The Rwandan ‘exception’. International aid and state accumulation in post-war Rwanda

The Rwandan ‘exception’. International aid and state accumulation in post-war Rwanda.

ABSTRACT

While the impact of international aid on state reconstruction is contested in many post-conflict contexts, Rwanda stands as an exception. Questioning the notion of Rwandan “exceptionalism,” this project explores the trajectory of state-building in Rwanda in relation to international interventions. It examines how international aid strengthened tax institutions, defying trends seen in other post-conflict contexts. The focus on taxation – an underexplored area in Africa – provides fresh insights into Rwanda’s state reconstruction, moving beyond studies that mainly address developmentalism, the military, or authoritarianism. Using archival research, ethnographic fieldwork, and interviews, it examines how the alignment of donor agendas, political strategies, and bureaucratic practices led to state consolidation.

Keywords: International aid ; Rwanda ; statebuilding ; sociology of the State

FWO Postdoctoral Research Project at the CRG (Ghent University) funded by the FWO (2025-2028).