Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______Why did join the British Commonwealth? Explaining Rwanda’s Foreign Policy

1Ali Muhammad, 2Amalia Nurul Hutami

1, 2 Department of International Relations, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta – Indonesia Corresponding email: [email protected]

Abstrak Artikel ini bermaksud untuk memahami keputusan penting Rwanda dalam politik luar negerinya untuk bergabung dengan Persemakmuran Inggris. Rwanda adalah negara Afrika yang bukan merupakan bekas koloni Inggris. Tetapi negara ini memutuskan keinginannnya untuk bergabung dengan Persemakmuran Inggris tahun 2009. Dengan menggunakan teori pengambilan keputusan kebijakan luar negeri, artikel ini berpendapat bahwa pergeseran kebijakan luar negeri Rwanda ini disebabkan oleh transisi politik dalam politik domestik Rwanda, kondisi ekonominya di Rwanda. zaman pasca-genosida serta konteks internasional yang mencakup posisi geografis Rwanda dan peran Inggris dalam membantu pembangunan negara Rwanda setelah genosida. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dan menggunakan data sekunder berupa buku, artikel, jurnal, e- news, laporan dan sumber perpustakaan lainnya.

Kata Kunci: Rwanda, Politik Luar Negeri, Pergeseran orientasi, Persemakmuran Inggris

Abstract This article aims to examine Rwanda's foreign policy decision to join the British Commonwealth. Rwanda was former French colony and has historic association with Francophone countries. But the country decided to join the British Commonwealth in 2009. Using theory of foreign policy decision making, it argues that the shift of Rwanda’s foreign policy was caused by the political transition in Rwanda’s domestic politics, its economy condition in the post-genocide epoch as well as the international context which included Rwanda’s geographic position and the role of the United Kingdom in aiding Rwanda’s state-building in the aftermath of the genocide. This research uses qualitative method and uses secondary data such as, books, articles, journals, e-news, reports and other library sources.

Keywords: Rwanda, Foreign policy, shift, La Francophonie, the British Commonwealth

1 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______

INTRODUCTION This article investigates the administration during the colonization Rwanda foreign policy decision to join era––to be Rwanda’s official language the British Commonwealth in 2009. beside Kinyarwanda. The establish- Rwanda was a German colony until ment of French as Rwanda’s official the end of the World War I. Under the language originated the close relations Versailles Treaty Article 119, signed on between Rwanda and France. Since June 28, 1919. Germany had to give up 1962 to 1996, French had been broadly any claims over its colonies to the used as the language of higher Allied powers. Belgium then education, administration, public confirmed the mandate over German services, and official documentation, former colonies territories under the complementing Kinyarwanda as the Charter of the League of Nations national language. Subsequently, (Záhořík, 2017). During the Belgian Rwanda had been dominated by the administration in Rwanda, a Hutu-Francophone people distinction was set between two (Nyirindekwe, 1999). indigenous groups where the Hutus In 1970, Rwanda along with the were determined to be the forced labor other French-speaking countries and the Tutsis were in charge to joined Organisation Internationale de la supervise the Hutus’ works. In the Francophonie (OIF), an organization Late 1950s towards its independence, made up with French speaking the Hutu leaders initiated a Hutu countries all over the world, Manifesto which led both Hutu and established by France on 20th March Tutsi into a conflict–ended up with the 1970. This organization consists of 57 overthrow of Tutsi’s monarchy member states, three associate (Totten, Bartrop, & Jacobs, 2008). members and twenty observers This conflict caused the Tutsis fled (Organisation Internationale de la into exile from Rwanda and the Hutu Francophonie, 2013). The immediately took over the Tutsi establishment of this organization had monarchy then proclaimed the strengthened the French influences in provisional government as a republic its member states, specifically African after Belgium granted them countries. This organization aimed at independence on July 1, 1962. promoting peace, democracy, and After its independence, the new human rights, enhancing the solidarity government of Rwanda under Hutu among member countries as well as decided to maintain French––the preserving French language and the language used by the Belgian

2 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______linguistic diversity across the world Francophonie pivot to the (Turner, 2006). Commonwealth in 2009?

Despite Rwanda and the other THEORY African countries had been under French strong influences for a long Determinants of Foreign Policy period of time, there has been a decline This article investigates the of French influences in Rwanda Rwanda foreign policy decision to join (Uchehara, 2014). Rwanda as one of the British Commonwealth in 2009. the French-speaking countries started To explain the shift in Rwanda foreign decimating the influences of France in policy orientation from Francophonie terms of culture and language. Rwanda to British Commonwealth, this paper had started turning away from using its uses decision making theory former colonialist’s language since the developed by William D. Coplin genocide tragedy in 1994. It started (1963). There are three determinants promoting English to its people and that influence the decision-makers in applied for membership on the foreign policy decision-making Commonwealth in 1996. process, i.e, domestic politics, The idea of Commonwealth is economy-military condition, and quite similar to La Francophonie as both international context (Coplin, 2003). associations aim at maintaining the Coplin provides a framework in order global unity through shared language, to give a clear image and explanations history, and culture within its former on the role of the three determinants colonies. However, Rwanda’s very first as well as their relations in foreign application to Commonwealth was policy decision-making process. rejected since it did not meet any of Figure.1 Commonwealth membership criteria. Scheme of Foreign Policy Decision- Then in 2008, Rwanda established making Process English as the official language

(McCrummen, 2008), resent its application on Commonwealth membership in 2009 and officially become the member of the Commonwealth even though Rwanda never had a historical connection with

British imperialism (Pflanz, 2009). Why did Rwanda shift its foreign policy from a member of La Source: Coplin, (2003).

3 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______The scheme of foreign policy supporting Rwanda on the early time decision-making process above shows towards its independence. It had that the determinants of one country’s supported Rwanda for democrati- foreign policy have interconnected zation and initiated for Rwanda’s one another. There will only be a independence at the United Nations foreign policy decision-making when (UN) before it finally got its official there is a demand from one country’s independence as well as sponsored domestic politics. Along with the Rwandan membership in the United domestic politics, the economy- Nations (Quilès, 1998). military condition, and international Since the first time Rwanda and context are also taken into France started their cooperation, a considerations as these three close relation between both had been determinants will later become the gradually evolving (Kuperus, 2016). In input for the decision makers to the late 1962, another more specific formulate its foreign policy. treaty was signed. Rwanda was incorporated into La Francophonie or ANALYSIS Françafrique, the association of former Rwanda - France Initial Relations French colonies in which France––as The cooperation between France the former colonist––tended to have and Rwanda started after getting interests in economic cooperation liberated from Belgium on July 2nd, instead of political and military 1962, following the withdrawal of cooperation (Willis, 2014). Belgium as well as the emergence of The establishment of French as the new regime of Rwanda which had the official language of Rwanda was been dominated and replaced by the benefitting the position of France as Hutu people who established a the cultural and linguistic roots were republic instead of monarchy. already embedded since the presence Referring to Rwanda’s historical of Belgian’s colonization there. It was colonization background, it did not notable that the role of Belgian rules have any obvious reasons to benefit had benefitted France in the future and from having cooperation with France created connection between France (Camus, 2013). Otherwise, in October and Rwanda. Since then, there had 1962, President Grégoire Kayibanda been the presence of France in every of Rwanda and President Charles de aspect of Rwanda. In 1964, France Gaulle of France signed a treaty of appointed and sent an ambassador to friendship and cooperation. As a be in charge in French Embassy for matter of fact, France had been Rwanda in and the permanent

4 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______cooperation mission settled in 1969 any other cooperation with the other (Willis, 2014). The mission was to La Francophonie member states all over encourage and maintain Rwanda’s the globe in five different continents. reliance on France in all aspects; As a French-speaking country, the use technical, language, culture, and of French as the official language has economy as well as to make the been benefitting Rwanda to be the presence of France in Rwanda stable vehicle in improving a multilingual and permanent (Quilès, 1998). society as French has been one of the official languages in the United Rwanda and Organisation Nations. Besides, it encouraged Internationale de La Francophonie Rwanda to play a strategic role in the Organisation Internationale de La United Nations (Mbonyinshuti, 2018). Francophonie is the product of globalization as it bridges France in Rwanda-France Diplomatic Crisis maintaining its relations with former In conducting their diplomatic colonies and the other French- cooperation, President Habyarimana speaking countries, particularly of Rwanda and President Mitterrand Rwanda (Refin, 2015). Through the of France had built such a close cooperation in La Francophonie, France personal relation as Rwanda had and Rwanda could tighten their always been considering the presence relations and mutually benefit each of France in every aspect of its other. In their cooperation, Rwanda political, economic, and military received aid and assistance provided provisions. Despite Rwanda and by France. In return, France could France had been close allies since the have business investment in Rwanda. Hutu government of Rwanda had However, this kind of relation is taken the office, their relation was viewed as a neocolonialist relation as it strained in the early 1990s. It was would only get Rwanda more started with the return of Tutsi people contingent with French influences from exile with the intention to (Verschave, 2000). overthrow the Hutu government and It cannot be denied that the take over the regime. It culminated in mutual benefits gained by France and the assassination of Hutu-Rwandan Rwanda through this organization President, Habyarimana, which have been maintaining a good relation triggered the occurrence of genocide between both countries. In diplomatic tragedy in 1994 that had killed cooperation, La Francophonie has been approximately 800.000 Tutsi lives (Lal, providing Rwanda a platform to build 2007).

5 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______Contrasting to the Hutu, Tutsi Jean-Louis Bruguière, the appointed people who had been fleeing into French judge to investigate the 1994 exile––to Rwanda’s neighboring genocide tragedy. In November 2006, countries such as and after an eight-year investigation, ––were contrary and not in Bruguière finally presented his line with France’s previous findings (Bruguière, 2006). Bruguiere determination as it had been with the alleged and accused Rwanda back for Hutu government. Since Uganda and the assassination of Habyarimana by Tanzania were the former colonies of issuing an international arrest warrants British Empire, it required the Tutsi for Kagame’s nine allies who were refugees to adapt with the language, suspected involving in Habyarimana’s values, and customs of the aircraft shot down, an initial tragedy Anglophone people in those countries. that enraged the Hutus and triggered This kind of situation had shaped the the genocide (USA Today, 2006). behaviors of these Tutsi refugees to Responding to the French have such a tendency and inclination allegation, the Rwandan government on British influences and leave the outrageously expelled Emmanuel French influences instead. Ndagijimana, Rwandan Ambassador The Tutsi people in Rwandan to France in Paris back to Rwanda and Patriotic Front (RPF) took over the deported Dominique Decherf, the Hutu Rwandan regime and French Ambassador to Rwanda (The automatically had control over the New York Times, 2006). Through the Rwandan political direction which was ambassador expulsion and to deliberately start turning away from deportation, Rwanda had officially cut French determinations. Since the Tutsi its diplomatic ties with France on seized power in Rwanda, its relations November 25th, 2006. In April 2007, with France had been totally changed Rwanda applied to the International into an unhealthy strained relation. Court of Justice (ICJ) in the dispute as The Rwandan new regime continued France had been violating the to press France for justice as they international law regarding believed that France complicit in the international immunities in general genocide by providing the Hutu a clear and diplomatic immunities, as well as support on the Tutsi massacres. violating Rwanda’s sovereignty. Thus, However, France kept ignoring and Rwanda demanded France to rejecting the allegations, even the forthwith annul its international arrest accusation was never been examined warrants (International Court of to the court. Instead, France assigned Justice, 2007).

6 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______Subsequently, Nicholas Sarkozy, Rwanda (Mann, 2005). The Tutsi the new elected President of France in Rwandan had been the ally of Uganda 2007 started to normalize France- not referring to their existence as Rwanda relations. Through a sovereign states as they were not. moderately long process of diplomatic Instead, the relation was built between relation normalization, Rwanda finally a group of Rwandan refugees and the restored its relationship with France in guerilla force of Ugandan hinterland 2009. Sarkozy argued to his officials which had a common vision; to get that there was no reason that they recognition from their home countries should be caught up in the and to take over each state’s existing controversies of their predecessors regime (McKnight, 2015). (Moncrieff, 2012). Britain had granted Uganda liberation in 1962 yet still maintained a Rwanda-British Relations tight relation post-independence. The British Empire did not have Britain played a prominent role in 1971 either explicit political or financial and 1986 Ugandan coup which led interest in Rwanda. However, since its Yoweri Museveni to take over the inception in 1986 it had been playing a regime. The Ugandan coup was done prominent role as an external by Museveni’s National Resistance bystander in Rwanda as it had such an Army (NRA), which was bolstered by indirect political and military relation the role and support of 500 Tutsi with the Rwandan Patriotic Front refugees in Uganda (Waugh, 2013). (RPF) which made up with Tutsi- They were recruited by Museveni Rwandan refugees who were casted himself to be involved in the Bush War out from Rwanda. In 1959, following and among those 500 Tutsi refugees, the successful overthrown of Tutsi Paul Kagame––Rwanda’s current monarchy by the Hutu there was president––was one of the very first approximately half a million Tutsi Tutsi to be recruited by Museveni and Rwandan fled into exile. More than became the spy chief. After the Bush 80,000 of them were seeking for War successfully won by the NRA in asylum in Uganda and the rest were to 1986, the Tutsi refugees started to plan other British colonies in the same strategy as what had occurred (Cameron, 2012). The huge number of in Uganda, they established a militant Tutsi refugees in the exile had organization with guerilla movement prompted the emergence of Rwandan which later known as the Rwandan diaspora communities which later led Patriotic Front (RPF) (McKnight, them to plan strategies to return to 2015).

7 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______In 1988, the young Tutsi refugees succeeded to resist the attacks as of Ugandan army with strong youth President Habyarimana instantly eager and enthusiasm planned an open internationalized the conflict with the secret strategy which was an invasion military assistance of France to Rwanda (Kuperman, 2004). Paul (Mwambari, et al., 2017). The African Kagame, as one of the RPF young experts believed that the RPF invasion soldiers who had been involved in would never arise unless there was an supporting Museveni in Uganda did approval and assistance of the have an interest which was to get Pentagon’s Central Intelligence Museveni’s in turn support to take Agency (CIA) and Britain’s Secret over Kigali and established an Intelligence Service (SIS) (Cameron, Anglophone country. Britain and the 2012) as the role of both agencies had United States implicitly gave the RPF been strongly engaged in Rwanda approval in military endeavours. In during that period of time (Madsen, Uganda, the British forces provided 1999). the RPF a military training which base The interest of British in Rwanda in Jinja (Destexhe, 1995). Meanwhile, was represented by Uganda which had Paul Kagame as the representative of been the asylum for Tutsi refugees and RPF received military and intelligence had been training the RPF to support training from the United States in Fort Museveni in overthrowing Uganda’s Leavenworth Command and General regime under Obote. British Staff College in Kansas in 1990 supported Uganda because it might (Gribbin, 2005). Furthermore, impact its economic interest in Kagame was also sent to the United Uganda. Rwanda under President Kingdom for strategic military training Kagame had an inclination on the (Otunnu, 2017). British sphere of influences as it In October 1990, the Rwandan applied for Commonwealth Patriotic Army (RPA)––the armed membership in 1996. troops of the RPF––invaded Rwanda from the Southern Uganda. The RPF Rwanda’s Decision to Join British demanded the Rwandan government Commonwealth to accept the return of Tutsi refugees After the death of President to Rwanda, enforce human rights and Habyarimana and the genocide ended the rule of law as well as adopt the new in 1994, the Rwandan Patriotic Front constitutions which limited the power (RPF) took over the control, made of the president (Watson, 1992). Yet President Pasteur Bizimungu and his the Rwandan Hutu government Vice President Paul Kagame seized in

8 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______power. In 2003, Paul Kagame replaced member of the Commonwealth in Bizimungu and got elected for a seven- 2009. year term in Rwandan presidency. The issues of Commonwealth Under Kagame’s regime, the new membership had been arising since the Rwandan constitution was designed to join of Mozambique to this be more democratic with liable association. There had to be a strong political system, proper enforcement motivation of a country without any of human rights and rule of law as well historical connection to British as equality and unity. The new Empire could be accepted to the constitutions which had made Commonwealth. The potential significant improvement in Rwanda’s member, in this case, Rwanda did not political and economy stability led the meet the formal criteria as established RPF to start dominating the legislative on the Harare Declaration 1991 when and executive of Rwanda’s it applied in 1996. It had been striving government. The goal of RPF was to to improve its nation to be taken into rebuild its nation after the genocide considerations even though it had and create a harmonious society. The faced critics from many parties. reputation Paul Kagame as a progressive leader in international In order to meet the criteria of community had been arising as Harare Declaration 1991 and Kampala Rwanda’s efforts to rebuild their Declaration 2007, Rwanda endeavored country after a hideous genocide was and made efforts adapting to the very constructive (Commonwealth determined eligibilities. It has undoubtedly acknowledged Queen Human Rights Initiative, 2009). Elizabeth II as the Head of the Rwanda had been rebuilding its Commonwealth as it is a must for nation and the output was sufficiently member states to recognize the Queen progressive as the genocide tragedy as the Head of the Commonwealth, was not an easy thing to deal with. established English as its official Through its progressive improvement, language, enforced the human rights, Rwanda attempted to join the British equality, and democracy Commonwealth in 1996 following (Commonwealth Human Rights Mozambique’s successful step in the Initiative, 2009). previous year. Unfortunately, its application was rejected as it did not The Shift in Rwanda’s Foreign meet the membership criteria of Policy Harare Declaration. However, Determinant: Domestic Politics Rwanda had finally become the official

9 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______The background of President recruited Kagame to his guerilla army Paul Kagame as Rwanda’s main to ta his guerilla army to take over political actor determines the direction Ugandan regime (Kinzer, 2008). of Rwanda’s foreign policy. The In the early 1970s, Kagame was decision maker remains influenced by declining in academic performance as four types of influencers: bureaucrat his father passed away and his best influencer, partisan influencer, interest friend, Fred Rwigyema got departed influencers, and mass influencer. This for being involved in a clandestine research analyzes the background and mission to overthrow Ugandan the role of President Paul Kagame as President, Idi Amin. Losing two the decision maker as well as the important people in his life had led bureaucratic influencer himself in the him to be rebellious and tend to fight decision-making process of Rwanda’s those in school who underestimate foreign policy which generate Rwandan people. He finally got Rwandan political transition. suspended from Ntare School and The fact that Paul Kagame was a moved to Old Kampala Secondary Tutsi-monarchy descent yet casted out School (Kinzer, 2008). from his monarch reign had triggered At the age of twenty, Kagame his eager to bring his people back to unintentionally reunited with Fred where they belonged. As a kid living in Rwigyema, his childhood friend. exile, Kagame and his fellow children Rwigyema at that time had become a refugee had been through a difficult soldier under Museveni’s commands. time. They attended an outdoor school By his military training and near their refugee camp organized by experiences, Kagame and the other the elderly to get primary education. In Rwandan exiles began having military that outdoor school, they learned training and preparations. They also English and started to adjust with the joined the rebel army of Museveni and Ugandan cultures (Waugh, 2013). successfully toppled down Idi Amin’s Kagame accomplished the equivalent tyranny regime in 1979. In 1981, third grade and was able to go to a Museveni established National well-regarded Rwengoro Primary Resistance Army (NRA) aimed at School at the age of nine. Then he overthrowing President Milton continued to attend one of the best Obote’s regime and succeeded in 1986 schools in Uganda, Ntare School for (The State House of Uganda, 2012). his secondary education. This school was also attended by Yoweri After successfully overthrown Museveni, Ugandan rebel who Obote’s regime, the Rwandan refugees

10 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______of National Resistance Army (NRA) had also been lots of infrastructures with the dream to bring their people and property destructions with back home left the NRA and physical and psychological damages established their own revolutionary (Collier, 2008). As shown on the movement, Rwandan Patriotic Front graphic above, Rwanda’s lowest Gross (RPF). Subsequently, the RPF planned Domestic Product (GDP) was in the an invasion to Rwanda in 1990. Since year of 1994 when the genocide took that year, Rwanda started having a place yet it gradually improving from political transition. In 1993, RPF had time to time under the administration already controlled several Rwanda’s of Kagame until the present time. territories until 1994 when the conflict Rwanda has been one of the fastest culminated in RPF finally gained growing economies in Central Africa victory. The triumph of RPF had been as it has tremendous significant leading them to seize power and the progress in the stabilization and manifestation of political transition reconstruction of Rwanda’s economy. which was dominated by the Hutu- The country increased its GDP growth Francophone then replaced by the to eight percent per year between 2001 Tutsi-Anglophone. and 2014 (Ayittey, 2017). In rebuilding its nation, Rwanda Determinant: Economic Condition had actively sought for any Rwanda in making its foreign opportunities for its economy policy to pivot to the Commonwealth development. It sought a gateway to must have considered its economy get into the Community condition and must have foreseen that market cooperation––consist of the foreign policy will be strategically , Kenya, Tanzania, and beneficial for its economy. The Uganda––as regional integration has economy condition of a country is an been one of Rwanda’s national essential aspect in foreign policy development strategies (Sodipo & decision-making process as economy Musiitwa, 2012). Since Rwanda is determines whether a country could lacking natural resources, it depends survive or not. The economy heavily on trading to survive the condition or economy capacity must country. be taken into considerations to secure In 2007, Rwanda sent its the country and achieve the national application to the Commonwealth. interest (Coplin, 2003). Rwanda’s application was followed by The 1994 genocide tragedy had its economic interest. It intended to impoverished Rwanda as it eroded the pursue economic benefits as the private and foreign investment. There

11 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______Commonwealth constituted in the which magnificently determine World Trade Organization. It was Rwanda’s foreign policy. expected that its membership in Rwanda is one of the smallest Commonwealth, Rwanda could countries in Africa, with an area of facilitate it to play an influential role in 26,338 km2 and the population of the global trade (Pflanz, 2009). The 11,901,484 people by 2017. Commonwealth is not a regional Geographically, it is in the central- organization or association, yet eastern of Africa, bordered by Rwanda might harness its membership Democratic Republic of the Congo in in Commonwealth to strengthen its the west, Tanzania in the east, Uganda relations with other African in the north, and Burundi in the south. Commonwealth member countries This country is made up with four which situated in the regions in order provinces with Kigali as its capital city. to integrate their economic Rwanda is a developments. Rwanda’s membership lacking natural resources, dominated in both East African Community and by mountains and plateaus of the great in Commonwealth might double- watershed between the and Zaire benefit Rwanda as both organizations River basins (CIA World Factbook, would offer different opportunities to 2017). participate in the global trade and in the international economic Since Rwanda is a landlocked cooperation. country and located in the center of Africa, it is surrounded by countries on Determinant: International its every edge. Those countries are Context Francophone; Burundi, and The International context of one Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) country does influence its foreign and Anglophone; Uganda, and policy decision-making process. Tanzania (Sinclair, 2012). The International context is the external geography of one country’s and the factor that may influence the behavior party in its surrounding would indeed of one country in determining its influences its behavior to keep up with foreign policy directions. It requires its surrounding in terms of both the geography of a country, the competitive and cooperative strategies; diplomatic relations with other preserve the peace, security and countries and the international stability in their regions. In this case, demands. This research analyzes the the as well as the geography location of Rwanda and the fact that Rwanda’s neighboring presence of the United Kingdom countries is the member of

12 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______Commonwealth has urged Rwanda to Kingdom and the United States which create a closer link with its surrounding have vigorously been active in since there is no single country in the promoting the idea of democracy, world adequately self-sufficient to human rights and peacekeeping (Arieff fulfill its national needs (Kimanuka, & Terrell, 2018). 2007). Even a superpower state must Commonwealth could facilitate cooperate with other countries to them to preserve the stability and maintain its existence. Therefore, security in the region as the ideas and Rwanda as a small developing country common values the members states of lacking natural resources needs to Commonwealth are carrying would cooperate with other countries determine the way each country’s specifically its neighboring countries in behave to be more cooperative rather order to survive. than conflictual in conducting Since Rwanda had been the part international relations. As a matter of of Organisation Internationale de La fact, Rwanda has achieved remarkable Francophonie (OIF) since 1970s, it has progress on security and peacemaking been having access to build relations and has played prominent role for the and cooperate with the other stability of the Great Lakes region Francophone countries all over the (The New Times, 2015). world, particularly in Africa as this Beside its geography, the other organization is becoming a platform countries’ role also influences the for French-speaking countries to foreign policy of one country. The collaborate. The same way Rwanda’s United Kingdom had been playing an participation in the OIF, its essential role in Rwanda’s state- membership in the Commonwealth building post-genocide. It viewed would provide Rwanda another there was a possibility for Rwanda to platform to easily build cooperation be a peaceful country and potentially and reach other countries around the could create and maintain stability in globe in different continents which its region. The UK has been Rwanda does not meet in the OIF. committed to assist Rwanda to build a Regarding its international context, the long-term peace and stability, as well as application of Rwanda to the economic growth and poverty Commonwealth is a form of its reduction. An effective government strategies to get into another active institution was built to manifest the access to participate in the development of an inclusive Rwanda’s international stage as Rwanda had society. Through the Department for been close allies with the United International Development (DFID),

13 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______the United Kingdom invested in two of them had been conflicting since Rwanda’s basic education to generate the colonization era. A distinction was skillful productive youth for Rwanda’s set by the Belgian colonist that the future. Since 2005, the United Hutu were the labor who did every Kingdom has contributed to the rough works, and the Tutsi were the decrease the number of poverties in ruler who were in charge to supervise Rwanda until two million people and the Hutu’s works. The set of still aiding the poor people to escape distinction led both indigenous groups from poverty through nutrition into a political turmoil which ended up programs and safeguard the young with political transition two times in generation to get decent educations the late 1950s and in 1994 when the (Department for International genocide occurred. Development, 2015). In the first political turmoil, the The contribution of the United Hutu overthrew the Tutsi monarchy Kingdom in Rwanda’s state-building which resulting them to flee into exile had been so huge that it influenced the in neighboring countries. then behavior of Rwanda in determining its established a republic of Rwanda. policy. In order to maintain and Under the Hutu regime, they built a strengthen closer partnership with the close relation with France and United Kingdom, Rwanda applied on cooperated in every aspect, economy, Commonwealth membership in 2007. politic, and military. Despite Rwanda Since Rwanda had applied for had never been colonized by France, it membership in 1996 and got rejected got an access to join Organization due to it did not meet the criteria, it Internationale de La Francophonie (OIF) gradually improved its nation by which made up with French-speaking referring the Commonwealth criteria countries all over the world. French as the ideal national orientation had become the official language of (Pflanz, 2007). Rwanda since it got liberated from Belgium in 1962. Through the OIF Rwanda built a mutual relation with Conclusion France in which both countries gained The foreign policy shift of economic benefits. Rwanda as the part of La Francophonie However, the relation between pivot to the Commonwealth was led Rwanda and France was strained when by historical background of this the Tutsi refugees who had been living country which made up with in the exile (Uganda and Tanzania) indigenous ethnic groups in which the established Rwandan Patriotic Front

14 Nation State: Journal of International Studies P ISSN 2620-391X Vol. 4 No. 1 | June 2021 E ISSN 2621-735X ______(RPF) and took over the power. Under the role of United Kingdom during the regime of Paul Kagame, Rwanda Rwanda’s state-building post genocide. tended to leave and decimate the French influences as its grip had been REFERENCES too strong in Rwanda. Kagame tend to Arieff, A., & Terrell, K. Z. (2018) Rwanda: have an inclination to the United In Brief. Congressional Research Service. Kingdom as they had been living in Ayittey, G. B. (2017) "The Non- Anglo-Saxon countries for decades. Sustainability of Rwanda’s Economic Miracle". Journal of Management and English was introduced in Rwanda for Sustainability, 7(2). the necessity of the huge number of Bruguière, J.-L. (2006) Délivrance de mandats Tutsi returnees. d’arrêt internationaux, Ordonnance de soit- communiqué. Paris: Tribunal de grande Rwanda applied for membership instance de Paris. on the Commonwealth, an association Cameron, H. (2012) "British State of 53 sovereign member states of Complicity In Genocide: Rwanda which territories used to belong to the 1994". State Crime Journal, 1(1), 70-87. Retrieved from: British Empire. In 2008, Rwanda https://www.jstor.org/stable/419177 established English as the official 71 language and resent its application on Camus, S. (2013) The French Defense and Commonwealth membership in 2009. Foreign Policies: Rwanda Case Study. Subsequently, Rwanda became the CIA World Factbook. (2017) Rwanda. official member of the Retrieved from The World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publicati Commonwealth even though Rwanda ons/the-world- never had a historical connection with factbook/geos/rw.html (Accessed: British imperialism. October 10, 2018). Collier, P. (2008) The bottom billion: Why the The foreign policy shift of poorest countries are failing and what can be Rwanda as the part of La Francophonie done about it. Oxford University Press. pivot to the Commonwealth is Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. determined and influenced by the (2009) Report on Rwanda s Application for Membership of the Commonwealth: An background of Paul Kagame as the assessment. Commonwealth Human Tutsi descent who got casted out of his Rights Initiative. home country, and later led them to Coplin, W. D. (1983) Foreign Policy Decision- the political transition, the economy Making. Learning Research Inst for International. condition of Rwanda post-genocide Department for International Development. which left lots of physical and (2015) DFID RWANDA. Retrieved psychological damages, as well as the from: international context of Rwanda which https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u k/government/uploads/system/uploa included its geographic location and

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