High Commissioner of Rwanda, Harerimana Fatou, while describing her maiden visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) as a ‘milestone’, urged the Karachi Chamber to establish and enhance bilateral trade and investment relations with Rwanda by connecting with the Rwanda Development Board.
Speaking at a meeting during her visit to KCCI, she said, “Despite being a small country, Rwanda is keenly looking forward to working together with Pakistan. Being small and landlocked is not an issue as Rwanda, a member of the East Africa Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the African Union, thinks big. As an open market, Rwanda can be easily accessed, and Pakistani businessmen can benefit from Rwanda’s Free Trade Agreements with many countries in the African region.”
President KCCI Jawed Bilwani, Senior Vice President Zia ul Arfeen, Vice President Faisal Khalil Ahmed, Chairman Diplomatic Missions & Embassies Liaison Subcommittee Ahsan Arshad Sheikh, Former President Majyd Aziz, Idrees, and Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, along with KCCI Managing Committee Members, were also present at the meeting.
Referring to the Pakistani government’s eagerness to enhance trade in Africa under the Look Africa Policy, the Rwandan High Commissioner said that Rwanda presents an ideal opportunity where Pakistani investors can explore sectors like mines and minerals. In this regard, she highlighted Rwanda’s excellent manpower, secure environment, and liberal policies that ensure a conducive environment for foreign investors.
“Opening a business in Rwanda is very easy and can be done online within two hours through the Rwanda Development Board. Additionally, visa-on-arrival facilities are also available at Rwandan airports,” she explained.
Highlighting Rwanda’s thriving tourism sector contributing 65 percent of revenue to Rwanda’s budget, she pointed out that the country receives around 2 million tourists annually due to its security, excellent customer service, beautiful hotels, and scenic hills. Commenting on Pakistan’s tea imports, she stated that 45 percent of tea arriving in Pakistan originates from Rwanda, but it is routed through Kenya. “The business community of Karachi must look into the possibility of directly importing tea from Rwanda instead of Kenya. I am here to connect you with Rwandan tea and coffee producers to promote direct exports from Kigali to Karachi,” she stressed.
She mentioned that Rwanda also exports minerals, vegetables, and beans in small quantities which can be increased. On the other hand, Pakistan exports rice, cooking oil, and pharmaceuticals in smaller amounts to Rwanda. “We import these products in large quantities from India and China. Why not source them from Pakistan?” she questioned.
The High Commissioner, while praising Pakistan’s advancements in IT and AI, informed that Rwanda’s entire road lighting system is managed through artificial intelligence introduced by Pakistanis.
The Rwandan High Commissioner noted that requests received from members of Pakistan’s business community and also the visit of the President of the Senate of Rwanda to Pakistan in 2023 paved the way for the opening of the Rwandan Embassy in Pakistan just seven months ago. She expressed her pride in serving as the first Rwandan High Commissioner to Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan established its Embassy in Rwanda in 2021 but the bilateral relations between the two countries have continued since 1962.
While welcoming the Rwandan High Commissioner, President KCCI Jawed Bilwani highlighted Rwanda’s status as one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies and emphasized the vast potential for collaboration in several sectors, including manufacturing, fintech, infrastructure, energy distribution and transmission, education, electric vehicles, and tourism.
He noted that despite these opportunities, Pakistan’s exports to Rwanda amounted to only $4.67 million in FY24. In contrast, Pakistan’s total exports to the entire African continent reached $2.0 billion in FY24, accounting for approximately 6.5% of the country’s total exports. Bilwani stressed the importance of increasing bilateral trade and exploring new avenues for cooperation between the two nations. He noted that Pakistan and Rwanda are agriculture-driven economies, offering considerable scope for joint ventures in food processing, cold chain facilities, storage, and logistics. These initiatives could enhance agro-food value addition and create stronger integration between the two countries. Bilwani further suggested that establishing long-term supply agreements with Rwanda could help ensure competitive pricing and streamline trade processes. He pointed out that Pakistan is a leading producer of high-quality textiles, leather goods, sports equipment, surgical instruments, carpets, footwear, and other consumables, which could significantly benefit from better introduction and access to African markets.
He also emphasized the role of CPEC Special Economic Zones and the Special Investment Facilitation Council in enhancing economic ties between Pakistan and Rwanda. By leveraging these platforms, the two countries have the potential to build a strong, mutually beneficial partnership that fosters increased trade, innovation, and regional cooperation.