Forensic science in Rwanda

Looking at Rwanda’s past and considering its future with the aim of becoming a middle-income nation makes it obvious that forensic medicine is a required need for the development of the nation. Some of the crimes of the past may still be unresolved due to lack of forensic medicine capabilities, and yet the rate of development could now mean even more sophistication in crime, which will call for equally advanced techniques in forensic practice. We hope that the discussions in this book will shed light on the current state and organization of forensic medicine in Rwanda – at the roots of modern humans and the “cradle of humankind”. The achievements and outcomes of the cooperation between Rwanda and the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf since 2005 are discussed in detail as well as the future perspectives of the development of this field in Rwanda in partnership with Germany.