The governments of Rwanda and Pakistan have signed a cooperation agreement to facilitate trade and investment between the two nations. The agreement was signed in Kigali on Thursday, September 24, 2026, during a meeting that brought together business and investment stakeholders from both countries. The agreement aims to eliminate obstacles that hinder trade between Rwanda and Pakistan.
The agreement was signed on the Rwandan side by Trade and Industry Minister Kajangwe Marie Antoine and on the Pakistani side by its Ambassador to Rwanda, Naeem Khan. Minister Kajangwe stated that Rwanda and Pakistan have committed to exploring opportunities to develop various sectors. He added that the agreement includes increasing cooperation between the two countries, including working in Rwanda and what Pakistan is doing where business societies work together to develop their sectors.
Minister Kajangwe mentioned that the agreement will promote sectors such as information technology, development of textile industries, agriculture, and others. He emphasized that the agreement will strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. Ambassador Naeem Khan stated that Rwanda and his country must work together as partners to overcome challenges.
Ambassador Khan mentioned that Pakistan is a country with over 200 million inhabitants and has developed industries, agriculture, and other projects that can be implemented in Rwanda, particularly in tea and coffee production. He invited Pakistani investors in Rwanda to play an active role in this area. Khan also mentioned that Pakistan is interested in investing in coffee, which is popular in his country and of high quality in Rwanda.
Ambassador Khan expressed hope that Rwandan tea and coffee traders will find opportunities to invest in Pakistan, where there are over 50 million consumers of these products. François Twagirumukiza, President of the Private Sector Federation (PSF) in Rwanda, stated that this agreement will help Rwandan traders access the Pakistani market, as trade between them existed but was not supported by government institutions.
Twagirumukiza added that as traders, they meet to discuss expanding investment, and now they have found a platform to strengthen their cooperation. He mentioned that there are Pakistani investors interested in investing in Rwanda and that they will work together to help them access other parts of the country. This new cooperation comes as both countries continue to strengthen their diplomatic relations, which have been in place since 1962.
Rwanda and Pakistan have had diplomatic relations since 1962, and Pakistan has an embassy in Kigali since 2021, while Rwanda opened its embassy in Islamabad in 2025. The two countries aim to transform their diplomatic relations into strong economic ties, particularly in trade and investment. The agreement is expected to boost economic cooperation between Rwanda and Pakistan.
Key points
- The agreement aims to promote trade and investment between Rwanda and Pakistan.
- The two countries have committed to exploring opportunities to develop various sectors.
- The agreement will help Rwandan traders access the Pakistani market.
