Rwanda and Pakistan are preparing to formalise a new trade framework as a Pakistani business delegation visits Kigali next week for talks aimed at expanding investment and commercial ties between the two countries.
The 15- to 16-member delegation, drawn from Pakistan’s business and investment community, will be in Rwanda from Sept. 23 to 25 for the Rwanda-Pakistan Investment Forum. A bilateral trade agreement is expected to be signed during the visit, providing a framework for businesses from both countries to expand commercial activities.
Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Fatou Harerimana, announced the planned visit during a press conference in Pakistan attended by Hamid Asghar Khan, patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Africa Economic Council (PAEC).
The Pakistani delegation is expected to hold meetings with Rwandan government institutions, investors, business leaders and private-sector representatives.
The discussions will focus on trade, investment, manufacturing, technology, joint ventures and other business partnerships, with participants expected to identify areas where companies from the two countries can work together.
Harerimana said the forum was part of efforts to give Rwanda-Pakistan relations a stronger economic dimension. She said Pakistani companies could use Rwanda not only as a market but also as a base for investment, production, joint ventures and expansion into other African markets.
She described the planned bilateral trade agreement as an important step towards creating a stronger institutional basis for trade and investment between the two countries.
Khan said the forum came at a time when African markets, particularly those in East Africa, were attracting growing interest from investors.
He highlighted Rwanda’s peace and stability, operating environment, skilled workforce and investment policies as factors that could offer opportunities to Pakistani companies seeking new markets and international partnerships.
According to Khan, the participation of the PAEC delegation could also open opportunities for employment and international exposure for Pakistan’s skilled young people.
The Kigali forum is expected to provide a platform for direct discussions between companies, investors and public institutions from the two countries, with the aim of moving beyond general expressions of interest towards specific partnerships and investment opportunities.
The planned trade agreement and business meetings are expected to form the main outcomes of the visit as Rwanda and Pakistan seek to increase economic cooperation.
