By:- Fizza Qaisar
ISLAMABAD: The Rwanda High Commission in Pakistan has said that the upcoming Rwanda–Pakistan Investment Forum in Kigali will provide a platform to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, technology, manufacturing and business-to-business relations.
Addressing a gathering of media representatives, the Rwanda High Commission said a Pakistani business delegation would travel to Kigali from September 23 to 26, 2026, for the Investment Forum being organized in collaboration with the Rwanda Development Board.
The High Commission welcomed Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan, former Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Africa Economic Council, as chief guest, along with Dr. Robina Awan, focal person for the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme.
The High Commission said Rwanda and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1962, while Pakistan opened its resident High Commission in Kigali in 2021 and Rwanda established its High Commission in Islamabad in June 2024.
It said the Investment Forum was aimed at moving bilateral relations beyond conventional trade towards investment, joint ventures, technology transfer, manufacturing and regional economic cooperation.
The High Commission invited Pakistani companies to consider Rwanda not only as a market of around 14 million people but also as a gateway to the wider African market.
It highlighted Rwanda’s strategic location in East Africa and investment facilitation mechanisms through the Rwanda Development Board’s One Stop Centre, which assists investors with registration, licensing, banking, permits and other procedures.
The High Commission also highlighted various investment incentives, including preferential corporate income tax rates and tax holidays, saying Rwanda provides an environment designed to facilitate the establishment and expansion of foreign businesses.
It said foreign investors are generally not required to surrender ownership of their businesses to local partners, providing flexibility in structuring investments.
The High Commission said Pakistani businesses from sectors including textiles, construction, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, technology and entrepreneurship would be welcomed in Rwanda.
It further said the signing of a bilateral trade agreement between Rwanda and Pakistan on the sidelines of the Investment Forum would mark an important milestone in efforts to boost bilateral trade and investment.
The High Commission thanked the Government of Pakistan, Pakistani business community, chambers of commerce, Pakistan Africa Economic Council, media partners and other institutions for supporting stronger Rwanda–Pakistan relations.
It also urged Pakistani media organizations to continue covering and promoting activities related to the Investment Forum from Kigali to Pakistan.
The High Commission expressed confidence that the September 23–26 forum would lay the foundation for a new phase of economic cooperation between Rwanda and Pakistan.
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