In the 14 years since its genocide, Rwanda has made one ofthe most remarkable postwar comebacks of any poverty-level country in history-- in public health, agriculture, tourism, small business, and technology.The high-profile bipartisan Americandelegation of former government officials that visited the country last weekwitnessed solid economic growth as it assessed Rwanda?s needs for thefuture.The mission, organized by theONE Campaign antipoverty group, included former US Senate leaders Bill Fristand Tom Daschle, former White House Chief of Staff in the Clintonadministration, John Podesta, former governor and presidential candidate MikeHuckabee, and Cindy McCain, wife of the presumptive Republican party nominee,Senator John McCain.Shyaka Kanuma iseditor of , an independent English-language newspaper in theRwandan capital, Kigali.He says that Mrs. McCain did not get theglittering coverage that Senator Barack Obama now is receiving on his extensivetour of Europe and the Middle East, but that the high-profile visitors werewell received in the hope of attracting continued US aid for Rwanda?s recovery.
?Thecoverage was pretty wide in the local press.I don?t know about the US.Obviously, all you can see is Barack Obama right now, having a trip tothe Middle East and Europe,? he noted.
TheONE Campaign, an American group that advocates for the fight against globalpoverty and disease, has been involved in efforts to restore ethnic harmony andeconomic well-being to Rwanda.Domestically, the ONE Campaign has actively enlisted the 2008presidential candidates of both parties to give prominence to the US fight forjustice around the world in catastrophic impoverished locales like Darfur,Sudan and Rwanda which have endured genocidal strife.During the New Hampshire primary, candidates McCain, Obama,Huckabee, Hillary Clinton, and others often welcomed questions at their localcommunity rallies from ONE Campaign boosters in the crowd, who helped thecandidates publicize their commitment and recruit others to help the moreunfortunate around the globe.
Mrs.McCain returned this year with the ONE Campaign delegation to Rwanda, where sheserved in 1994 as a medical aide caring for young war orphans.Journalist Shyaka Kanuma acknowledges themore private aspect of her visit, compared to both her husband's and SenatorObama?s well-publicized overseas trips and describes the mission, which endedon Sunday as a humanitarian working visit.
?Ithink she was genuinely here on a humanitarian mission out of genuine interestto see what is going on since she last was here.I don?t think it in any way connects with her husband?scampaign,? he says.
Onthe other hand, Kanuma notes that the bipartisan nature of the high-leveldelegation was viewed by Rwandans as an opportunity to show off the tremendousprogress the country is making and to make their case for reinforcing the aidpipeline.