Unlocking Rwanda’s Export Potential: Removing Structural Bottlenecks

Author: Habtamu Fuje, Irena Jankulov Suljagic, Priscille Mikebanyi, Xingyu Pu, and Gabor Pula

Rwanda’s export base remains narrow and concentrated, limiting diversification and contributing to persistent external imbalances.

Volume/Issue: Volume 2026 Issue 042

Publication date: June 2026

ISBN: 9798229048033

$15.00

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Topics covered in this book

This title contains information about the following subjects. Click on a subject if you would like to see other titles with the same subjects.

Exports and Imports , Finance , Taxation - General , Export diversification , Competitiveness , Structural transformation , Value addition , Trade integration , Investment climate , Productivity , Price competitiveness , competitiveness challenge , exports products , export expansion , IMF country , trade deficit , Exports , Export performance , Competition , Export competitiveness , Global , Sub-Saharan Africa , Africa

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Summary

Rwanda’s export base remains narrow and concentrated, limiting diversification and contributing to persistent external imbalances. Despite strong growth and substantial public investment, competitiveness challenges—including high logistics costs, limited value addition, and weak integration into global value chains—have constrained export performance. This Selected Issues Paper assesses the structural and macroeconomic factors holding back export expansion and identifies policy priorities to unlock Rwanda’s export potential. Reforms to improve trade facilitation, strengthen the investment climate, enhance productivity, and promote private-sector-led value addition would support diversification, improve external sustainability, and strengthen resilience in an increasingly uncertain global environment.