The SheTrades Rwanda Commerce Mission has generated $4.5 million in annual export leads and offers for women-led horticulture and processed agrifood enterprises, marking one other enhance for Rwanda’s efforts to increase girls’s participation in worldwide commerce.
The mission, held in Kigali from June 10 to 12, introduced collectively 29 women-led companies and 13 worldwide patrons from the Center East, Europe and Africa, creating new market alternatives for Rwandan exporters.
One export cargo has already been efficiently delivered to Europe by air freight simply days after the business-to-business engagements, underscoring the mission’s instant business affect.
ALSO READ: Rwandan girls exporters eye UK market alternatives by way of 'SheTrades' research tour
As a part of the Worth-added Initiative to Increase Employment (VIBE) Programme, which is co-implemented by TradeMark Africa and the Worldwide Commerce Centre (ITC) and in partnership with Mastercard Basis, the commerce mission aimed to unlock new enterprise alternatives for Rwandan girls entrepreneurs in horticulture, particularly younger girls, consistent with the Basis’s Younger Africa Works technique.
It was organised in collaboration with the Nationwide Agricultural Export Improvement Board (NAEB), the Rwanda Improvement Board (RDB) and the Personal Sector Federation – Specialised Cluster, host establishment of the SheTrades Rwanda Hub.
In keeping with ITC Commerce Map knowledge, previous to latest geopolitical tensions and ensuing will increase in gasoline and transportation prices affecting international commerce, Rwanda's exports of contemporary and chilled beans grew by 45 % between 2024 and 2025, whereas exports of contemporary and dried avocados elevated by 15 % over the identical interval.
Towards this backdrop of rising freight prices and logistical challenges, the occasion supported Rwandan girls exporters to ascertain new purchaser connections and market alternatives to strengthen export resilience. It additionally highlighted the function of export-oriented sectors in driving inclusive financial development and job creation for youth and susceptible communities in Rwanda.
ALSO READ: New hub to attach Rwandan girls entrepreneurs to markets
Strengthening export logistics and market entry
Over three days, the importer delegation participated in pre-matched business-to-business conferences with Rwandan women-led companies, firm website visits, and conferences with key export logistics stakeholders, together with a go to to RwandAir cargo amenities in Kigali.
The go to highlighted the continued significance of air freight for time-sensitive exports to markets similar to Europe, significantly for contemporary produce like chillies and French beans.
The opening session additionally featured discussions on Rwanda’s agricultural export technique and export logistics, with remarks from representatives of RDB, TradeMark Africa and ITC.
Commerce mission opens pathways to development and jobs
“Direct engagement with patrons is important to unlocking market entry and translating significant financial alternatives into commerce affect,” mentioned Gisele Umuhoza, ITC VIBE Rwanda Coordinator.
“By connecting Rwandan women-led companies with horticulture patrons from various worldwide markets, this commerce mission opens pathways to probably higher-value export alternatives that help enterprise development and increase employment alternatives for younger girls in chosen agriculture worth chains,” she added.
Umuhoza famous that the participation of patrons from totally different markets creates a singular platform for studying and change, enabling patrons and sellers alike to raised perceive market demand and determine the partnerships wanted for long-term success.
“Via this commerce mission, we’re advancing inclusive and sustainable financial improvement that delivers broader advantages for younger girls and communities throughout Rwanda,” she mentioned.
RDB urges entrepreneurs to grab alternatives
Talking on behalf RDB, Naphtal Kazoora, the Head of Particular Financial Zones (SEZ) and Export Facilitation Division, prolonged his honest appreciation to the SheTrades Initiative for its continued partnership in connecting Rwandan girls entrepreneurs with worldwide patrons and creating useful market entry alternatives.
“We’re equally grateful to all of the patrons who’ve taken the time to go to Rwanda, have interaction with our companies, and discover the standard services and products our entrepreneurs have to supply,” famous Kazoora.
“To the ladies entrepreneurs and the service trade taking part within the commerce mission, I encourage you to benefit from this chance by actively networking, constructing relationships, and showcasing your merchandise,” he mentioned.
“Significant enterprise connections typically start with a single dialog, and we hope these engagements will result in lasting partnerships and profitable commerce offers,” he added.
Constructing on earlier commerce mission success
“We’re not solely connecting companies to markets, we’re creating pathways for development, resilience, and job creation,” mentioned Doreca Musenga, TradeMark Africa, VIBE Programme Supervisor.
This commerce mission builds on the primary women-focused inward Rwanda – UK Commerce Mission organised beneath VIBE in 2024, which generated an estimated £1.5 million in annual enterprise leads and offers.
These early outcomes have additionally translated into elevated employment alternatives for younger girls inside horticulture worth chains, demonstrating how improved market linkages can drive inclusive job creation. The success of the primary commerce mission additionally reinforces Rwanda’s rising popularity as a dependable and constant provider of high-quality contemporary horticulture merchandise to worldwide markets.
The programme can be set to help choose women-led companies in contemporary horticulture to exhibit at Fruit Attraction 2026 in Madrid, Spain.
TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the Worldwide Commerce Centre (ITC) are collectively implementing a five-year Worth-added Initiative to Increase Employment (VIBE) Programme in partnership with Mastercard Basis. The VIBE Programme goals to extend dignified employment, significantly amongst excluded teams similar to girls, youth, refugees, and other people dwelling with disabilities in Rwanda.
Via its flagship programme on girls and commerce, the SheTrades Initiative, ITC is working with 150 women-led companies in Rwanda’s horticulture sector to allow them to develop into extra aggressive, entry new market alternatives, and create extra jobs, particularly for younger girls.
