{"id":4182,"date":"2026-10-02T14:26:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T14:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/?p=4182"},"modified":"2026-10-02T14:26:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T14:26:19","slug":"rwandas-foreign-trade-value-rises-89-to-9-4-billion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/02\/rwandas-foreign-trade-value-rises-89-to-9-4-billion\/economy\/business\/","title":{"rendered":"Rwanda\u2019s foreign trade value rises 89% to $9.4 billion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"547\" height=\"365\" src=\"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/images-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/images-2.jpg 547w, https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/images-2-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 547px) 100vw, 547px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rwanda\u2019s trade with foreign countries increased by 89% between 2017 and 2025, reaching $9.4 billion last year from $4.9 billion, Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva told Parliament on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nsengiyumva presented the figures on Oct. 2 while addressing a joint sitting of Parliament on the development of Rwanda\u2019s financial sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said exports rose to $3.5 billion in 2025 from $1.9 billion in 2017, representing an increase of 84%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Imports also increased during the period, reaching nearly $6 billion in 2025 from slightly more than $3 billion in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The increase in imports left Rwanda with a trade gap of about $2.4 billion last year, according to figures presented by the prime minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nsengiyumva said the government was continuing to manage the country\u2019s foreign-exchange reserves to ensure Rwanda could pay for imports and withstand economic shocks originating from international markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"962\" height=\"578\" src=\"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/282d74ed-e42d-4b58-b26d-955f0fffef92-1024x683-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/282d74ed-e42d-4b58-b26d-955f0fffef92-1024x683-1.jpeg 962w, https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/282d74ed-e42d-4b58-b26d-955f0fffef92-1024x683-1-300x180.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/282d74ed-e42d-4b58-b26d-955f0fffef92-1024x683-1-767x461.jpeg 767w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 962px) 100vw, 962px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said foreign-exchange reserves remained above the minimum level set by the government, equivalent to enough reserves to cover four months of imports if no additional foreign currency entered the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The prime minister also said an increase in foreign-exchange reserves, together with reforms aimed at improving management of the foreign-exchange market, had helped support the value of the Rwandan franc against other currencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Against the U.S. dollar, the franc depreciated by 4.4% in 2025, compared with a 9.4% decline in 2024, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the first six months of 2026, the franc depreciated by 0.87% against the dollar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nsengiyumva said maintaining sufficient foreign-exchange reserves remained important as Rwanda continued to meet its import needs while dealing with changes in international markets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rwanda\u2019s trade with foreign countries increased by 89% between 2017 and 2025, reaching $9.4 billion last year from $4.9 billion, Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva told 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