Rwanda has maintained political stability and limited corruption under the firm authoritarian rule by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RFP). The regime tightly controls public space and civil society, stifling dissent and opposition. Political adversaries, journalists and civil society actors are repressed.
Economically, Rwanda experienced a contraction of its GDP (-3.4%) in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic before it rebounded in 2021, with a GDP growth rate of 10.9%. However, it remains a landlocked country with a small resource base and high poverty levels. Modest levels of industrialization, a small formal sector and high unemployment limit development.
Rwanda’s policies support an authoritarian development state, deepening societal divides and maintaining significant control over the economy. While some objectives of Vision 2020 to alleviate poverty were not met, the new Vision 2050 aims for middle-income status by 2035 yet reiterates the same goals without addressing failures or shortcomings.
