Unlocking Rwanda’s Export Potential: Removing Structural Bottlenecks

Selected Issues Papers, June 11, 2026

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Canonical URL: Unlocking Rwanda’s Export Potential: Removing Structural Bottlenecks

Authors: Habtamu Fuje, Irena Jankulov Suljagic, Priscille Mikebanyi, Xingyu Pu, Gabor Pula
Published: June 11, 2026
Series: Selected Issues Papers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798229048033.018

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 have constrained export performance.
Key competitiveness challenges identified: high logistics costs, limited value addition, and weak integration into global value chains.
The paper assesses 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.

High logistics costs
Limited value addition
Weak integration into global value chains
Narrow and concentrated export base
Persistent external imbalances despite strong growth and substantial public investment

Subjects: Competition, Export competitiveness, Export diversification, Export performance, Exports, Financial markets, International trade
Keywords: Africa, Competition, Competitiveness, competitiveness challenge, Export competitiveness, Export diversification, export expansion, Export performance, Exports, exports products, Global, IMF country, Investment climate, Price competitiveness, Productivity, Structural transformation, Sub-Saharan Africa, trade deficit, Trade integration, Value addition