conclusions that can be drawn from these. To this end the Embassy not only has made
ample use of the abundant literature and studies on Rwanda, but has also built on the professional
and personal experience that staff members have gained. For those living and working in Rwanda it
would be difficult to deny that, in spite of the deep traumas of the recent past and the mistrust
resulting from these, there is a broad shared feeling among Rwandans that stability and progress
are real and affect the lives of many, if not the majority. There seems to be little appetite to put
these achievements at risk.
In its context analysis the Embassy has identified the binding constraints that challenge Rwanda’s
development, as well as the opportunities for the Netherlands to help Rwanda address these
constraints. The first part gives a summary of the country context and the binding constraints for
economic growth, self-reliance and poverty reduction. The second part deepens the analysis for the
four themes that the Netherlands has chosen as core of its worldwide development cooperation. On
basis of the results of the overall context and the thematic analyses the Embassy has made its
strategic choices on the range and content of Dutch foreign policy instruments that will be applied
in the cooperation with Rwanda in the period 2012-2015.
3.2.

BINDING CONSTRAINTS IN KEY POLICY AREAS

3.2.1. Security, stability and good governance
Rwanda continues to feel threatened by armed groups in the region and diaspora movements in
Africa and Europe that advocate the overthrow of the current government. There remain a
significant number of genocide suspects living outside of Rwanda, effectively enjoying impunity.
This issue will continue to require special attention and sound legal relations in the relationship
between Rwanda and the Netherlands.
Rwanda is determined not to fall back into a state of anarchy and ethnic rivalry. Its first challenge
after genocide in this respect was to rebuild its Judiciary from scratch, whilst at the same time
dealing with over a million genocide suspects. Impunity was not an option if it wanted to give the
reconciliation process a fair chance. Looking back, Rwanda’s record has been strong: although not
flawless, the traditional Gacaca courts have enabled Rwanda to try and reintegrate into society
more than 1.2 million genocide suspects, while at the same time the formal Judiciary was being
built up through training, construction of courts and establishing a broad range of thirteen
institutions which together are guarding the Rule of Law in the country.
Access to justice is being boosted through the establishment of an institution in every district
where people can ask for free legal advice. However, the legacy of 1994 and its onset still rings
through in Rwanda’s Judiciary, in that it has chosen to reduce the risk of instability through strict
legislation which limits freedom of press and speech. This gives rise, also in the Netherlands, to
criticism and thus forms a substantial political risk. On the other hand, Rwanda’s Judiciary is
maturing and several European countries, as well as the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
(ICTR), have decided that Rwanda can be trusted to provide a fair trial for those who allegedly
committed genocide on Rwandan soil. Also, Rwanda’s government is taking steps to somewhat
relax Rwanda’s strict legislation and to open up political space. The coming years will show what
the practical results will be of this process.

3

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

Overall, Rwanda scores satisfactory on effectiveness of governance and the Government of Rwanda
(GoR) gets high marks for its vision and its result-driven approach. Accountability and respect for
the principles of Rule of Law are well adhered to. The weakest feature is in the area of legitimate
governance, especially on issues of freedom of speech and political organisation. The quality of
Public Finance Management (PFM) in Rwanda has improved considerably. There is a strong political
will in Rwanda to fight corruption with support from the highest levels. In the corruption-sensitive
area of procurement there are now transparent and high quality rules and regulations, while the
same holds for the control of the pay roll. The main weakness in PFM is in reporting and
accounting, however this is not due to lack of political will, but mainly to lack of skills.
Binding constraints:

Rwanda’s stability and security are strongly linked to stability in the region, which remains
challenged by persistent poverty, rebel groups and weak governance in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC);

Rwanda continues to feel threatened by armed groups in the region and diaspora movements
in Africa and Europe advocating the overthrow of the government;

Concerns remain about the Rwandan state of affairs regarding democracy and human rights.
‘Voice and accountability’, referring to issues around freedom of speech and political space, is
the weak spot within an overall effective government.
3.2.2. Macro-economics, private sector and pro-poor policies
Any country wishing to reach the take-off stage of economic growth has to adopt sound macroeconomic policies. Rwanda has received much praise from the Bretton Woods institutions in that it
has a firm track record with regard to such key indicators as exchange rate, debt burden, fiscal
deficit and debt-servicing levels. Rwanda’s government budget still depends for fifty percent on
donor contributions, which not only has an upward pressure on the value of the Rwandan Franc,
but also is the cause for some budget volatility as donors are not always predictable in paying their
contributions in a timely fashion. An expensive Franc is not yet a big problem at this stage, given
Rwanda’s extremely narrow export base and substantial import surplus. The unpredictability of
donor contributions is worse as Rwanda does not want to raise its debt levels to cover for sudden
shortfalls; late payment often leads to immediate cuts in expenditure levels.
The negative trade balance needs redressing, as does the high share of donor contributions in the
government budget. For that purpose Rwanda wants to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
and to boost domestic investment. Its jump on the ‘Doing Business’ list of World Bank is witness to
Rwanda’s efforts in this respect. Yet there are several obstacles that keep FDI at disappointing
levels, such as a poorly educated work force, high energy and communication costs, a poor rural
infrastructure, a small market and, in some sectors, lack of a level playing field. Key in this process
is to tackle the various obstacles, not only for FDI but also for domestic investors who complain
about tax levels and access to credit. Doing away with these obstacles is needed if Rwanda wants
to reach its ambitious 2020 objectives, namely: creating off-farm job opportunities to absorb the
quickly growing, largely uneducated labour force, to embark on an export-led growth path and to
reduce food insecurity. Lack of food security now causes stunting in young children, limits the
effective labour days of adults and will be one of the causes for Rwanda to probably default on the
Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for maternal health.
Growth patterns in the past decade have increased inequality and the urban-rural gap. Alarmed by
the disappointing result of the household survey in 2006, showing only a marginal decrease in
poverty in five years from 60% to 57%, the government shifted its attention under the current
Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) and decided to invest more in
agriculture and to accelerate decentralisation. As a result there has been a substantial growth in
agricultural production. Large health and education programmes are accompanied by extending the
rural roads network through labour-intensive methods, as well as the national electricity grid, and a
rigorous devolution of government decision-making with regard to rural investment through the
establishment of district-level multi-disciplinary Joint Action Development Forums.
In its Vision 2020, Rwanda envisages to jump from an agriculture-based economy to a services
economy. This policy fits a landlocked country, but at the same time the expanding rural work
force requires urgent job creation through manufacturing, such as agro-processing. The GoR now
clearly sees this need for creating off-farm employment. Likewise, it believes that the productivity
in agriculture has to increase further to ensure food security and to raise farm incomes; in the long
run there is no future for subsistence farming in overpopulated Rwanda. Government wants to
focus on high-value crops and on mining. Vocational training, a number one priority, is to prevent
that Rwanda will lose out in an East-African free market and to facilitate investors looking for

4

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

skilled labour. These plans and investments, however, are not a panacea for growth; also
government eventually shall have to suppress its inclination for strict controls.
Binding constraints:

Rwanda’s balance of trade is highly negative, due to limited export base and high import bill,
resulting in high aid dependency;

Growth in jobs in manufacturing (including agro-processing) and services is not quick enough
to absorb the desired outflow of labour from agriculture;

In some sectors competition from enterprises (partly) owned by the party or the army creates
an uneven playing field for other private sector actors;

Past growth patterns have contributed to a widening urban-rural gap;

Lack of food security causes high rates of stunting in young children, which has a severe
impact during their adult lives.
3.2.3. Natural resources and their management
Given the fact that agricultural production in Rwanda is mainly rain fed means that its rural
investment, its nascent agro-processing and agri-business, its food security and thus its
agricultural growth is largely dependent on the amount and the distribution of rainfall. The
comfortable rhythm of dry and wet seasons, however, is unfortunately a feature of the past. Erratic
rains and dry spells have, for the first time, made government keenly aware that water resources
can no longer be taken for granted and need to be managed properly. This need of careful
management of natural resources in order to sustain growth does not only apply to water. Small,
mountainous and overpopulated Rwanda will to a high degree depend on making optimal use of all
its natural resources, including land, forests, geothermal energy and the methane gas from Lake
Kivu. Inevitably, Rwanda has to compromise between protection and wise use of its resources,
between maintaining its resource base and increasing productivity. With a shortage of arable land,
some marshlands need to be reclaimed and some steep slopes need to be cultivated in order to
feed its population and to increase productivity.
The extreme scarcity of land adds to the vulnerability of a large part of the rural population and
issues on access to land have therefore to be managed with great care. Land is already the primary
source of conflict and given the population increase access to land will remain to be one of the
most sensitive issues in Rwandan society. Regularisation of land tenure is one of the on-going
efforts to counter conflict and create the conditions for increased investment in land. The GoR plans
to have ten million land titles issued by 2015. Having a title will contribute to access to finance and
to more investments in land with positive effects on growth and poverty reduction. The inheritance
law gives women the same rights as men, but an important issue remains in that the law does not
yet protect rights of the large number of women who live in unregistered marriages or in
arrangements that are not legally recognized. Moreover, men find it difficult to accept the new
rights of women and as a consequence gender based violence has increased.
With natural resources already under stress from an increasing population, Rwanda suffers as well
from periodic floods and droughts. Future climate change is likely to worsen the impact of such
events and increase their costs. With its economy highly dependent on rainfall, climate change may
affect food security (through agricultural productivity), energy security (through hydropower) and
water security (too much or too little) in the country. The Rwandan government has realized this
vulnerability and has adopted a low-carbon growth scenario to mitigate the emissions of
greenhouse gases, for example by large-scale tree planting and by aiming to increase its electricity
generation capacity by renewable technology. In addition, the government envisages adaptation
actions in relevant economic sectors.
Rwanda is fully aware of the need for management of its natural resources. It has already good
policies in place to manage land and water resources in a sustainable way, to protect the
environment and to sustainably use its forests. In 2011 a new authority has been assigned the task
of implementing these policies: the Rwanda Natural Resource Authority. The laws, the institutional
framework and the regulatory bodies are all there. However, the implementation of these policies
lags far behind, due to lack of capacity, lack of planning and insufficient funds. This shows for
example in Energy where the vision is very green, but where in the harsh reality the GoR had to
buy additional diesel generators in order to ease supply shortages.
Rwandan involvement in the illegal exploitation of natural resources in de Eastern DRC appears to
have diminished over the past years. The Netherlands will support programmes in the region to
develop certification and traceability of natural resources.

5

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

Binding constraints:

Extreme scarcity of land adds to the vulnerability of a large part of the rural population,
especially women;

There is a lack of capacity and funding to plan and implement natural resource policies for the
sustainable management of land, water and forest resources, both in sectoral programmes
and as a cross-cutting theme;

So far, Rwanda has had few problems in water management, but climate change, high usage
levels and increased competition for water require urgent attention.
3.2.4. Cross-cutting issues
The issues governance and environment have been dealt with in the previous paragraphs.
In gender, Rwanda is making progress in addressing issues of gender inequality, starting with the
enshrinement of gender equality in the Constitution. Despite this progress, gender inequality
remains a serious issue. Traditional patriarchal stereotypes regarding the role and responsibilities
of women and men persist in the family and in the wider community, leading to violence against
women and lack of educational and employment opportunities. Fertility has dropped over the past
five years from 6.1 children per woman in 2005 to 4.6 in 2010. This is still substantial and will
result in high population growth for many years to come. The number of children is much higher
than what women would like if the decision was fully theirs. This is an indication for an unmet
demand for and access to contraceptives, but also shows the need for further empowerment of
women, an issue that cannot be addressed without involving men.
A final cross-cutting issue is capacity. High level officials in Rwanda are competent and in general
well educated. But at the lower levels there is a huge shortage of skills. A mapping of capacity
strengthening activities, conducted in 2008, concluded that although significant resources were
allocated to human resources development, much of the support was about short-term trainings,
seminars and workshops. These do not lead to sustainable results. To tackle the problems of
capacity building in a more efficient and coordinated manner the GoR has put in place a Public
Sector Capacity Building Secretariat. It will coordinate and screen all initiatives in capacity
strengthening in order to ensure that they are in line with the priorities as defined in the
assessment needs of the key public institutions. The shortage in skills is just as severe in the
private sector and civil society and it is considered a main constraint for growth and investment.
The coordination of capacity building in private sector is the responsibility of the Rwanda
Development Board.
Binding constraints:

More attention to reproductive rights is needed to reduce maternal mortality, reduce gender
based violence and tackle the high rate of population growth;

Weak capacities in public and private sector, especially at the lower levels.
3.2.5. National aid policy and dialogue
The GoR has a clear Aid Policy in which it has indicated a preference for (general) budget support.
In 2010 the GoR and its Development Partners (DPs) agreed on a Division of Labour. The sectors
proposed to EKN were Justice, Energy and Decentralisation. Rwanda is very result oriented. This is
reflected in two comprehensive performance assessment frameworks, one for the GoR (the CPAF)
and one for donors (DPAF). The GoR has consistently scored an overwhelming number of green
scores, both on the targets and on the policy actions. DPAF scores are much less convincing.
In general the dialogue in Rwanda is open and constructive, especially on issues of joint interest.
The GoR is quite willing to listen to advice from its partners and to benefit from their knowledge
and experience. There is, however, a very strong sense of Rwandan uniqueness. In developing a
just and prosperous society the GoR prefers to build on its own norms and values and cultural
traditions. Home-grown solutions are in high esteem.
Binding constraint:

While Rwanda meets performance indicators, donors lag behind, especially on predictability, of
their aid volumes.

6

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

3.3.

THEMATIC ANALYSES

In addition to the general context analysis, EKN has assessed the binding constraints in the four
priority thematic areas of the Dutch development cooperation and the added value that the
Netherlands may have to offer in these areas. These areas are: Security and Legal Order; Food
Security, Water resource management and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. The
findings can be summarised as follows:
3.3.1. Security and (international) Legal Order

The GoR prefers to contain genocide ideology, ethnic politics and the threat of instability
through legislation limiting political space. Partly in response to international criticism on this
issue, Rwanda is now in the process of relaxing such legislation;

Rwanda’s Judiciary has come a long way since 1994, but the effect will be felt of a large group
of relatively inexperienced, newly trained judges, lawyers and prosecutors;

Full reconciliation between victims and perpetrators of the events in 1994 remains an
important issue.

The presence of genocide suspects in Europe, living in impunity, requires special attention in
the relationship with Rwanda.
The Dutch added value in the Justice, Reconciliation, Law and Order (JRLO) sector is recognized by
all stakeholders. On the GoR side there is satisfaction with the long-lasting support which has
moved from successful projects in the past to Sector Budget Support. Intensified contacts between
the judiciary in both countries aimed at further building specialised skills during the past years offer
good scope for future engagement.
3.3.2. Food and Nutrition Security

For some time to come Private Sector Development and economic growth will be hampered by
a lack of skilled labour and infrastructure, high energy prices and transport costs and limited
access to finance;

Food security will be challenged by a growing number of landless Rwandans that cannot be
fully absorbed by growth in the private sector;

Land tenure systems need improvement to boost investments in land productivity;

Markets are not very efficient; not all produce reaches the consumer;

Persistent malnutrition, particularly amongst very young children, affects socio-economic
development.
There are many elements in Rwanda’s agro-economic development that could benefit from Dutch
expertise, such as: value-chain development, logistics and infrastructure, horticulture, potato
development, seed industry, water and land-rights programmes, as well as post-harvest
technology (e.g. agro-logistics, processing techniques, packaging, (cold) storage). Already at
present, there is a marked increase in commercial interest for Rwanda from the Netherlands.
3.3.3. Water Resources Management

Rwanda lacks reliable data on water quantity and quality, required for long- and medium-term
planning, investments, water governance, monitoring, regulation and oversight;

Rwanda’s largest economic sectors, agriculture and energy, are predominantly dependent on
rainfall; tackling problems such as agricultural production, and energy supplies, requires an
Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach, now absent.
There is a clear Dutch interest and added value in the elaboration and implementation of projects
that have been identified. The Netherlands has expertise in all IWRM aspects with relevance for
Rwanda, notably in agriculture, energy and drinking water, to assist in capacity building,
monitoring, policy development and planning. Moreover, Dutch water institutions and companies
are already engaged in Rwanda or have expressed an interest to become involved; there are ample
opportunities for private sector to become involved.
3.3.4. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Illegal and unsafe abortions are a leading cause of maternal mortality;

The number of children per woman is still much higher than what women would like if the
decision was theirs. This is an indication for an unmet demand for and access to
contraceptives, but also shows the need for further empowerment of women.
The Netherlands has a lot of valuable experience to offer in Sexual and Reproductive Health and
Rights (SRHR). A number of Dutch research institutions and NGOs are active in Rwanda on the

7

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

issue. The choice not to develop a full-fledged SRHR programme is a result of the Dutch track
record in Rwanda and the agreed Division of Labour. Some key challenges in SRHR, however, will
be taken on board within the other spearheads.
3.4.

STRATEGIC CHOICES

It can be concluded that Rwanda probably has a very conducive environment for the effective use
of development funds. First and foremost it has an effective government, which is committed to
sound macro-economic policies and private-sector development. It has adopted a zero-tolerance
policy towards corruption and it has given priority to the development of its Judiciary. Few
countries in the world have taken up the Paris Agenda on improving efficiency and effectiveness of
aid as determined as Rwanda. Rwanda also has distinct pro-poor policies and the percentage of its
government budget devoted to rural development and agriculture is among the highest in Africa.
Having grown quickly from the very small base that was left after 1994, it is inevitable that
Rwanda is hitting constraints. Given Rwanda’s effective government and pro-poor policies, easing
these constraints will have a high pay-off in terms of economic development. However, this high
pay-off will only materialise if Rwanda succeeds in maintaining its social stability for which inclusive
policies and a gradual opening up of political space are required. Regional stability is another
condition. The regional context will be addressed more in detail in the MASP for the Regional
Programme for the Great Lakes Region.
Based on the analysis and the binding constraints, it is clear that all four spearhead themes that
have been preselected by the Dutch government are highly relevant in the Rwandan context. The
Embassy has chosen to engage in three of the selected themes: Security & (international)
Legal Order, Food and Nutrition Security and Water Resources Management. They all
capture the various binding constraints that currently limit Rwanda’s development. Developing a
programme on sexual and reproductive healthcare and rights (SRHR) as well would constitute a
whole new area of cooperation for EKN. Moreover, this would require EKN to become active in the
Health sector, which is not in line with the Division of Labour. Therefore, where feasible SRHR
aspects will be mainstreamed in the programmes for the three selected themes.
The programme includes Sector Budget Support (SBS). After general budget support this is the
most preferred modality by the GoR. All but one of the specific conditions the Dutch government
set for SBS are met in Rwanda. Concerns regarding Human Rights remain a point of attention.
However, this is a key feature of dialogue between Development Partners and the GoR. The
Netherlands, as a reliable partner and provider of SBS in the sector of security and legal order, is
an active participant in this dialogue and is in a position to express a critical voice that the GoR is
willing to take into account. In the planned SBS contribution a detailed analysis of specific fiduciary
risks and mitigating measures will be part of the preparation and appraisal.
The programmes envisaged in the three selected themes will be the core of the cooperation
between Rwanda and the Netherlands. Given the fact that these themes have been chosen in view
of the Dutch value added in these areas, it is also possible to effectively engage Dutch private
sector and knowledge institutions in Rwanda’s development. The programmes in the spearheads
will be closely linked to political and diplomatic initiatives and to economic diplomacy. The objective
of these is to broaden the Dutch engagement with Rwanda and to grow towards a relation that is
more strongly based on mutual interests. That is also what Rwanda has in mind in its Vision 2020,
with a focus on reducing its aid dependency and increasing its self-reliance.
3.5.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Across the themes and programmes a number of guiding principles apply, determining the way
EKN will work in its cooperation with Rwanda. These principles are highlighted in the following
paragraphs. Detailed objectives and results for each of the spearheads and for the other
instruments of foreign policy will be presented in chapters 4 and 5.
3.5.1. Aid to GoR in line with the Rwanda Aid Policy
The Paris/Accra agenda may have lost its glamour in many countries it is still very much alive in
Rwanda. The GoR and its partners have adopted a framework with 2 indicators and targets on
effective aid. This DPAF will also be used to assess the Dutch performance.

8

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

A key feature of the DPAF is alignment. The general principle of Dutch development cooperation
is to align with partner country policies and systems whenever possible and justified, guided
by an assessment of fiduciary, corruption and political risks.

The fiduciary risks in Rwanda are assessed as being moderate with a positive overall trend in
the quality of Public Finance Management. Main weakness is the low accounting capacity at all
levels in the public sector.

The corruption risks are also assessed as moderate with slight improvements. There is a
strong anti-corruption drive in Rwanda from the highest level, backed by such institutions as
the Ombudsman.

The political risks are assessed as substantial. On the one hand high credits are given
worldwide to the stability and progress that Rwanda has achieved. On the other hand there
are concerns about democratic governance, political space, freedom of speech and the
treatment of dissidents in Rwanda. The Netherlands addresses these issues in its dialogue with
the GoR. Although there has generally been improvement in these fields, a deterioration of the
situation would have consequences for the relationship between the Netherlands and Rwanda.
Given the moderate fiduciary and corruption risks, aligned aid can be the core of the Dutch aid to
the GoR, in combination with policy dialogue at all levels to mitigate the political risks.
Alignment is not only possible, it is also justified. The GoR is result driven and effective, within an
appropriate policy framework for achieving growth and poverty reduction. Channelling money
through the GoR delivers high value for money. Capacities are still weak, especially at lower levels
of the administration. But the risks of aligned aid are outweighed by the benefits. Making use of
the country systems results in higher sustainability and it contributes to further strengthening of
these systems, while bypassing them erodes domestic accountability.
Another important element of the Rwandan aid policy and the DPAF is adherence to the agreed
Division of Labour (DoL). Development partners have agreed to limit their support to the public
sector to three sectors. In the case of the Netherlands these are Justice, Energy and
Decentralisation. The aid to the GoR will be limited to these three sectors. Access to affordable
energy and investments in the rural infrastructure are two key elements of the strategy to improve
food security. Therefore Energy and Decentralisation will be integral part of the Food Security
spearhead.
Supporting investments at district level is a key strategic choice. These investments help increase
the income of the rural population and will thus contribute not only to more food security but also
to a reduced urban-rural gap.
Management of natural resources, including water and land, is considered a cross-cutting issue
and therefore the proposed programmes in integrated water resources management and land
tenure regularization do not inflict with the DoL. This applies as well to support for the GoR
strategies to improve post-harvest handling.
3.5.2. Public and private sector support in balance
The aid to the GoR will be mixed in all three spearheads with well-targeted cooperation with private
sector and support to NGOs. The public sector plays a prominent role in creating the conditions for
increasing welfare, stability and freedom. But these goals can only be achieved when other
stakeholders also play their role. In Rwanda private sector and civil society are still weak. Within
each of the three spearheads EKN will contribute to the strengthening of their role and influence,
keeping in mind that they should remain rooted in genuine interests of Rwandan stakeholders and
that donor support should not erode their sustainability and independence.
Aid to the GoR will constitute around eighty per cent of the total delegated support to Rwanda,
while around twenty per cent will be spent through implementing agencies, private sector and
NGOs. Within the portfolio of aid to the GoR around eighty per cent will be spent through Program
Based Approaches (Post-harvest facility, Electricity roll-out, Land reform) and SBS (in the Justice
Sector). There will be a very limited number of projects with GoR institutions. The overall budget of
the delegated programme amounts to 228 million EUR for the four year period, resulting in twelve
EKN outputs.
3.5.3. Intensified Monitoring and Evaluation
For monitoring results at the country level EKN will use existing GoR documents such as EDPRS
and CPAF in which indicators and targets have been detailed. However the current EDPRS will end
in 2012 and a new one has yet to be released. This entails the difficulty to already indicate targets

9

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

and sometimes baselines at the level of country results. As soon as the new EDPRS becomes public
the result frameworks will be updated. A related issue is that a reliable update of the 2006 poverty
figures will only be available in 2012 when the results of the household survey will be published.
Some sub themes are new for the EKN programme, such as water resources management, agribusiness support and nutrition. The baselines for Embassy outputs in these areas will be part of the
appraisal of the connected activities, most of which are planned for the second half of the MASP.
The Embassy proposes to improve current monitoring practices by using existing planning
frameworks for monitoring and include the same indicators also in reporting requirements of
organisations or programmes receiving Dutch funding. The other intentions are to intensify field
visits, to internally share lessons and to keep playing an active role in the various sector working
groups and other relevant fora. This all implies a good balance of internal and external activities
and a portfolio of activities limited to a maximum of 25. The results of monitoring will be an input
in the dialogue. The quality of the monitoring information will be enhanced by choosing four
districts and four value chains: potatoes, beans, maize, horticulture for which both formal and
informal information will be collected on a regular basis. Two districts will be selected in 2012 on
basis of on-going or planned activities paid for by EKN, for instance in feeder roads and forestry;
two more will be chosen in 2013 based on poverty and nutrition indicators.
The Mid-Term evaluation of this MASP is proposed for November 2013 which offers scope for
aligning new programming with the new EDPRS and to engage in joint programming with the EC
and EU member states present in Rwanda (UK, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, France).
3.5.4. Cross-cutting issues mainstreamed
Cross-cutting issues will be addressed within each of the three selected spearheads. Dialogue at all
levels is an important component of the strategy. EKN will take part in relevant sector working
groups and will encourage synergy and linkages, for example between private sector, natural
resources management, energy and agriculture. EKN intends to remain co-chair (lead donor) in
Justice and Private Sector Development.






Capacity strengthening is a dire need in all sectors, as well as data collection. EKN will focus
on strengthening of relevant public agencies and regulatory bodies as well as on engaging in
capacity building for private sector actors, especially at a sub-national level.
In gender EKN will address issues related to SRHR in the spearheads Security and Legal Order
(gender based violence) and Food Security (nutrition of pregnant women and young children).
In environment and climate change EKN will make sure that its interventions will be
environmentally sustainable and climate proof. EKN will consider close engagement with the
new government fund FONERWA (National Fund for the Environment in Rwanda), which aims
to integrate environmental and climate issues in all development activities.
Wider governance issues and PFM will be addressed in all spearheads. In-depth analysis will be
made of fiduciary risks in the Justice sector as part of the appraisal of SBS operations. There
are some critical issues related to democratic governance and political space that will be
addressed as part of the spearhead Security and Legal Order: strengthening of key institutions
on domestic accountability (parliamentary Public Accounts Commission and the Office of the
Auditor General); enhancing orderly and transparent elections; engaging in the media reform.
On these issues small sized but strategic activities will be supported as part of the spearhead
programme.

10

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

4
4.1.

Objectives and results
SPEARHEAD ‘SECURITY AND THE (INTERNATIONAL) LEGAL ORDER’

4.1.1. Country Outcomes and Netherlands’ support approach
The strategy (2009 – 2012) on Justice, Reconciliation, Law and Order (JRLO) is a key component of
the government’s EDPRS I governance flagship programme. Its overall main country outcome is
strengthened rule of law to promote good governance and a culture of peace. The mandate is to be
implemented by a broad but highly interrelated group of players that make up the JRLO sector,
including two ministries, the judiciary, the prosecution, but also the police, the prison services, the
Human Rights Commission and the Ombudsman. The JRLO policy is aimed at implementing a
coherent approach that combines security underpinned by the rule of law, enforcement of
accountability at particularly the high levels of government and increasing access to quality legal
advice for all whose rights have not been taken into account with a focus on the poor. The sector is
currently engaged in a self-assessment phase related to EDPRS I. Furthermore an external
evaluation is on-going to prepare for a new sector policy for 2012 (July) – 2015, which will feed
into the national preparatory process of the EDPRS II.
The Embassy currently supports the sector in implementing its policy through the provision of SBS
and plans to continue this support at the same level under the new MASP. In its capacity as lead
donor, EKN addresses the need for Rule of Law in this post-genocide society.
EKN furthermore supports a number of specialized local NGOs that contribute to the dialogue on
policy issues but that also manage to provide government with some of the required baseline
information that is needed to monitor the implementation of policies. It is this NGO connection to
the Rwandan reality that gives their inputs the added value that is required.
At the same time EKN contributes to the judicial cooperation between the Netherlands and
Rwanda, as a follow-up of the 2010 Letter of Intent signed by then Minister Hirsch Ballin and his
Rwandan counterpart. This effort entails entertaining broad contacts with the ICTR in Arusha, with
the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice and with the broad justice network in the Netherlands.
Where and if necessary, EKN facilitates judicial missions that come to do research on those
suspected of committing genocide who have taken refuge in the Netherlands.
4.1.2. Embassy Outputs
Output 1: Improved access to quality justice

Through providing SBS the Embassy is able to engage proactively in all sector review
structures on this output. A key requirement to improve access to justice on the ground was
the installation of legal advice offices in all districts, which has now been done. The
formulation of a national legal aid policy is urgently warranted. It would clearly describe the
roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, including government. The preparatory study is
currently on-going as a result of substantial pressure from EKN, other DPs and NGOs;

Continued support to the Legal Aid Forum (LAF), in building the capacity of its 33 member
organisations that provide legal advice and assistance throughout the country;

Provide more access to legal advice and services in the specific area of land rights for women
and vulnerable groups, in relation to the national land tenure regularization process. Women
are caught between traditional practices and new land law content, which in practice is not
adequately enforced. The push to finalise the main thrust of the land regularisation by 2012
requires careful monitoring of this particular target group to ensure adequate and timely legal
attention. EKN considers a partnership with the Rwanda Initiative for Sustainable Development
(RISD) and the Réseau de Citoyens/Citizen's Network (RCN);

Selection of Dutch knowledge and training institutions closely aligned to the justice sector in
the Netherlands. These could play a substantial role in further improving the role and
composition of the educational package of the Institute of Legal Practice and Development
(ILPD), the institute that coordinates all educational needs of the sector (through or in addition
to non-delegated funds aiming at these type of activities);

Increased contacts and exchange programmes between the Rwandan JRLO sector and Dutch
judiciary and prosecution staff in order to further strengthen confidence in the Rwandan
judiciary (in preparation of future extradition). This will include provision of an applied
educational package related to international humanitarian law and exposure;

Envisioned support through the Trust Fund of the ICTR: to enable the safeguarding of some of
the judicial expertise that is currently in Arusha, for use and deployment in Rwanda, after the
end of the ICTR Completion Strategy period in June 2012; to strengthen the genocide fugitive

11

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

tracking units in Rwanda and Arusha; and to allow for the deployment of UN monitors of future
trials of extradited individuals in Rwanda, whether by ICTR or national legislations.
Output 2: Strengthened mechanisms for conflict mediation and reconciliation

As the lead donor and SBS provider of the sector, EKN is closely following the revision of the
contentious genocide ideology law. The revision is now well advanced and should, when
ratified, ensure that the application of this law will not be indiscriminate and that penalties are
proportional.

Ensure a thorough wrapping up of the Gacaca process, which is currently being evaluated,
draw lessons learnt on this transitional justice mechanism and support the finalization of the
revision case load;

Support the Réseau Justice et Démocratie (RCN) in the training of local level mediators
(‘abunzi’) to educate the Rwandan population, especially women, on their rights regarding the
new land laws. The abunzi are the first entry point into the justice system. If adequately
instructed they could prevent a large influx of cases into the formal judiciary by mediation
instead of judgment;

Continuation of support to radio La Benevolencija aimed at providing knowledge on how to
resist manipulation to violence and to hate speech and how to improve the potential for
healing of severe trauma (part of regional programme).
Output 3: Improved security, rule of law and accountability

There is a structural engagement and dialogue with all sector institutions as part of the SBS
operations and country outputs will be monitored through CPAF and dialogue;

EKN could take a pro-active role in establishing contacts between the Rwandan Ombudsman
and his Dutch Counterpart, as well as with the UN Conference against Corruption preparations
related to the pilot review of Rwanda. A continuation of the twinning arrangement is envisaged
which has already resulted in a streamlined complaint handling and mediation capacity of the
National Ombudsman.

EKN will strengthen the area of ‘voice and accountability’ through support to the media reform,
the national election commission and the Office of the Auditor General.
Output 4: Improved Human Rights situation for vulnerable groups

Long term engagement of EKN in the justice sector has resulted in a good working relationship
with Rwandan authorities. This allows EKN to address the GoR critically about issues of
concern. Regarding the trial of Victoire Ingabire it has also enabled EKN to be in direct
communication with Rwandan authorities and to monitor the trial closely.

EKN has been organising and hosting the bi-monthly Human Rights Defenders focal point and
will continue to do so. It provides a useful and appreciated platform to exchange information,
analyse developments and coordinate activities. Human Rights organisations will be supported
through launching a call for proposals.

A new engagement will be sought in fighting Gender Based Violence in Rwanda in close
cooperation with UNWomen, Unicef and bilateral DPs active in the theme (Deutsche
Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Belgium), focusing on sensitization
and training of the Rwandan police.
4.1.3. Programmatic risks
SBS will continue to be the key modality for Dutch engagement in the sector. It has provided the
space and mutual confidence to engage in and intensify the activities mentioned above. However,
SBS is not unconditional and the Netherlands will continue to critically monitor the relevant criteria
and address issues of concern in the policy dialogue with the Rwandan government.
A second risk lies in the weakness of data gathering and data analysis. The JRLOS Monitoring and
Evaluation Framework which was agreed upon in 2010 between the thirteen sector institutions has
been a major step forward, but challenges remain. Some key studies, i.e. the Legal Aid Study and
Policy and the User Perception Survey, have met with long delays because of procurement
intricacies. FY 2011/12 will now provide the much required baselines needed for proper monitoring.
4.1.4. Cross-cutting issues
Governance is not considered as a cross-cutting issue in this sector as it is part and parcel of the
full JRLO sector. Judicial aspects of corporate governance, one of the components of good
governance and very relevant for the private sector, will be taken on board in the regular policy
dialogue with the sector, for instance on the performance of the new commercial courts. In the
design of the SBS operation due consideration will be given to all issues on public finance
management in the sector and mitigating measures for risks will be included.

12

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

Regarding gender it can be noted that women are very well presented in the sector, also at the
highest levels. Women’s rights to land will be addressed specifically in the programme. Due
attention will be given to sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as gender based
violence and the way police and legal aid institutions can become more efficient and sensitized on
this subject.

4.2

SPEARHEAD ‘FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY’

4.2.1 Country Outcomes and Netherlands’ support approach
To reach the country outcome ‘more food and nutrition security in Rwanda’, several intermediary
outcomes are relevant. First of all, post-harvest losses should be reduced, so that more food and
food of better quality reaches the consumer (“more efficient markets”). Also, people that grow little
or no food need income to buy it and vulnerable groups at the household level need enough
nutrition (“better access to healthy food”).
EKN wants to contribute to these country outcomes through (i) an improved enabling
environment for (post-harvest) agri-business and through (ii) better access to healthy
food for very young children. It is expected that an improved enabling environment will lead to
more and better organized agri-business, especially agro-processing, (commercial) storage and
food-related trade. This will increase the likelihood that harvest reaches the consumer. Also, rural
people with little or no access to land and unable to grow their own food will have more chance to
find a job, gain an income and become food secure. Cooperatives of small farmers are part of our
definition of agri-business.
In order to improve the enabling environment for agri-business, binding constraints such as lack of
skilled labour, limited access to finance, inaccessible roads, high electricity prices and uncertainty
about land need to be tackled. Of these general binding constraints, EKN will focus on
infrastructure (roads, electricity, land). Rural infrastructure is already very much part of EKN’s
programme and EKN has gained experience in this field over the years, especially in energy, feeder
roads, and working in districts and with district authorities.
Skilled labour is indeed a major constraint, but other donors have made Technical and Vocational
Training (TVET) a focus in their programme. EKN will therefore limit itself to improved service
delivery to the private sector. Access to finance is a complicated multi-faceted problem that can
only be tackled through a comprehensive strategy. The British Department for International
Development (DFID) has made it a focus within its development programme and is, as the co-chair
of the financial sector working group, better placed to work on this binding constraint than EKN.
Therefore EKN will not focus on access to finance, but will take it into account if it becomes a
necessity within one of the programmes. EKN wants to contribute to an environment where lacking
skills or knowledge can be bought from other organisations
Tackling the general binding constraints and becoming more competitive through economies of
scale is important to move from a focus on the small Rwandan market to a more regional view.
Indeed, in the regional context (East African Community, DRC) a good potential for trade in
agricultural products exists. The regional programme on food security will complement national
programmes in promoting food related trade.
Individual companies and cooperatives have their specific problems, depending on the value chain
they are active in. However, the Rwandan private sector is currently weak and not very well
organized, which makes it difficult to address these bottlenecks in a structured and sustainable
way. EKN wants to contribute to a stronger and better organized private sector so that it can take
up bottlenecks with the GoR itself.
In the meantime, EKN will structure its programme so that specific issues in the field can be taken
up with the GoR and other stakeholders in a more structured way and feed into broader
discussions.


Firstly, EKN has selected four value chains to work with and to follow in detail: horticulture,
potatoes, maize and beans. These value chains are economically viable and important for food
and nutrition security. Especially for potatoes and horticulture, the Netherlands have an added
value and have been requested by the GoR to play a role there.

13

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015





Secondly, through its role in decentralisation, EKN has gained extensive knowledge of and
working experience with the district level. District authorities are key in the fight against
hunger, because they are closest to the rural Rwandans that are most food insecure and they
implement strategies developed at the national level. EKN will deepen its work with districts by
selecting a few districts to work with in more detail (selection based upon future programmes
and district relevance for chosen value chains).
Finally, it should be noted that EKN has a special relationship with Dutch companies and
through them with Foreign Direct Investment. With disappointing trends in FDI, EKN will give
extra attention to binding constraints for foreign companies. One complaint, as described in the
Private Sector Federation (PSF) disinvestment report, can be summarized as ‘an uneven
playing field’. Rather than address this issue with the GoR in an abstract way, EKN will take it
up through specific issues that it encounters in the selected value chains or in conversations
with companies.

4.2.2 Embassy outputs
Output 1: Improved infrastructure to produce, process, distribute and prepare food

Access to reliable and affordable energy will be increased through projects that address
renewable electricity generation (hydropower), support to the GoR Energy Access Roll-out
Program (new connections to the electricity grid) and to the production of cooking wood (tree
planting, fuelwood and charcoal). Rural communities, households and agri-business will greatly
benefit from access to a reliable energy supply.

Feeder roads will be built in a labour-intensive way, so that the poorest Rwandans gain an
income while helping to improve the economic development of their country. The roads will be
financed through NGO Helpage, that will further build the capacity at district level to handle
these large labour-intensive works. During the course of our MASP, responsibilities are
gradually transferred to districts.

Districts will have the opportunity to take local economic development into their own hands,
according to their needs. The GoR’s third phase of decentralisation (2011-2015) focuses on
local economic development by giving districts the opportunity to identify and maximize their
economic opportunities. To attract and maintain investment at the local level, districts will need
proper infrastructure. To this aim, EKN will contribute to the district development programme
in support of districts. The Netherlands’ contribution will result in concrete outputs like
transport infrastructure (roads and bridges), energy (electrification and solar energy) and
revenue generation projects (markets, bus stations, etc.). Capacity of districts will be built
throughout the programme.

To improve land registration, EKN will participate in a basket fund for mainly technical
assistance, governed by a steering committee in which the GoR and donors like EKN are
represented. The programme will result in demarcation of parcels, distribution of land titles and
strengthened capacity of the Land and Mapping Department under the Rwanda Natural
Resources Authority.
Output 2: Increased influence of agri-business

To increase the influence of agri-business, EKN will strengthen agri-business representatives
and the fora in which they can raise their concerns. EKN sees the agricultural chamber of the
PSF as a logical entity to raise agri-business related issues. To do so, it will need to reinforce
the link with its members. Also, the voice of cooperatives needs to be strengthened, amongst
others to make sure that small farmers get their part of the income to be gained in the value
chain. EKN will continue to support the Joint Action Development Forum (JADF), which is
recognized by the GoR as the key platform for business integration at the local level. EKN will
also continue to play a leading role in the Private Sector Development sector working group at
national level and will lobby for more agribusiness involvement in this group.
Output 3: Improved business facilitation by EKN, GoR and service providers

EKN will assist Dutch companies that have an interest in Rwanda, both in a reactive way
(respond to their questions) and in a pro-active way (diffuse market research and other
information to selected companies). EKN will also work through a ‘Dutch front office’ to address
questions and needs from Rwandan companies and cooperatives. The ‘front office’, will focus
on agri-business and food security. It should serve as an intermediary between Rwandan
companies and delegated and non-delegated Dutch programmes. The idea of the Embassy is
that it will be led and managed by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and
Innovation. The ‘front office’ will be an entry point to tap into Dutch knowledge on horticulture
and potatoes, to find a Dutch counterpart, to find a Dutch organisation that can help with

14

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015







specific problems (match-making). For the office to be a serious counterpart for organisations
in Rwanda, it will need its own funds to complement non-delegated programmes.
Where agri-business indicates that (semi) government institutions need to be strengthened,
EKN will assist in capacity building, preferably in close cooperation with programmes managed
at HQ in order to increase efficiency and decrease transaction costs. Delegated funds will be
matched with non-delegated funds in a tailor-made and demand driven programme.
EKN will fund parts of GoR strategies that aim to increase private sector investment in agribusiness. The GoR has just developed a post-harvest strategy, in which the private sector plays
an important role. The GoR is also developing a Private Sector Development strategy of which
elements will enable agri-business investment. EKN is in discussion with the GoR to fund part
of these strategies.
Service provision at the district level will be strengthened. Service providers can provide
companies and cooperatives with knowledge and services that they do not have themselves.
Especially in Rwanda, where most companies are very small, this is important. EKN is in
discussion with several partners, including central government, districts, the Private Sector
Federation and SNV, about an appropriate and well-coordinated programme.

Output 4: Increased access to healthy food for very young children

Professionals in nutrition, GoR and DPs are concerned about the fact that roughly 50% of
Rwandan children are stunted, which means that they suffered from chronic malnutrition
especially between conception and 2 years old and will never fully develop into strong and
healthy adults. So far, little concrete action has been undertaken to tackle the problem. GoR’s
National Nutrition Policy and National Multi-sectoral Strategy to Eliminate Malnutrition in
Rwanda put forward children’s malnutrition as a major problem, but knowledge in Rwanda on
chronic malnutrition is limited and it is often confused with acute malnutrition. Also, the
Strategy refers to multi-sector district plans to tackle the problem, but nutrition achievements
are not mentioned in the district performance contracts review with GoR (ex. edition 2010),
which makes it unlikely that overburdened districts will give priority to the issue. This may
change in future as momentum seems to build to address the problem. EKN is in contact with
several partners to develop a programme to address stunting, also in view of the Dutch interest
in reproductive health.
4.2.3 Programmatic risks
The overall risk of the proposed food and nutrition security programme is that negative impacts on
food security (for instance rapid population growth in Africa’s most densely populated country)
outweigh the positive impacts of the programme. However, this only stresses the importance of the
issue. Another programmatic risk is that the capacity of districts is relatively weak, while the GoR
transfers more and more responsibility to the districts. Also donors, including EKN, increasingly
turn to districts as counterparts. The mitigating measure is to invest in capacity building of districts
as component in all programmes at decentralised level.
4.2.4 Cross-cutting issues
Governance will be tackled both through investing in public finance management capacities and by
strengthening platforms for dialogue between GoR and private sector, both at central and at district
level. Gender is addressed where possible. In labour-intensive works, at least 50% of workers are
women, while the nutrition programme will have a specific focus on (pregnant) women, as through
them very young children get the nutrition they need. Environment and climate change are taken
into account in the energy part of the programme with its focus on renewable energy. Another
example is that when building feeder roads, also terraces are made to prevent soil erosion.
4.3.

SPEARHEAD ‘WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT’

4.3.1. Country Outcomes and Netherlands’ support approach
The country outcome for the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
is that “Water resources are sustainably and rationally managed and meet the country’s
needs for socio-economic development”. In consultation with the GoR and other partners in
Rwanda, the Rwanda Water Scan identifies several ideas for support by the Netherlands. These will
be further developed during the first half of 2012, and translated into activities and envisaged
results. Aiming to address IWRM issues with the highest priority, this new Dutch support will assist
the GoR in improving and implementing its water resources management policy and strategy. The
Water Scan shows that application of IWRM principles will benefit overall sustainable development
in Rwanda.

15

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

For the period of 2012-2015 a differentiation is foreseen between the first two years (2012-2013)
and the second period of two years (2014-2015). The main focus in the first two years will be on
supporting policy- and institutional development with specific objectives as follows:

Institution development through policy advice, capacity development, learning for improved
performance and sustainability, preparation of a IWRM Master Plan;

Government capable in preparing investment plans for the water sector, including studies and
proposals for (Dutch) investments in the water sector, in particular related to food security
and energy.
The main focus in the period of 2014-2015 will be on support to implementation and investments
in projects related to watershed and irrigation management in the IWRM context. Specific
objectives are:

Marshland developed in a responsible and sustainable way through Dutch assistance to project
preparation and implementation;

Investments in water management for irrigation and hydropower supported.
By definition, IWRM is largely the mandate of government. At the same time, implementation of
IWRM principles implies the involvement of all relevant stakeholders, be it from government (all
relevant sectors at central and district level), civil society and private sector. The preferred
modality for support to the water sector is through government, which is aware of the fact that
Dutch companies and institutions are well placed to implement some of these activities.
4.3.2. Embassy Outputs
For the whole MASP period, objectives and possible interventions need to be formulated in close
cooperation with the GoR and other donors (e.g. USAID). Outputs of EKN supported activities are
expected to be:
Output 1: Effective, operational support to the Water Resources Department of RNRA

Technical assistance and training will be provided through placement of a (Dutch) policy and
training adviser in the Rwanda National Resources Authority (RNRA, under the Ministry of
Natural Resources, MINIRENA) for a period of 4 years; the policy adviser will manage a fund to
facilitate studies, trainings and project formulation.
Output 2: Operational water resources assessment and monitoring (WRAM) system in
place

This WRAM system is planned, developed and operational in 15 districts. It will guide
management of river basins and catchments (in national and regional contexts) to guarantee
reliable and climate-proof supplies of water for irrigation, hydropower and drinking water.
Output 3: Rehabilitation and development of watersheds and irrigation

Restore the Lake Kivu 12.000 ha watershed functions through investments in water
infrastructure, terracing, tree planting etc. Based on the Water Resources Management
Strategic Plan and sectoral strategic plans for energy and food security, project plans will be
elaborated for an integrated approach to watershed management, marshland development,
irrigation and development of hydropower resources, for example assessing the feasibility of
the Nyabarongo II multipurpose dam;

Investments in new irrigation systems with due regard for technical, social and environmental
impact. This will result in 1000 ha for sustainable irrigation.
Output 4: Increased capacity of the Water Resources Department

Based on an institutional assessment (including a training needs assessment), curricula and
training courses will be developed for specific target groups at central and district levels to
enhance capacity and knowledge on IWRM issues; target groups could come from sectoral
ministries, other government organisations and civil society organisations as long as their
mandate is relevant to aspects of water resources management.
4.3.3. Programmatic risks
With the Water Resources Department as a new entity in the new institutional setting of the RNRA,
risks are that the GoR does not succeed in making available the financial and human resources,
needed to build these institutions. These risks are considered acceptable since the GoR has already
committed itself: presently this new setup is already operational albeit with few human resources,
low capacity and limited funding. Other risk-mitigating factors are that technical assistance to
institution building is foreseen right from the start and that the bulk of Dutch support is foreseen in
2014 and 2015, by which time the required GoR resources should have been made available.

16

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

4.3.4. Cross-cutting issues
Water governance, stakeholder consultation, gender and environment will be addressed as crosscutting issues in the preparation of abovementioned programmes and projects. Strategic
environmental and social impact studies will be promoted as standard tools in the IWRM approach.
EKN will develop plans for an active engagement of Dutch private sector in Rwanda and for a
possible twinning of Rwandan and Dutch institutions for capacity building. In addition to these
activities EKN will also assist the GoR in its cooperation with other nations on transboundary water
management issues (see chapter on regional programme).
4.4.
PHASING OUT
Objective: A smooth transfer from the 2008-2011 MASP to the 2012-2015 MASP.
The conversion of the sectors of the current MASP to the Spearhead themes in the new MASP will
be smooth, since they greatly overlap. Many activities will phase out anyhow in 2011-2012, which
provides EKN Kigali with a chance to change modalities and priorities where needed.

Silent partnerships and delegation to implementing organisations will be phased out if they do
not represent typical Dutch value added, such as our contribution to vocational training
(TVET). The phase out of Dutch funding for TVET through GIZ will be compensated by GIZ.
The silent SBS through DFID for education will be phased out. This will largely be offset by an
increase in the DFID contribution; DFID has the lead in the education sector.

In the Justice sector projects with the GoR will be phased out in line with the proposed
conversion from project support to Sector Budget Support. The support to the Ligue des droits
de la personne dans la région des Grands Lacs (LDGL) will end.

In the energy sector, national and regional (Copenhagen) projects for cooking wood will end in
2012, but will be followed up by a Biomass project in Rwanda.

In the Private Sector portfolio, the present support to the International Finance Corporation
(IFC) will end in 2012, to be followed by a new phase that will be financed by EU and possibly
others. Our project with the Rwandese Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA)
will end in 2014, but no follow-up is foreseen as the donors EKN KIG, the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA), and the Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency (SIDA) with technical assistance from the Dutch International Cooperation
Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG International) are preparing
RALGA to be financially self-sufficient by that time.

5
5.1.

Other instruments of foreign policy
Political and diplomatic initiatives

Objective: maintaining constructive bilateral relations in which problems, calamities and risks can
be timely discussed so as to prevent them from escalating, as well as creating an environment in
which Human Rights issues can be effectively discussed.
Given the strong Dutch-Rwandan bilateral development relationship, many political initiatives
derive from development issues. EKN is leading in the Justice sector, which renders it particularly
active in the field of Human Rights. The revision of the genocide ideology law is a particular case in
point. EKN also organises regular meetings of a Human Rights Defenders focal point.
Dialogue with the GoR has improved in frequency and quality in recent years, which provides a
good platform to discuss a great variety of issues. This positive trend is expected to continue under
the MASP 2012-2015:

The Joint Governance Assessment (JGA) has yielded an intensive dialogue with the GoR, in
which the issues raised in the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Group have come
to serve as a general agenda. The JGA Monitoring and Evaluation Framework has certain
weaknesses, which complicate reporting, but the twice annual JGA dialogue sessions largely
compensate for this;

The semi-annual budget support reviews are major meetings in which GoR and donor policies
and results are meticulously scrutinized on the basis of agreed assessment frameworks;

The Article 8 Dialogue between the GoR and the EU Heads of Mission in Kigali has been
intensified over the past years. Confidence of the GoR has grown to discuss sensitive issues.

17

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

5.2.

Economic diplomacy

Objective: To facilitate where possible Dutch interests (business, but knowledge and training
institutes as well). This includes a dialogue with the GoR on market imperfections in Rwanda and
support to private sector development.
There was a meeting of minds when State Secretary Ben Knapen explained the Netherlands
development policy to President Kagame in February 2011: less charity and more business, which
is fully in line with the approach preferred by Rwanda. This means in no way a return to tied aid,
but rather facilitating Dutch traders and investors to come to Rwanda, whilst vigorously working on
private sector development in Rwanda. A special support facility will be created by the Embassy to
fund promising business missions, aimed at investment in Rwanda, Public Private Partnerships or
cooperation with local companies. Rwanda is a small, faraway market which requires careful
management of expectations. Through EKN involvement in Food Security and Water Management,
Dutch commercial opportunities in Rwanda will increase. This was already clear on 23 September
2011 during the Rwanda Investment Seminar in Wassenaar, “Doing Business in Rwanda”, which
some fifty companies attended.
The Embassy has no separate economic department, but the development programme has a strong
focus on private sector development, especially in agri-business. The presence of an Agricultural
Attaché will further enhance the integrated manner in which EKN is dealing with economic
diplomacy.
5.3.

Peace-Keeping Operations (PKO)

Objective: To contribute to national and regional stability through training, supply of equipment
and support to the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and the Rwandan Police Force (RPF) for peace
keeping operations.
The RDF is presently active as a peace-keeping force in Darfur (the African Union/UN Hybrid operation
in Darfur (UNAMID)). Their performance is widely acclaimed, particularly by the US, which, together
with the Netherlands, supports the RDF peace-keeping operations through a multi-annual Africa
Contingency Operations Training & Assistance (ACOTA) programme. Rwanda holds the command of
UNAMID. The Rwandan Police Forces (RPF) play a support role in Darfur as well as in Haiti, and are
also contemplating a contribution to peace keeping in South Sudan. These operations have an
important spin-off within Rwanda. As these thousands of military (three battalions in Darfur) and
hundreds of policemen in Darfur and Haiti need regular replacement and substantial training
programmes are required. This results in army and police being well trained and disciplined, which
contributes to stability in Rwanda and beyond. A clear example was ‘Umoja Wetu’, an RDF
operation in North Kivu on invitation of the DRC, to pursue the Democratic Forces for the Liberation
of Rwanda (FDLR).
In 2009 and 2010, the Netherlands provided training on the Law on Armed Conflict (LOAC) as well
as on ethics and Legal Advisers. Military lawyers study in the Netherlands. These much valued
training courses in Rwanda were not limited to the RDF: staff officers from all members of the
East-African Community (EAC) participated. For 2012 it is foreseen to continue the course with a
view to gradually transfer the curriculum and the training skills to Rwandan trainers over a period
of four to five years. The large-scale PKO trainings have a strong institutional impact: the Military
and Police Academies are being reinforced and a Peace Academy is being constructed. The
Netherlands has been requested to support these developments.

18

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015

5.4.

Consular services

Objective: Client-friendly and efficient services for the Dutch community in Rwanda as well as for
VIP’s and business people wishing to visit the Netherlands.
As of 2011, the bulk of Schengen visa handling will be transferred to the Belgian Embassy, whilst
Passports remain the responsibility of EKN KIG. The issue of visa limited to the Netherlands only in
emergency cases and long-term multiple-entry visa will remain an instrument for the Embassy for
promotion of good relations with trusted persons and to facilitate commercial activities. The
embassy maintains good contact with the Dutch community in Rwanda, which is of particular
importance in the case of calamities, such as conflict, earthquake and localized bomb attacks.
Evacuation plans remain updated in close coordination with the Belgian Embassy as they will take
the lead in the event of an evacuation.
5.5.

Programmes implemented in Rwanda from non-delegated funds

Objective: Encourage and facilitate synergy and alignment between delegated and non-delegated
funds and between bilateral and multilateral interventions.
The delegated programme implemented by EKN is not the only Dutch intervention in Rwanda.
Many other Dutch organisations and programmes are active in Rwanda. In many cases these
activities are directly or indirectly paid for by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague.
Moreover, international organisations of which the Netherlands is member or contributor, such as
the UN, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and the EU, have large programmes in Rwanda. Coherence and synergy between all these
different levels of engagement with Rwanda are required in order to increase effectiveness and
efficiency of the overall Dutch cooperation with Rwanda. EKN will play an active role in creating
partnerships with all these actors and in informing and advising HQ on their performance.
6.

Financial implications

Financial ODA implications 2012-2015 in € (Policy area, budget-code, description)

2.5 Security, good governance and rule of law

33.847.000

4.1 Food security

86.421.000

4.2 Effectiveness policy on poverty reduction

800.000

4.3 Private sector development

31.300.000

6.1 Sustainable use of environment

45.815.000

6.2 Integrated water management, water and sanitation

30.000.000

Total budget 2012-2015

19

228.183.000

EKN Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2012 - 2015