On October 29, Rwanda made significant strides in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) by introducing a diverse array of agricultural products to the Ghanaian market. Transported by RwandAir on September 25, the shipment included 400 kilograms each of tea and coffee, along with 100 liters of avocado oil and 50 liters of honey.
The tea component was equally shared between Rwanda Mountain Tea and Silverback Tea, each contributing 200 kilograms of their finest organic tea. Pedro’s Coffee and Igire Coffee were responsible for the coffee portion, each providing 200 kilograms of their specialty Arabica blends. The avocado oil was supplied by Avocare Limited, while Boukhi Honey offered its best selections of pure and natural honey varieties.
This initiative was part of Rwanda’s ongoing participation in the AfCFTA’s Guided Trade Initiative, marking a continuation of the trade relationship that began with Igire Coffee Limited’s initial coffee shipment to Ghana in 2022. This earlier shipment marked the first instance of preferential trading under the AfCFTA.
The launch was celebrated with an event in Accra titled “Taste Rwanda,” where attendees, including Ghana’s former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, alongside other dignitaries from both countries, sampled and purchased Rwandan products. The gathering highlighted the robust bilateral ties and shared commitment to enhancing intra-African trade.
Rosemary Mbabazi, the Rwandan High Commissioner to Ghana, praised the collaborative spirit between Rwanda and Ghana, emphasizing the event as a testament to their shared dedication to creating a unified African market and reducing trade barriers as envisioned by the AfCFTA Agreement.
Briggette Harrington, CEO of Igire Continental Trading Co. Ltd., the company that facilitated the shipment, shared her optimism about the impact of consolidated product consignments on Rwanda’s trade landscape. The National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) supported the logistics by issuing a single consolidated export license and leveraging RwandAir’s preferential tariff rates, which are set at $1 per kilogram for consignments exceeding one tonne, and $1.40 per kilogram for smaller loads.
Antoine Kajangwe, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Kofi Addo, Chief Economist and Head of the One District One Factory project in Ghana, both highlighted the ongoing challenges and efforts needed to realize the full potential of the AfCFTA. They emphasized the necessity of finalizing negotiations, improving trade facilitation, reducing non-tariff barriers, and speeding up the digitalization of customs processes to develop an electronic single window system between African countries.
The event not only showcased Rwanda’s agricultural prowess but also reinforced the potential of the AfCFTA to transform trade dynamics within the continent. It underscored the importance of concerted efforts to dismantle existing trade barriers, thereby fostering a more integrated and prosperous African market.
This shipment and the accompanying high-level event serve as milestones in the journey towards achieving a more connected and economically integrated Africa. The initiative reflects the ongoing commitment of both Rwanda and Ghana to spearhead changes that benefit not only their respective economies but also the broader African community, aiming at a future where intra-African trade is not the exception but the norm.
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