ISLAMABAD: Harerimana Fatou, High Commissioner of Rwanda, on Friday highlighted Rwanda as a gateway to the wider African market, encouraging Pakistani companies to view the country not only as a market but also as a destination for investment, production, joint ventures and regional expansion.
She was speaking at a press conference to announce the upcoming visit of a Pakistani business delegation to Kigali for the Rwanda-Pakistan Investment Forum, being held from September 23 to 25.
Held at the Rwanda High Commission, the press conference was addressed by Harerimana Fatou, who is High Commissioner of Rwanda to Pakistan, followed by remarks from Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan, Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Africa Economic Council (PAEC).
The delegation comprises representatives of Pakistan’s business and investment community and will engage with Rwandan government institutions, business leaders, investors and private-sector representatives to explore opportunities for trade, investment, joint ventures and business partnerships.
A key milestone of the visit will be the signing of a Bilateral Trade Agreement between Rwanda and Pakistan, marking an important step towards strengthening the institutional framework for bilateral trade. High Commissioner Harerimana Fatou said the Investment Forum represented a broader effort to transform Rwanda-Pakistan relations into a stronger partnership in trade, investment, technology, manufacturing and business-to-business cooperation.
She further described the signing of the Rwanda-Pakistan Bilateral Trade Agreement during the Forum as a milestone in strengthening trade and investment ties between the two countries.
“Rwanda and Pakistan are set to strengthen bilateral economic ties through the Rwanda-Pakistan Investment Forum to be held in Kigali,” she said.
The envoy said Rwanda wanted Pakistani companies to view the country not only as a market of about 14 million people but also as a gateway to the wider African market.
The envoy invited Pakistani businesses in textiles, construction, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, technology and entrepreneurship to explore opportunities in Rwanda and develop joint ventures and partnerships.
In his remarks, former ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan said the Rwanda High Commission expressed confidence that the visit of the Pakistani business delegation would further strengthen business-to-business engagement and economic cooperation between Rwanda and Pakistan, while opening new avenues for investment and mutually beneficial partnerships.
Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2026
