Islamabad (HRNW)- The Rwandan High Commission successfully organized the first Rwandan Coffee Festival in Pakistan, which aimed to introduce Rwanda’s specialty Arabica coffee and promote trade, investment and cultural cooperation with Pakistan.
The festival was inaugurated by the Rwandan High Commissioner H.H. Haririmana Fatu, who welcomed the participants and stressed the importance of South-South cooperation and highlighted the importance of introducing Rwandan coffee to Pakistan.
Rwandan Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Prudence Sabahizi, thanked the participants at the festival and appreciated Pakistan’s hospitality. He highlighted Rwanda’s business-friendly environment and opportunities for reaching out to Africa. Minister Sabahizi said that Rwanda is interested in importing Pakistani rice, textiles and pharmaceutical products and the demand for Pakistani basmati rice in particular is growing in Rwanda.
Minister Sabahizi described the coffee festival as a symbol of courage and cultural pride and said that it is important to strengthen direct trade links through organized import and export chains. He invited Pakistani investors to invest in Rwanda’s coffee industry and called for increased cooperation in the fields of agriculture, mining, infrastructure, education, artificial intelligence and health. He also highlighted the need to further strengthen the trade MoU signed last year.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Mr. Muhammad Junaid Anwar, attended the festival as the chief guest and stressed the importance of bilateral relations, maritime connectivity, expansion of supply chains and long-term partnerships through coffee diplomacy.
National Coordinator for Tourism, Mr. Sardar Yasir Ilyas said that the festival not only provides trade and investment opportunities but also promotes cultural understanding and cooperation in the tourism sector between the two countries.
The Executive Director of the National Agricultural Export Development Board, Claude Bzimana, gave a detailed presentation on policy-driven changes in the Rwandan coffee industry and direct trade opportunities for Pakistani entrepreneurs.
Senator Mashahid Hussein Syed praised Rwanda’s economic development model, lauded the leadership of President Paul Kagame, and stressed the need to strengthen trade and economic relations between the two countries.
The festival also featured a panel discussion between Rwandan coffee exporters and Pakistani importers, which discussed market access, quality assurance, logistics, branding, and sustainable partnership models.
The Rwanda Coffee Festival 2026 was attended by diplomats, government officials, business leaders, investors, coffee professionals, media, and civil society. The High Commission expressed its hope that the festival would further strengthen trade and cultural ties between the two countries and establish a sustainable trade partnership.
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