Rwanda Coffee Festival 2026 Launched in Islamabad
Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: The High Commission of the Republic of Rwanda in Islamabad, 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, Honorable Jam Kamal Khan, and the Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Rwanda, Honorable Prudence Sebahizi, alongside H.E. Harerimana Fatou, High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda to Pakistan, and Mr. Claude Bizimana, Chief Executive Officer of NAEB, Rwanda. The ceremony was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, Members of Parliament, business leaders, and a delegation from Rwanda.
In his address, Honorable Prudence Sebahizi underscored Rwanda’s transformation into a leading producer of high-quality specialty coffee through innovation, rigorous quality standards, and sustainability-focused policies. He expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s warm hospitality and reaffirmed Rwanda’s strong commitment to deepening economic engagement with Pakistan. Highlighting Rwanda’s premium Arabica coffee, he noted its exceptional quality, diverse flavor profiles, and sustainable production practices. The Minister emphasized the 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 remarked, “We are at the center of Africa. We have access to the African market, and through the African Free Trade Area, to more than 1.2 billion people.”
Federal Minister for Commerce Honorable Jam Kamal Khan welcomed the Rwandan delegation and congratulated the Rwanda High Commission on organizing the first-ever Rwanda Coffee Festival in Pakistan. He commended the initiative for opening new avenues of bilateral trade and private-sector cooperation and reaffirmed Pakistan’s interest in expanding trade relations with Rwanda. The Minister highlighted opportunities for collaboration in agro-manufacturing, textiles, leather, and value-added agricultural products, and expressed Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate increased access for Rwandan products, including coffee, to the Pakistani market. “At the end of the day, it is the business community which will be the main component of making this successful,” he stated.
The festival featured a vibrant Rwandan cultural dance performance, offering guests a glimpse into Rwanda’s rich cultural heritage. Five leading Rwandan coffee companies participated in the exhibition, showcasing a wide range of 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 growing specialty coffee market.
The Rwanda Coffee Festival 2026 concluded as a significant milestone in strengthening economic ties between Rwanda and Pakistan, fostering people-to-people connections, and laying the foundation for long-term trade partnerships in the coffee and agribusiness sectors.
