Islamabad: High Commission of the Republic of Rwanda in collaboration with the National Agricultural Export Board (NAEB), successfully hosted the Rwanda Coffee Festival 2026 at the Mövenpick Hotel, Islamabad. The landmark event marked the first-ever dedicated platform for the introduction of Rwanda’s globally acclaimed premium specialty coffee to the Pakistani market.
The festival was formally inaugurated through a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, Jam Kamal Khan, and the Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Rwanda, Honorable Prudence Sebahizi, alongside Harerimana Fatou, High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda to Pakistan, Claude Bizimana, Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Export Board (NAEB), Rwanda, diplomatic missions, Members of Parliament and Business community and delegates from Rwanda.
In his address, Honorable Prudence Sebahizi, Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Rwanda, underscored Rwanda’s transformation into a leading producer of high-quality specialty coffee through innovation, rigorous quality standards, and sustainability-focused policies expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s warm hospitality and reaffirmed Rwanda’s strong commitment to deepening economic engagement with Pakistan. He also highlighted Rwanda’s premium Arabica coffee, renowned for its exceptional quality, diversity of flavor profiles, and sustainable production practices. The Minister underscored the significant opportunity to introduce Rwandan coffee to Pakistan’s expanding consumer market and to establish direct sourcing and long-term partnerships with Pakistani importers and businesses. He also stated that ‘We are at the center of Africa. We have access to African market, and through African Free Trade Area, to more than 1.2 billion people.’
The Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, Honorable Jam Kamal Khan, welcomed Minister of Trade and Industry of Rwanda to Pakistan and congratulated the Rwanda High Commission on organizing the first-ever Rwanda Coffee Festival in Pakistan and commended the initiative for opening new avenues of bilateral trade and private-sector cooperation. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s interest in expanding trade relations with Rwanda and welcomed opportunities for collaboration in agro-manufacturing, textiles, leather, and value-added agricultural products. He highlighted Pakistan’s readiness to explore Rwanda’s market while facilitating increased access for Rwandan products, including coffee, to Pakistan. ‘End of the day, it is the business community which will be the main component of making this successful,” the Minister said.
The festival featured a vibrant Rwandan cultural dance performance, offering guests an evocative glimpse into Rwanda’s rich cultural heritage. Five leading coffee companies from Rwanda participated in the exhibition, showcasing diverse coffee varieties and engaging directly with Pakistani importers, coffee professionals, investors, and consumers. The Pakistani audience widely appreciated the quality, aroma, and distinct flavor profile of Rwandan coffee, acknowledging its strong potential in Pakistan’s expanding specialty coffee market.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
