Tea-loving Pakistan eyes Rwandan coffee as consumption surges

Pakistan and Rwanda took a significant step toward deepening bilateral trade and investment ties as Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan inaugurated the Rwanda Coffee Festival in Islamabad on Thursday.

On the sidelines of the festival, the federal minister held a detailed meeting with Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry Prudence Sebahizi, during which both sides agreed to establish direct supply chains, boost business-to-business linkages, and widen collaboration across trade, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, and investment.

Addressing the festival, Jam Kamal Khan welcomed the Rwandan delegation and termed the engagement a timely initiative to unlock the vast untapped trade potential between the two countries.

He noted that Pakistan and Rwanda, both agro-based economies, share strong complementarities at a time when global food security has become a strategic priority.

The federal minister highlighted that while Rwanda’s exports to Pakistan have traditionally been dominated by tea, coffee consumption in Pakistan is rising rapidly, particularly among the younger population.

He pointed out that Pakistan imports tea worth nearly $3 billion annually, while coffee is fast transitioning from a niche product to a mainstream consumer item.

He said Rwanda’s premium-quality coffee, competitive pricing, and geographic proximity give it a natural edge, adding that Pakistan—with a market of over 250 million people—could also serve as a future gateway for Rwandan coffee exports to Central Asia, western China, and neighbouring regions.

Jam Kamal further informed that Pakistan’s ongoing tariff rationalisation policy would gradually reduce tariff lines, making imports more competitive and supporting increased coffee consumption.

On the export side, he highlighted Pakistan’s strengths in rice, textiles, leather and footwear, sports goods, surgical instruments, pharmaceuticals, home appliances, electronics, agricultural machinery, tractors, motorcycles, and low-end manufacturing, noting that Pakistan has already started exporting tractors to African markets.

The federal minister also indicated Pakistan’s interest in importing Rwandan avocados, pulses, lentils, and beans, while assuring facilitation in phytosanitary certification through cooperation between relevant authorities.

Speaking on the occasion, Rwandan Minister Prudence Sebahizi described Pakistan as a major potential market for Rwanda and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to diversifying exports beyond tea to include speciality coffee, spices, and other value-added products.

The Rwandan minister highlighted Rwanda’s position as a trade and distribution hub for Africa, offering investors access to a market of over 1.4 billion people under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He noted that Pakistani investors had already begun exploring opportunities in Rwanda and were being warmly received.

He also pointed out that Pakistani rice—both basmati and non-basmati—is not only consumed in Rwanda but also re-exported to other African countries.

Both sides stressed the importance of establishing a direct Pakistan–Rwanda supply chain to reduce reliance on transhipment through third countries.

The Rwandan side shared that discussions with Pakistan’s maritime authorities were underway to cut shipping times and costs, noting that current shipment durations of up to 45 days could be significantly reduced through direct connectivity.

The two ministers also reviewed progress on the proposed Memorandum of Understanding on Trade and Economic Cooperation, which has been exchanged through diplomatic channels.

The Rwandan side indicated that only minor technical adjustments remained and expressed confidence that the MoU could be finalised shortly, providing a strong institutional framework for cooperation in trade, manufacturing, investment, tourism, and logistics.

The engagement further explored collaboration in light engineering, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agricultural equipment, mining and minerals, as well as technology-driven sectors such as IT, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence.

Both sides agreed that joint ventures, business delegations, and sustained private-sector engagement would be crucial to translating opportunities into concrete outcomes.