Rwanda

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you intend to do any of the following in Rwanda, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730, also known as ISF 10+2.

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here.  Go here for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to Rwanda, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office at 642-0120.

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The United States does not have a tax treaty with Rwanda. For more information about double taxation issues, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCen Report 114). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance.

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122.  Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated Rwanda at 56 out of 100 (48th out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e. relatively clean).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance webpage.  

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations.

Articles

The US State Department's page on RWANDA may be found HERE.

Personal Safety

AS OF NOVEMBER 18 RWANDA AUTHORITIES ARE MAINTAINING THE NATION'S 2200-0400 CURFEW AS PART OF DOMESTIC MEASURES PUT IN PLACE TO CURB THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19). AUTHORITIES HAD PREVIOUSLY EASED SEVERAL COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS. INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS ARRIVING IN KIGALI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KGL) AIRPORT MUST PRESENT A NEGATIVE COVID-19 PCR TEST TAKEN WITHIN 120 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. IN ADDITION, ALL ARRIVING PASSENGERS ARE REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE AT A DESIGNATED HOTEL FOR A MINIMUM OF 24 HOURS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE A SECOND COVID-19 TEST.  A SIMILAR CERTIFICATE IS REQUIRED UPON DEPARTURE FROM REWANDA. ALL ESTABLISHMENTS THAT REOPEN AND ACTIVITIES THAT RESUME ARE SUBJECT TO STRICT HEALTH DIRECTIVES AIMED AT PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. RWANDAN AUTHORITIES REVIEW THE COUNTRY'S PREVENTIVE MEASURES VERY 15 DAYS AND COULD REIMPOSE, EXTEND, FURTHER EASE, OR OTHERWISE AMEND ANY RESTRICTIONS WITH LITTLE TO NO NOTICE DEPENDING ON DISEASE ACTIVITY OVER THE COMING WEEKS.

Note: this page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office at risk@berkeley.edu.

If you are traveling to Rwanda on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here. For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic

The quality of health care in Rwanda is poor. Healthcare providers usually expect immediate payment and may only accept cash. In the event of a serious illness or injury, King Faisal Hospital in Kigali (www.kfh.rw/) can provide basic care, but medical evacuation to Kenya or South Africa may be necessary. For a public ambulance, dial 912. If you need medication, bring enough for the duration of your stay, as not all medicines are available in Rwanda. The American Embassy has compiled this list of medical facilities and doctors, but does not guarantee their performance.

Air pollution can be a problem in urban areas. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma, please consult a medical professional prior to your trip and carry appropriate medications.

Travelers should assume the drinking water in Rwanda is contaminated. To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort or illness, drink only bottled, boiled, or purified water. Travelers should use sealed, well-recognized brands of bottled water whenever possible.

All food should be eaten well-cooked and hot. Keep insects off food. Street vendors and other unregulated food distributors often maintain substandard hygiene regimens and should be avoided. Travelers should also avoid raw or undercooked meat dishes and unpasteurized dairy products, which frequently harbor bacterial and parasitic pathogens.

Travelers risk contracting a number of serious illnesses in Rwanda, including:

  • Malaria, transmitted via mosquito bites, year-round throughout the country, including urban areas.
  • Yellow fever, transmitted by mosquito bites and considered endemic. Yellow fever vaccination is required of all travelers to Rwanda.
  • Typhoid, transmitted via contaminated water, milk, shellfish, and other foods.
  • Hepatitis A, transmitted via fecally-contaminated food and drink.
  • Leishmaniasis, transmitted by sand flies, in rural areas.
  • African sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis), transmitted by tsetse flies, in rural areas.
  • HIV/AIDS: spread by drug use and sexual behavior.
  • Rabies, transmitted by infected stray or wild animals.
  • Meningococcal disease, most commonly from December to June
  • A number of diseases spread by biting or burrowing insects, including Cantharides (Nairobi Eye), African Sleeping Sickness, Murine Typhus, Tungiasis, and Myiasis.

Generally, the crime rate in Rwanda is low. Non-violent crimes such as pickpocketing, bag snatching, and theft occur near markets in Kigali, Butare, Gisenyi, and Cyangugu. Both the national defense force and local police are considered well-disciplined and effective. The US State Department recommends selecting transportation providers with care and avoiding driving outside major cities after dark.

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. You may be detained for questioning by the police if unable to produce an acceptable form of identification. Convictions for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs (including marijuana, which is illegal) result in long prison sentences and heavy fines. Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law. 

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our webpage for further information.

Genocide speech: Laws about appropriate speech regarding the genocide are strictly enforced. Promoting ideas based on “ethnic, regional, racial, religious, language, or other divisive characteristics” is prohibited. Public incitement of “genocide ideology” or “divisionism,” including genocide denial, discrimination, and sectarianism, is punishable by five to nine years in prison and fines of 100,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandan francs.

Human Rights Observers, Journalists, NGO workers, and Students: Rwandan authorities may subject you to more scrutiny if you meet or plan to meet with individuals or organizations who are critical of the government.

Photography: Photographing military sites, government buildings, airports, and public monuments is prohibited.

Currency: The Rwandan franc (RWF) is the official currency, though U.S. dollars may also be used. Most vendors and banks will take only U.S. bills printed after 2006, and exchange bureaus and hotels may refuse bills smaller than $100.

Plastic shopping and grocery bags are banned and may be confiscated upon arrival.

LGBTI Travelers: There are no legal restrictions on consensual same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in Rwanda. However, LGBTI individuals may face societal discrimination and abuse, including harassment by neighbors and police.