Rwanda

Blue represents happiness and peace, yellow economic development and mineral wealth, green hope of prosperity and natural resources; the sun symbolizes unity, as well as enlightenment and transparency from ignorance. Rwanda is located in Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its natural resources are gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, and arable land. Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa. Its population of 11,689,696 is made up of Hutu (Bantu-84%), Tutsi (Hamitic-15%), and Twa (Pygmy-1%) ethnic groups. Official languages are Kinyarwanda (universal Bantu vernacular), French, and English; Rwandans also speak Kiswahili (Swahili, used in commercial centers). Rwanda became independent from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship in July 1962.
In 1959 the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war culminated in April 1994 in a state-orchestrated genocide, in which up to a million Rwandans were killed, including approximately three-quarters of the Tutsi population. The genocide ended later that same year when the predominantly Tutsi RPF defeated the national army and Hutu militias, and established an RPF-led government of national unity.

Khalid Al-Naif

Director, Development Consulting Services
Amy Gillett

Director, Executive Education, William Davidson Institute
Robert Kennedy

Executive Director, William Davidson Institute
Professor, Business Administration
Nyambura Mpesha

Lecturer III in Afroamerican and African Studies, Department of Afroamerican and African Studies
Professor, DAAS
Language Instructor
Allan Stam

Professor, Political Science
Faculty Associate, Center for Political Studies
Mark Tessler

Vice Provost, International Affairs
Samuel J. Eldersveld Collegiate Professor, Political Science
Director, International Institute
Research Professor, Center for Political Studies

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Rwanda

Khalid Al-Naif

Director, Development Consulting Services

Amy Gillett

Director, Executive Education, William Davidson Institute

Robert Kennedy

Executive Director, William Davidson InstituteProfessor, Business Administration

Nyambura Mpesha

Lecturer III in Afroamerican and African Studies, Department of Afroamerican and African Studies Professor, DAAS Language Instructor

Allan Stam

Professor, Political Science Faculty Associate, Center for Political Studies

Mark Tessler

Vice Provost, International Affairs Samuel J. Eldersveld Collegiate Professor, Political Science Director, International Institute Research Professor, Center for Political Studies

Africa Index

Executive Director, William Davidson Institute
Professor, Business Administration

Lecturer III in Afroamerican and African Studies, Department of Afroamerican and African Studies
Professor, DAAS
Language Instructor

Professor, Political Science
Faculty Associate, Center for Political Studies

Vice Provost, International Affairs
Samuel J. Eldersveld Collegiate Professor, Political Science
Director, International Institute
Research Professor, Center for Political Studies