Dr Danielle Beswick is a Lecturer in the International Development Department, University of Birmingham, and Director of the Research Group on Statebuilding in Difficult Environments. Reflecting the contention that politics should be seen in systemic perspective, and the need to embed analysis of African states’ policies within multiple relevant contexts, this paper adopts a multi-level approach. It will specifically explore the Rwandan regime’s interactions with donors, civil society and other African states, arguing that specific policy choices and careful image management since the 1994 genocide have allowed Rwanda to maximise agency in spite of aid dependence.