A Three-Pronged Approach to Assess the Impact of U.S. Aid on Governance Outcomes in Post-Conflict Uganda and Rwanda

Abstract

In 2024, the U.S. provided nearly $13 billion in foreign assistance directly to sub-Saharan Africa. That aid contributed to healthcare, education, economic growth, and governance. For decades, providing foreign assistance has enjoyed bipartisan support in the U.S. because the benefits to soft power at home, and transformative change abroad, are recognized as crucial for supporting the national interest of global peace and stability. If the U.S. allocates nearly a third of all foreign assistance to sub-Saharan Africa, and this aid, when effective, bolsters our national security, it is imperative to know that it works. A subset of U.S. aid is categorized as “Governance,” and includes programs aimed at supporting and strengthening civil society. In post-conflict countries, it is particularly important that good governance is pursued because it supports stability and the prevention of future conflict. However, it was previously unclear how effective “Governance” aid is at improving governance outcomes in post-conflict states, especially compared to other categories of aid. To address this gap in the literature and provide recommendations to U.S. policymakers for maximizing the potential of U.S. aid, this thesis utilizes a three-pronged approach to assess the impact of U.S. aid on governance outcomes in Uganda and in Rwanda. By combining a two-country comparison, qualitative research of U.S. and local documents, analysis of development and governance data, and interviews, I am able to ascertain the relationship between U.S. aid and governance in the focus countries. The results indicate that the impact of “Governance” aid depends heavily on the country context and political landscape, and the U.S. should adjust the type of aid and corresponding conditions for aid in post-conflict countries accordingly.