A delegation of Pakistani businesspeople is due in Kigali next week for talks with Rwandan companies and government officials, as the two countries seek to expand trade and investment ties.
The 15- to 16-member delegation is expected in Kigali from Sept. 23 to 25 for the Rwanda-Pakistan Investment Forum, where businesses from the two countries will discuss potential partnerships in trade, manufacturing, technology and investment.
Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Fatou Harerimana, announced the visit at a press conference in Pakistan, alongside Hamid Asghar Khan, patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Africa Economic Council.
A bilateral trade agreement between Rwanda and Pakistan is also expected to be signed during the visit. The agreement is intended to provide a framework for expanding commercial relations between the two countries.
Harerimana said the forum would help move relations between Rwanda and Pakistan towards a stronger economic partnership.
She encouraged Pakistani businesses to consider Rwanda as a base for investment and production, as well as a gateway to markets elsewhere in Africa.
The Pakistani delegation will meet Rwandan government institutions, private-sector representatives, investors and business leaders during the three-day visit.
Discussions are expected to cover joint ventures, technology, manufacturing and other areas where companies from the two countries can develop partnerships.
Khan said the forum came as African markets, including those in East Africa, were attracting greater interest from international investors.
He cited Rwanda’s political stability, business environment, workforce and investment policies as factors that could provide opportunities for Pakistani companies looking to expand into new markets.
He said the delegation’s visit could also create opportunities for employment and international partnerships for Pakistan’s skilled workforce.
The investment forum is expected to give companies from both countries an opportunity to identify specific areas of cooperation and pursue business deals.
Rwanda and Pakistan have been seeking to deepen economic ties, with the planned trade agreement expected to provide an institutional framework for increased commercial engagement.
