Rwanda Boosts Coffee Trade With Pakistan – CoffeeTalk

This week in Islamabad, the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) and the High Commission of Rwanda in Pakistan hosted the inaugural Rwanda Coffee Festival 2026 from January 29 to 30 at the Mövenpick Hotel. The festival aimed to promote Rwanda’s high-quality specialty coffee and to enhance bilateral trade relations, particularly as Pakistan is Rwanda’s leading buyer of tea. This strategic partnership is crucial for Rwanda, especially with the growing demand for specialty and premium coffee fueled by an expanding café culture and a younger consumer demographic.

NAEB’s Chief Executive Officer, Claude Bizimana, emphasized that the festival was an opportunity to directly market Rwandan coffee and reconnect with businesses previously linked through trade initiatives in Mombasa. Moreover, the event served as a platform for NAEB to engage tea-processing factories about potential direct sourcing from Rwanda, which could lead to increased import volumes and higherincome for farmers.

The festival successfully attracted numerous companies and piqued significant interest among visitors who tasted Rwandan coffee, in line with the goals to boost agricultural exports, enhance the national economy, and improve farmers’ livelihoods. The diverse audience included business leaders, government officials, and various stakeholders from both Rwanda and Pakistan.

A noteworthy aspect was the participation of a delegation of Rwandan coffee producers and exporters, including Minister of Trade and Industry, Prudence Sebahizi. The festival commenced with a ribbon-cutting ceremony involving key figures such as Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan, and High Commissioner Harerimana Fatou, underscoring the strengthening ties between the two nations.

One of the festival’s highlights was a traditional coffee cupping session, during which attendees sampled the unique coffee profiles of Rwanda, celebrated for their floral notes, balanced acidity, and rich aromas. In addition to the festival activities, Bizimana held discussions with High Commissioner Harerimana Fatou to explore strategies to enhance the visibility of Rwandan products and facilitate access to the Pakistani market. This initiative represents part of Rwanda’s broader strategy to diversify its export markets and establish itself as a dependable source of high-quality agricultural products, aiming to replicate its success with tea in the coffee sector—targeting Rwandan coffee to become a staple in Pakistani homes.

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