HC 726 UK Aid to Rwanda

Written evidence submitted by the Aegis Trust

1. Summary of Main Points

1.1 A peace-building and internationally significant genocide memorial project in Rwanda has been placed at risk on account of uncertainty regarding the future of budget support from international donors to Rwanda.

1.2 The project relates to the development of the Kigali Genocide Memorial. It is planned that a campus will be developed there, to include a centre for peace-building education. The Government of Rwanda (GoR) asked British NGO Aegis Trust to develop the site and manage the programmes on the new campus. The master plan was developed, pro-bono, by British firm of architects John McAslan Parters.

1.3 Long-term stability and the prevention of genocide may be served by such a project and should be part of the equation that leads to a decision on UK Aid to Rwanda.

1.4 Regarding the timing of the decision on whether to resume UK Aid: It has been characterized by the media that the former Secretary of State Andrew Mitchell made the decision to resume aid, in haste, at the beginning of September following the cabinet reshuffle. However Aegis Trust was informed that the decision was always scheduled to be made by the end of the month of August.

2. Who are Aegis Trust?

2.1 Aegis Trust is a British NGO with a mission to prevent genocide. It grew out of the work of the UK’s Holocaust Centre. Aegis Trust commemorates atrocities of the past, invests in peace-builders of the future and advocates for those at risk of genocide today.

2.2 The Government of Rwanda invited Aegis Trust to advise on the conservation of and activities at genocide memorial sites in 2002.

2.3 Aegis understands that:

· Giving dignity to survivors of genocide contributes to transitional justice.

· Knowledge about the genocide in Rwanda must be preserved as a warning for future generations and the wider world.

· Blame and animosity are often passed on to the next generation in a post-atrocity society. This can be highly corrosive to social cohesion. Therefore it is crucial for memory of and education about the genocide to take this into account in order to actively promote unity and understanding in the second and third generations.

For these three reasons Aegis Trust agreed to support development of the genocide memorials in Rwanda, the archive and an education programme aimed at promoting social cohesion.

2.4 Since 2004, Aegis Trust has managed and developed the Kigali Genocide Memorial on behalf of the GoR. It is a burial site of victims of the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. 80,000 visitors attend the memorial each year, including State leaders from all over Africa and around the world. Visiting the centre provides a warning about what happens when leaders allow hatred to inform policy or when there is a collective failure to protect people at risk of being destroyed through genocide.

2.5 Aegis Trust is not paid by the GoR to undertake this work. While Aegis has managed projects for the Rwandan Minister of Sports and Culture, the Commission against Genocide and Kigali City Council, the majority of the funds for the projects that Aegis is involved in are raised independently from the Government of Rwanda. We therefore submit this evidence with separation and independence from the Government of Rwanda.

2.6 Despite the progress that Rwanda has made from a development perspective there is much evidence that ideas and attitudes that caused genocide in the first instance persist in Rwanda and the region. There is also evidence that the programme of peace-building education a the Kigali Genocide Memorial is having a positive impact on social cohesion through values-based and critical thinking education. It was therefore planned to expand the programme in order that it may have national impact. Later, it is planned that the peace-building education programme will be extended beyond the borders of Rwanda. This is all endorsed and supported by GoR.

3. The project placed at risk through suspension of UK Aid to Rwanda

3.1 It was planned that for the 20th commemoration of the genocide in April 2014 that the Kigali Genocide Memorial would be expanded. On the site would be a genocide archive of international significance. More importantly an education facility for peace-building would be established to house the proposed peace-building and genocide studies programme. See Annex 1, the speech of the Minister of Sports and Culture in Kigali, 19th August 2012.

3.2 By equipping young Rwandans to identify how they may prevent future atrocities, this project would be in line with what DFID and FCO refer to as ‘up-stream prevention’. It should be pointed out that when compared to other memorials about mass atrocities elsewhere in the world, it is progressive and commendable to have a clear objective of prevention and peace-building at such a site.

3.3 Reflecting the international nature of the genocide in Rwanda and the significance of such a project, it is hoped that many international donors will contribute to the establishment of this centre for genocide prevention in Kigali, which will require in the region of $10 million.

3.4 However the success and sustainability of the project relies on GoR having ownership and full backing of the project. In this regard, the Government’s role should not be displaced by external agents, but rather partnerships fostered, in the spirit of a common purpose. To this end, while the responsibility for development is delegated to Aegis by GoR, to further emphasize this is a national project with GoR commitment and involvement it was agreed by cabinet that the first phase of the project would include financial contributions from GoR. The land was set aside by the Kigali City Council and the project plan approved by the cabinet of GoR.

3.4 The Rwandan Ministry of Finance was due to approve between $1.5-$2m million for the landscaping and infrastructure for the new campus in August 2012. These funds would have been allocated from the Rwandan Government general budget.

3.5 Following the suspension of general budget support by the UK and other donors, the Aegis Trust was informed that, while the Government of Rwanda is fully committed to the project, a decision on the future funding of phase 1 will be delayed. It was anticipated the decision was merely a brief delay and that once full aid resumes, the project will again be on track. At the point of submission to the International Development Committee, the Ministry of Finance in Rwanda remains supportive of the project in principle, but has been unable to proceed with approval of full funds given the current uncertainty. Alternative ways to structure the development of the project are being explored, but there is no secure funding at present.

3.5 At best the delay threatens to throw out the timeline, making it impossible to undertake the developments in time for the 20th Commemoration of the genocide in 2014. At worst, the project could be shelved indefinitely.

3.6 Aegis Trust does not have expert knowledge on the allegations and defence regarding M23, other than by reading the UN Group of Experts report and the Government of Rwanda’s rebuttal, including the Akin Gump opinion. We understand the pressure HMG is under to suspend aid. However Aegis holds the view that long-term stability and the prevention of genocide may be served by the project described here that is supported via general budget and should be part of the equation that leads to a decision on UK Aid to Rwanda.

3.6 Aegis Trust CEO, James M. Smith wrote to the former Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell, on the 30th July 2012 informing him of this situation and expressed the view is that this specific project supports HMG Foreign Affairs and Development strategy of upstream conflict prevention. See Annex 2: email to Andrew Mitchell.

In his written reply on 14th August 2012 Andrew Mitchell stated that a decision on future disbursements of General Budget Support would be made during August. Officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at the same time in mid-August re-iterated this to Aegis Trust.

3.7 The characterisation in the media that the former Secretary of State Andrew Mitchell made a hasty decision to resume full funding to the Government of Rwanda on account of the cabinet re-shuffle at the beginning of September, therefore appears to be inaccurate.

Annex 1.

Speech by the Rwandan Minister of Sports and Culture at the Aegis White Rose Society Gala. (as delivered)

Kigali, 19 August 2012

On behalf of the Ministry of Sports and Culture I am grateful to my predecessors, former Ministers of Sports, Youth and Culture at that time, including Mr Robert Bayigamba, who is here with us tonight, for having invited Aegis Trust to Rwanda, and for forging the partnership that has contributed to our nation, to our national reconciliation.

This partnership has established a place of great importance, the Kigali Genocide Memorial, one of respect and dignity for victims of the genocide against the Tutsi. It is a place we can tell the story of our past for further generations and for those who visit our country, Rwanda.

Great strides have been made since point zero of 1994. In those 18 years, our nation has literally risen from the ashes of a destructive past to develop nationally, commercially, economically and, most importantly of all, develop the bonds and understanding that are vital for all our futures.

My thanks go to the organizations like the Aegis Trust for being partners in the effort and to all Rwandan political and business leaders who have made it happen.

Your Excellency, the First Lady; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the Government of Rwanda is working in partnership with the Aegis Trust on the next ambitious phase to expand the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre as it has been presented to us this evening.

While maintaining the memorial as a place of dignified burial and remembrance, an ambitious expansion will emphasise genocide prevention through peace-building education, both in Rwanda and beyond our borders.

One of the pillars of this new institution will be an internationally significant archive to preserve the memory of our past and allow researchers to draw solutions for the future in preventing crimes against humanity. One of the largest archive challenges is that of Gacaca documents and we hope Aegis Trust will play an instrumental role in this.

Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, we have had no greater leadership than our honoured guest this evening, the First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda. Through her different initiatives and projects, like Imbuto Foundation, our First Lady has worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation in Rwanda, empowering young women alongside much-needed improvement in the health of our nation and support for vulnerable survivors.

Ends.
Annex 2.

Email from Dr James Smith, CEO Aegis Trust, to former Secretary of State Andrew Mitchell 30th July 2012

Secretary of State for International Development

Rt Hon. Andrew Mitchell MP.

30th July 2012

Dear Andrew,

Following the decision of the British Government to suspend budgetary support to Rwanda I write to let you know that during the month of August, the Aegis Trust was expecting the Ministry of Finance in Rwanda to approve spending on phase one of the expansion of the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which would amount to £1.3M. Consequences of the suspension of budgetary aid to Rwanda will most likely include this project being placed on ice.

Altogether around £10M is required for both capital and programme support over the next three years for Aegis projects in Rwanda. Not all of this will come from the Government of Rwanda. Indeed, to be clear, the Aegis Trust has no programmatic support from the Government of Rwanda and raises all its programme funds independently. However, it is appropriate that the Government of Rwanda should contribute to the first phase of the capital aspect of the development of the Kigali Genocide Memorial in order to demonstrate this is a national project that has the full support and ownership of the Government of Rwanda, even though the management is delegated to the Aegis Trust.

The physical expansion will be overseen by London-based architects John MacAslan & Partners. A delay to the funding at this stage will make it impossible to complete the works by the proposed date of 2014, the 20th anniversary of the genocide.

Furthermore, a failure to fund this phase will have a knock-on effect on the programmes which are linked, in part, to the physical expansion. Recent events, including the withdrawal of support from the British, American, Dutch and German Governments will contribute to a wider lack of confidence among other non-government supporters. Already there is evidence of adverse impact on funding for Aegis programmes in Rwanda.

I wish to emphasize that the programme of expansion of the Kigali Genocide Memorial goes far beyond commemoration of the genocide. The whole project aims to re-position activities around genocide commemoration in Rwanda to those that HMG refers to as upstream prevention.

It has been agreed with the GoR that the developments of the memorial should serve as an African centre for the prevention of genocide, which would be led by a British NGO (Aegis Trust) working in partnership with state institutions and local and international partners.

The proposed new centre would focus on prevention of violence through peace-building education, establishing a world class genocide archive, higher education genocide studies course and regional training in relation to genocide prevention.

I would add that forward thinking prevention agendas like this are rare at such memorials. It is the key reason that the Aegis Trust, as a prevention organization, remains in Rwanda in order to help influence the next generation and encourage resilience against violence should there be political upheaval. It is apparent that political instability in the region remains a threat and the need for communities to learn how to resist the slide into horrific violence is as great now as it ever has been.

I have been encouraged by early external evaluation of the peace-building education programme, that it is having a positive impact on values and attitudes among young Rwandans. We had hoped to build on this to have national impact.

We have developed strong partnerships with higher education institutions in the US, UK and the Netherlands to develop the genocide archive and research and training in relation to genocide prevention.

I understand in regard to M23 and the UN report that DFID must examine the MOU between the UK and Rwanda. However I fear the withdrawal of budgetary support in relation to Aegis’ activities may have a direct impact on peace-building programmes that aim to help stabilization in the long term.

It will be very helpful to find a way to resolve the shortfall we could imminently face, to avoid disrupting this important programme that contributes to peace in the region.

Yours sincerely

James Smith

Annex 3.

Reply from Secretary of State, Andrew Mitchell, to Dr James Smith, CEO of Aegis Trust, 14th August 2012:

Thank you for your e-mail of 30 July, regarding suspension of aid to Rwanda. Let me first clarify that he UK Government has not suspended aid to Rwanda but has delayed the disbursement of General Budget Support, which was due in July.

I recognize the importance of the work that the Aegis Trust does in Rwanda and appreciate your points regarding focusing on peace-building and prevention of violence. I also join you in recognizing the importance of financial contributions from the Government of Rwanda in order to ensure national ownership.

I have committed to taking a decision about future disbursements of General Budget Support in August. This decision will be informed by the UK Government’s assessment of the situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the role being played by the Rwandan Government in securing a peaceful solution. I would like to reassure you, however, that in taking a decision, I will also consider the potential impact on poverty reduction in Rwanda and on important development initiatives.

ANDREW MITCHELL

November 2012