Pakistan Africa Monitoring Desk Islamabad
At the Rwanda-Pakistan Investment Forum 2026, Antoine Kajangwe, Ministry of Trade and Industry Minister and H.E Naeem Khan, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Rwanda, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Trade to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Rwanda and Pakistan.
The agreement will support greater trade facilitation, stronger business-to-business partnerships, joint ventures, and collaboration across sectors including manufacturing, textiles and apparel, agriculture, tourism, and transport.
The signing represents a major outcome of the Investment Forum, which is focused on translating the longstanding Rwanda–Pakistan relationship into greater economic cooperation through trade, investment, joint ventures, manufacturing, technology transfer and business-to-business engagement.
The Forum was attended by prominent members of the Pakistani delegation, including Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan, Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Africa Economic Council (PAEC), and Ms. Misbah Khar, Advisor to the Chairman Senate and Ambassador of the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC), Dr Rubina Malik, Focal Person, Prime Minister Youth Program, alongside Pakistani business leaders, investors and representatives of the private sector.
Under the agreement, Rwanda and Pakistan will strengthen cooperation in trade facilitation, exchange of information on trade and investment opportunities, and linkages between private-sector organisations, including Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation and Pakistan’s chambers of commerce.
The agreement also covers cooperation in areas including manufacturing and technology, while Rwanda is seeking greater Pakistani investment in agro-processing, textiles and pharmaceuticals.
Mr. Antoine Kajangwe said ,“Pakistan’s strong industrial foundation, including its expertise in textiles and apparel, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, ICT, surgical instruments and other sectors, presents an opportunity for deeper cooperation with Rwanda’s development priorities.”
He said, through our complementary strengths, we can build stronger supply chains, expand trade, reduce import dependency and create jobs in both countries. Rwanda offers Pakistani businesses a strategic gateway to East Africa and the broader African market.
Mr. Naeem Khan shared, “Pakistan and Rwanda have excellent political, cultural and diplomatic relations, and now the focus should be on strengthening economic cooperation by building stronger trade and investment partnerships.”
He said, our economies are based on complementarity; we are not in competition, we complete each other. What Rwanda is producing, Pakistan needs, and what Pakistan is producing, Rwanda needs. There are tremendous opportunities for cooperation in sectors such as agriculture, textiles, health, ICT, tourism, education and joint ventures.
“Rwanda can also serve as a hub for Pakistani businesses to access not only its own market, but also the wider African region, Naeem Khan concluded.
RDB Deputy CEO Juliana K. Muganza also shared her views at the Rwanda-Pakistan Investment Forum 2026. She said, “Rwanda and Pakistan have longstanding diplomatic relations, and our task now is to translate those relations into stronger trade, investment and business partnerships.”
“Pakistani businesses are considering Rwanda at a time of sustained economic growth and increasing investor confidence. We encourage investors to see Rwanda not simply as a market of 14 million people, but as a gateway to a much larger region where businesses can manufacture, innovate, process, export and scale across Africa, she added.
She said, “Through our One Stop Centre and investor aftercare services, we stand ready to support investors throughout their journey, from establishment to expansion and reinvestment.”
Ronald Kabagambe, Ag. Head of Investment Marketing at RDB, presented Rwanda’s investment value proposition, highlighting opportunities across key sectors and the advantages Rwanda offers as a competitive destination for investment and growth across Africa.
The session also featured insights from H.E Naeem Khan, High Commissioner of Pakistan to Rwanda, who highlighted investment opportunities in Pakistan and areas for enhanced trade, investment and business collaboration between the two countries.
The Investment Forum has provided a platform for Pakistani businesses to explore Rwanda not only as a market but also as a base for production, joint ventures and expansion into wider African markets. RDB has highlighted its investor facilitation services, including business registration, licensing, access to incentives and industrial infrastructure, as well as linkages with local businesses.
The Forum also features opportunities for Pakistani companies to showcase their products and engage directly with Rwandan businesses and institutions, with discussions covering manufacturing, agriculture and agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, information technology, tourism, logistics and other sectors.
