Ownership of the Poverty Reduction Strategy in Rwanda

Abstract: Ownership is said to be the key principle of efficient aid and crucial for a successful outcome of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). However, it is a contested concept and has been criticised for being vague and contradictory. This study discusses problems of developing cooperation and aid, with focus on the concept of ownership, and tries to define ownership and assess the state of ownership in Rwanda through the definition. The Rwandan ownership is assessed through an external and an internal dimension, where the behaviour of the donors, the Government of Rwanda (GoR), and the domestic stakeholders in Rwanda has implications for the state of ownership. Ownership is defined as government leadership and stakeholder participation in the PRS process. The study concludes that the state of ownership in Rwanda is mixed; there are indicators of both strong and weak ownership. The government leadership is strong, but there are contradictions in the relation to donors that complicate the state of external ownership. There is space for stakeholder participation in the PRS process, but the openness of the space can be discussed, and the capacity to participate among stakeholders is weak. Moreover, the controversial aspects of ownership are still in question; Rwanda can exemplify the vague as well as the contradictory features of the concept.