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Once a crisis is over, the social impact of humanitarian aid agencies tends to encourage reinforcement, acceleration and distance. Between 1995 and 1999, the presence of NGOs influenced, and even exacerbated, problems and divisions in Rwandan political structures without achieving any real improvements. In particular, procedures for consultation and for joint leadership of the nation were established without reference to prior practices in the hill country and have had little impact. The social fissures have endured, rather than evolved, because the existing power structures have not been called into question. In line with the national policy of villagisation, which combines humanitarian principles and development priorities, NGOs have promoted projects which were unable to attenuate potential negative effects (violation of human rights, loss of economic feasibility), nor guarantee long term success.