Poverty in Rwanda increased dramatically in the years leading up to and following the 1994 genocide. The success of poverty reduction now depends on the success of ongoing processes of national reconstruction. The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) took place amidst these other processes - national reconciliation, the application of a constitution and decentralisation. The PRSP presented a model of cooperation and consultation, which fitted the need of government to direct attention away from the conflict. Under the banner of “working together to fight poverty,” the PRSP has become part of Rwanda’s transition from post-emergency recovery, to building a future for sustainable development.

Researchers from the Oxford Policy Management, UK report that the Rwandan government planned and implemented a major set of consultations for the PRSP. This included meetings at the national level and innovative approaches at the sub-national level. A National Poverty Assessment; a small-scale, intensive Community Action Planning pilot exercise; and a Policy Relevance test were carried out. One outcome of this approach was that the PRSP was very practical and specific about actions. Despite these innovations, NGOs have not been closely involved in the PRSP process. There is no tradition of their active participation in policy dialogue or joint decision-making.

The government responded positively to the PRSP initiative with the hope that encouraging people to work together in pursuit of common objectives, decentralisation and poverty reduction would promote unity and reconciliation. However the researchers find that other related issues need to be addressed, if the PRSP is to be successfully implemented:

• Three key processes are being introduced and established at the same time – the poverty reduction policy, decentralisation and national reconciliation: the capacity of the government to ensure the success of all these processes is very limited and the success of any one depends on the success of the others.
• A ‘culture of obedience’ has meant that most people are expected to carry out the instructions of those in power: innovative experiments in participatory planning in such a case will not be effective, at least in the short term.
• Co-ordination between the government departments and ministries is not strong: committed improvements are needed in budgetary control, forecasting and prioritising.

The PRSP in Rwanda is widely respected and was a focus point for efforts to develop nationally inspired, co-ordinated anti-poverty strategies. It has, to some extent, improved inter-agency collaboration, in the government and in the donor community. For further progress to be made, the authors recommend that:

• Rwanda will need to ensure and take definitive steps towards peace, stability, reconciliation and democratisation
• Donor agencies will have to continue to alter the way that they finance and interact with government.
• Links between the PRSP and public expenditure management reforms need to be strengthened.

The PRSP process promises to bring benefits to Rwanda. It will continue to be closely interlinked with important forces of administrative, social, political and economic change.

Source(s):
Chapter Seven: ‘Rwanda’ in 'Fighting Poverty in Africa: are PRSPs making a difference', David Booth (ed), London: Overseas Development Institute, by Frederick Golooba Mutebi, Simon Stone and Neil Thin, 2004,

Funded by: GTZ,Japan Bank for International Co-operation,Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation Department for International Development (UK)

id21 Research Highlight: 1 November 2004

Further Information:
Frederick Golooba Mutebi, Simon Stone and Neil Thin
Oxford Policy Management
6 St Aldates Courtyard
38 St Aldates
Oxford
OX1 1BN
UK

Tel: + 44 0 1865 207300
Fax: + 44 0 1865 250580
Contact the contributor: mutebi@soft.co.za

Oxford Policy Management, UK

Contact the contributor: fgmutebi@yahoo.com

Other related links:
'Mainstreaming the poverty-reduction agenda'

'Climbing the ladder: involving the poor in poverty reduction strategies'

'PRSPs investigated: structural adjustment in another guise?'

'Engendering Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs): why it reduces poverty and the Rwanda case' from ELDIS

'National poverty reduction strategies (PRSPs) in conflict-affected countries in Africa' from ELDIS

'PRSP Document Library' from the World Bank

'Strategic Study on Engaging with PRSPs in Conflict-Affected Countries in sub-Saharan Africa' from Overseas Development Institute (ODI)