Germany–Rwanda relations

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Germany–Rwanda relations
Map indicating locations of Germany and Rwanda

Germany
Rwanda

Germany–Rwanda relations are good and there is a "close and pragmatic" relationship between the two countries, according to the

German Foreign Office. In the 21st century, Germany is one of the most important donors of development aid to Rwanda.[1]

History

As part of the colonial division of Africa by the European powers, the German Empire gradually took possession of the two kingdoms of Rwanda and Urundi after the Berlin Conference on Africa and incorporated them into its Protectorate of German East Africa from about 1897.[2] German rule was indirect for most of the time, with overlordship by local rulers allied with the Germans. In 1907, the German physician and explorer Richard Kandt founded the city of Kigali. After the German defeat in World War I, the Rwanda-Urundi area fell to Belgium. In retrospect, German colonial rule in Rwanda was often nostalgically glorified and positively contrasted with that of Belgium.[1]

During the

German Armed Forces trained Rwandan troops, and in 1977 President Juvenal Habyarimana visited Bonn.[3]

In 1984, Rwanda and the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate established a partnership, and in 1991 a cultural agreement was signed between Germany and Rwanda. The 1994 genocide in Rwanda led to an intense focus on the country by the German public and society, and numerous reports on the events were published in the German-language media. The German government provided humanitarian aid, but like the rest of the international community, took no concrete steps to end the massacres in the country.[3]

After Paul Kagame came to power in Rwanda, Germany and Rwanda became close partners in development cooperation and established close diplomatic relations, despite Kagame's autocratic style of government and Rwandan involvement in armed conflicts in neighboring countries. In 2012, Germany briefly suspended its development assistance after Rwanda's support for rebels in eastern Congo was proven. Soon after, Germany became the first country to resume development cooperation with Rwanda.[4]

Economic exchange

The total volume of trade with Rwanda amounted to 94 million Euro in 2021, placing Rwanda 139th in the ranking of German trading partners.[5] There are an increasing number of German companies operating in Rwanda. In 2018, Volkswagen Group established a plant in Rwanda and announced investments of €16 million.[6] In 2022, the pharma company BioNtech began construction of a production center for the manufacture of MRNA vaccines for the whole of Africa in Rwanda.[7]

Development cooperation

The joint development partnership focuses on peace and social cohesion, education and sustainable growth, and climate and energy.[1] Due to the relatively well-functioning state structures, many important projects of development cooperation could be realized in Rwanda, and Rwanda is considered a model country for the implementation of successful development projects compared to neighboring countries.[4] From 2020 to 2022, German aid payments amounted to 90.55 million Euro.[8]

Partnership Rhineland-Palatinate–Rwanda

Rwanda and the

minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate.[9]

Cultural relations

There has been a Goethe-Institut in Rwanda since 2009, which was expanded into its own office in 2014 and promotes the German language and culture in the country. The German Academic Exchange Service has been active in the country since 2016 and promotes exchange at the university level. Close civil society relations exist especially with the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. In Kigali, there is the Kandt House Museum, which was renovated in 2017 and includes an exhibition on the German colonial period.[10]

Diplomatic locations

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Germany and Rwanda: Bilateral relations". German Federal Foreign Office. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  2. ISBN 3-86153-390-1
  3. ^ a b "Deutsch-ruandische Beziehungen - pangloss.de". www.pangloss.de. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  4. ^ a b "Deutschlands nachsichtige Partnerschaft mit Ruanda | DW | 08.04.2014". Deutsche Welle (in German). Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  5. ^ "Rangfolge der Handelspartner im Außenhandel" (PDF). Statistisches Bundesamt. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  6. ISSN 0931-9085
    . Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  7. ^ "BioNTech Starts Construction of First mRNA Vaccine Manufacturing Facility in Africa". BioNtech.
  8. ^ "Zusammenarbeit". www.rwandaingermany.gov.rw. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  9. ^ "Ministerpräsidentin Malu Dreyer empfängt den Staatspräsidenten der Republik Ruanda, S. E. Paul Kagame". Staatskanzlei Rheinland-Pfalz (in German). Retrieved 2022-10-29.
  10. ^ "Beziehungen zu Deutschland" (PDF). ZVEI. Retrieved 2022-10-29.
  11. ^ "Deutsche Vertretungen in Ruandas". Auswärtiges Amt (in German). Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  12. ^ "Vertretungen Ruandas in Deutschland". Auswärtiges Amt (in German). Retrieved 2022-11-06.

External links

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