A dazzling reconstruction
Throughout the country, asphalt roads are gradually replacing the tracks. In Kigali, construction is going on like crazy. Buildings are springing up like mushrooms and the city is expanding under the pressure of new districts. The hotel and restaurant sectors are booming. The country has a new identity, that of an enterprising and serene country resolutely turned towards the future. It is a sort of African Singapore that is betting on new technologies to boost its economy and shine on an international scale. Of course, this accelerated transformation is not without consequences. Kigali is gradually losing its charm, denatured by concrete. What was, in the 1960s, a small town of 5,000 souls is now becoming a powerful megalopolis. Its calmness and bonhomie are lost in the roar of engines and the cacophony of urban noise. The air is sometimes suffocating, saturated by exhaust pollution. Although the majority of the population lives in the countryside, the cities are increasingly attractive to the new generation, who willingly abandon agricultural work in favor of better-paid management positions. The youth, ever more educated, is confidently embarking on entrepreneurship, fueled by a collective thirst for modernity.
Development of eco-responsible tourism
Tourism is one of the mainstays of modern Rwanda. The government relies heavily on European and American visitors to sustain the country's economic development. However, it rejects mass tourism and wishes to privilege an eco-responsible luxury tourism. As proof, the price of a permit to see the gorillas has risen from $700 to $1,500 in a few years. To attract the wealthy travelers, the state does not skimp on the means. High-end restaurants and hotels have sprung up all over the country. Many efforts have also been made to make the country more attractive. First of all there was the reintroduction of some animal species in the east of the country. Felines, giraffes and rhinoceroses, which had disappeared in the country, were imported from South Africa in order to repopulate the savannahs of the Akagera Park. It is therefore once again possible to admire the famous big five (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, rhinoceros) in the country of a thousand hills. This is a way for Rwanda to compete with its neighbor, Tanzania, the reference destination for safaris. Emphasis has also been placed on the preservation of the environment. There is no longer any question of denaturing the landscapes by deforesting excessively, the beauty of the country must be preserved at all costs. The Rwandan population, the primary beneficiary of the benefits of tourism, has willingly accepted some sacrifices in order to perpetuate the arrival of visitors. No more farming inside the natural parks, respecting the gorillas' territory, protecting the wild animals, all this is starting to make sense to most Rwandans. Many former poachers have even become forest rangers, proof that the notion of protecting wildlife is now at the heart of the country's concerns.
Paul Kagame, strong man of Rwanda
At the head of this policy of renewal is President Paul Kagame. He came to power following the military victory of the Rwandan Patriotic Front in 1994 and has many achievements to his credit. Poverty reduction, economic development, political stability, he has made Rwanda an example on the African continent. However, his greatest success will remain to have succeeded in erasing the ethnic division. Today, there are no more Hutus or Tutsis, only 12 million Rwandans. In just one generation, the enemies of yesteryear have been reconciled to better revive the country. Today, ethnic distinction is outlawed by the constitution. However, do not think that everything is rosy in the land of a thousand hills. The intransigent President Kagame rules Rwanda with an iron fist. Political opponents are muzzled and sometimes severely repressed. The rights of the press and freedom of expression are almost non-existent and regularly flouted.
A long-term job
Rwanda remains today a prisoner of its image. Many Westerners have preconceived notions about the country, which they still see through the photos of the genocide that were broadcast in all international media at the time. To reassure hesitant tourists, the government has invested heavily in security. The omnipresent police patrol the entire country and are uncompromising and incorruptible. In any case, the Rwandan people, too wounded by the tragedy of 1994, are not very inclined to violence. The delinquency rate here is very low and tourists are generally welcomed with open arms. Despite its troubled past, Rwanda is now one of the safest countries in Africa. Nearly three decades after the genocide, the population shows a general willingness to forget about the massacres. According to a study by the World Health Organization, 28% of Rwandans suffer from post-traumatic stress. Psychological disorders particularly observed in people in their thirties, young children at the time of the genocide. Throughout the country, discussion groups are organized with the help of local and international associations. A good way to exorcise the ghosts of the past. The challenge for modern Rwanda is to manage to deal with its sinister history in order to look to the future without falling into the trap of excessive modernization. In the coming years, the country will face many challenges. First, it will have to learn to regulate its exploding population thanks to the country's stability and security. Then there is the lack of arable land, which forces the government to import food to feed its growing population. Finally, the massive use of pesticides and the increase of pollution are problems that will have to be solved in the near future.
