RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/TPR/G/129 
31 August 2004  
 
(04-3526) 
Trade Policy Review Body Original:  English 
   
 
  
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW 
 
RWANDA 
 
Report by the Government 
 
  
 
Pursuant to the Agreement Establishi ng the Trade Policy Review Mechanism 
(Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade 
Organization), the policy statement by th e Government of Rwanda is attached. 
 
 
Note: This report is subject to restricted circul ation and press embargo until the end of the meeting 
of the Trade Policy Review Body on Rwanda. Rwanda WT/TPR/G/129 
 Page 3 
 
 
CONTENTS 
Page 
I. INTRODUCTION 5 
II. ECONOMIC  PERFORMANCE 5 
 (1) O VERVIEW  5 
 (2) S ECTORAL PERFORMANCE  6 
 (i) Agriculture and related activities 6  (ii) Manufacturing and crafts 7 
 (iii) Mining and energy 8 
 (iv) Services 8 
III. TRADE POLICIES 10 
 (1) T
RADE POLICIES OBJECTIVES  10 
 (2) T RADE POLICY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION  11 
 (3) S ECTORAL POLICIES  11 
 (i) Agriculture and livestock 11 
 (ii) Trade, industry and crafts 11  (iii) Tourism 12 
 (iv) Investment 12 
 (v) Standardization 12 
IV. EXTERNAL TRADE PERFORMANCE 13 
V. TRADE AGREEMENTS 13 
 (1) O
VERVIEW  13 
 (2) I MPLEMENTATION PROCESS  15 
 (3) T RADE -RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  15 
VI. CONCLUSION  16 
  
 
 
 Rwanda WT/TPR/G/129 
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I. INTRODUCTION 
1. Rwanda is a landlocked Central African country with an area of 26,300 km2.  It borders 
Burundi to the south, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, Uganda to the north and 
Tanzania to the east.  Its population, of which mo re than 90 per cent is rural, was estimated at 
8.2 million in 2002 with 3 15 inhabitants per square km, it is th e most densely populated country in 
Africa.  
2. Rwanda still suffers from the economic conse quences of the genocide, such as lack of 
infrastructure, skilled man power and the public expe nditure involved in keeping numerous persons in 
prison awaiting trial for crimes relating to the geno cide. The budget continues to be dependent on 
foreign aid (US$45 per inhabitant and 9.2 per cent of GDP in 1999). 
3. Agriculture employs more than 90 per cent of the working  population and accounts for some 
44 per cent of Rwanda's real GDP, as against a pproximately 10 per cent for manufacturing activities 
and 46 per cent for services as of 2001.  The mini ng sector's contribution is improving notably coltan, 
tungsten and cassiterite, the mining and export of whic h increased in 2001.  The low level of foreign 
investment, partly due to insecurity in the region, has not favoured diversification of the country's 
production and export structure.  This lack of divers ification has left Rwanda vulnerable to external 
shocks of a climatic nature  or resulting from international market fluctuations. 
4. Rwanda exports essentially primary products, in particular coffee and tea (the main cash 
crops), and coltan.  These three products accounted for 77 per cent of exports in 2002.  The share of 
manufactured goods has remained very small, in sp ite of the Government's determination to promote 
the exportation of non-traditional products.  In 2002 , re-exports, chiefly to the DRC, accounted for 
some 16 per cent of total exports. 
5. Rwandan imports are dominated by manufactured goods, particularly machinery and transport 
equipment. The increase in imports of consumer  goods, telecommunications equipment and office 
machinery reflects the economic recovery and, in pa rticular, the expansion of services activities.  The 
other main categories of goods imported into Rwa nda are food products and products of the mining 
and quarrying industry, in pa rticular petroleum products. 
II. ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE  
(1) OVERVIEW  
6. Rwanda is pursuing its reconstruc tion programme, partly funded by foreign aid.  It has been 
able to bring its economy back to the level of 1990, with a real GDP for 2000 matching the 1990 
figure.  Despite a decline in the terms of trade of some 40 per cent between 2000 and 2002 (due to the 
fall in coffee and coltan prices), real GDP grew by 9.4 per cent in 2002 (as compared to 6 per cent in 
2000 and 6.7 per cent in 2001), because of the c onstruction industry and agriculture. Estimated 
growth for 2003 is about 3.5 per cent. 
7. The exchange rate system was partially liberali zed in 1995, and all current transactions were 
liberalised in 1998.  Under the Exchange Regulati ons, export proceeds must be repatriated within 
three months from the date of physical departure of the goods and must either be surrendered onto the 
exchange market or preserved in foreign currency in accounts opened in authorized banks.  In any 
case of unforeseen circumstances that delay repatriation, the National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) must be so notified.  The obligation to surrender fo reign exchange was abolished in 1997, enabling 
exporters to use the totality of their export revenue  for current transactions.  However, the foreign 
currency repatriation obligation is still in force.   WT/TPR/G/129 Trade Policy Review 
Page 6 
 
 
8. Public revenue has risen due to the improved collection of customs revenue, the introduction 
of VAT in 2001 and the increase in its tax rate fro m 15 to 18 per cent, the introduction of excise 
duties on vehicles, the setting up of a tax auditing sy stem for large enterprises to reduce tax evasion, 
and the subjection of all salary-related benefits a nd allowances to income tax.  These measures led to 
an increase in public revenue from 9.7 per cent of GDP in 2002 to 11 per cen t in 2003.  A monthly 
expenditure control system and measures to reduce extra-budgetary expenditures have been 
introduced. The public deficit (excluding grants) was at 8 to 10 per cent of GDP between 1998 and 
2001, but increased in 2002 (11 per cent) and 2003 (12. 1 per cent), owing mainly to non-recurrent 
expenses (estimated at 4.7 per cent of GDP in 2003 ) relating to the demobilization of soldiers, the 
holding of elections, the increase in strategic o il reserves, and the purchase of equipment for the 
health sector. 
(2) SECTORAL PERFORMANCE  
(i) Agriculture and related activities 
9. Agriculture is a backbone of Rwanda’s ec onomy accounting for 44 per cent of GDP. 90 per 
cent of Rwanda’s working populatio n are employed in the agricultural sector (including plant and 
animal production, fishing, forestry and related ac tivities) live in rural areas and depend heavily on 
this sector.  
10. Agricultural productivity has been declini ng for over time because of environmental 
degradation and loss of soil fertility through over- cultivation; limited use of modern inputs; and 
excessive parcelling-out of land.  This decline is also attributable to the fact that demographic 
pressure has forced farmers to use less fertile la nd at the base of the hills.  Traditional cultivation 
methods are still widespread. 
11. Agricultural output is mainly based on family and subsistence farming, with almost 80 per 
cent of farms less than one hectare.  Livestock prod uction is being developed.  Fishing and forestry 
are underdeveloped.  Bananas, sweet  potatoes, cassava, beans and sorghum are the main food crops.  
The chief cash crops are tea and coffee, which provi de more than half of Rwanda's export revenue. A 
third industrial crop (pyrethrum) was revived in the mid-1990s and other agricultural products are 
coming up like flowers and passion fruits. Rwanda is a net importer of food products.  Its imports of 
cereals, vegetable and animal o ils, sugar and dairy products acc ounted for 16.3 per cent of total 
imported goods in 2002.  
12. The main objectives of Rwanda's agricultu ral policy is food security, poverty reduction, 
export promotion and environmental protection.  Agricultural strategy, as laid down in "Rwanda 
Vision 2020", aims to move from subsistence farmin g to market-driven agriculture, and to reduce the 
number of people working in the sector from 90 to 50 per cent over a period of 20 years This will 
involve improving land use and soil conservation and management;  developing the markets for land, inputs and finished goods;  enhanc ing production methods through rese arch, extension services and 
more intensive application of modern inputs;  promoting rural credit schemes and other financial 
mechanisms;  delivering training for farmers' and professional associations;  and improving storage 
facilities, market places and road infrastructure to ease the isolation of farmers.  The plan is also to encourage the diversification of crops and of more lucrative and nutritious products such as potatoes, cassava, maize, sorghum, wheat and soya, thr ough regional specializa tion based on comparative 
advantage.  At present, five crops, namely, beans, maize, potatoes, rice and soya have been declared 
priority crops. Rwanda WT/TPR/G/129 
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13. The share of fishing in real GDP is low, and was estimated in 2002 at 0.33 per cent.  
Following the 1994 genocide, production had fallen to under 2,000 tonnes of catch per year.  However, rehabilitation and revitalization efforts have led to a significant increase in production, 
which reached 7,100 tonnes in 2001, and was estimated at 7,000 tonnes in 2002. 
14. The Government hopes to develop the fishing subsector through various programmes aimed 
at increasing productivity.  This will be accomplis hed through rehabilitation an d enhancement of the 
fish stock; a participatory approach to lake ma nagement, and the strengthe ning of fishing and fish 
farming associations.  State involvement in produc tion-related activities and marketing will be phased 
out through privatization of State fisheries and fish culture establishments, in order for increased focus 
to be placed on planning, research and extens ion services to impart new production techniques. 
(ii) Manufacturing and crafts 
15. The manufacturing sector is still at an embryonic stage.  In 2001, the sector employed fewer 
than 2 per cent of the active population (22,356 em ployees in 2000) and its share in real GDP was 
estimated at 8.6 per cent for 2001 (10.5 per cent in  1996).  Exports of manufactured goods are very 
limited and consist almost exclusiv ely of agro-industrial products, mainly tea, coffee and pyrethrum.  
Apart from these products, the agro-food industry is not highly developed, a nd output is mainly 
geared towards the domestic market.   
16. In 2001, Rwanda had 111 small, medium and large manufacturing enterprises. Manufacturing 
is dominated by the food processing industry (45 enterprises, 15 of which produce coffee and tea). 
Food processing provides almost 70 per cent of all industrial jobs, employing 24,603 people, 15 per 
cent of whom work in the tea and coffee sub sector s. There are 10 establishments in the furniture 
industry and 13 each in publication and printing, and the manufacture of chemicals.  The sector consists mainly of small enterprises – 88 with fe wer than 100 employees, eight establishments have a 
staff of over 500 (tea, textile and cement sub sectors) .  In 2000, around 77 per cent of workers in the 
sector were employed by 22 public and parastatal entities. 
17. Production focuses on the manufacture of goods such  as beverages, textiles, tobacco, cement, 
tea and coffee. Three areas, beverages and t obacco-based products, food products, and chemicals 
account for approximately 66 per cent of production in 2002.  Almost two-thirds of the companies involved are located in Kigali.   
18. The main objective of industrial policy is  poverty reduction.  Under the "Vision 2020" 
programme, the Government expects to channel inv estments into light industry for the processing of 
local resources, and to focus on economic divers ification and competitiveness within an export-
oriented setting.  In order to achieve this, detaile d files on local resources, their availability and 
markets are provided to potential investors.  The Go vernment also intends to develop the appropriate 
infrastructure (in particular transport, communicati ons, water and energy) and to provide a sound legal 
framework in which industry can thrive.  It fu rther plans to promote local change through the 
establishment of free economic zones, and accelerate the process of privatization. 
19. The national crafts policy indicates the main orie ntations with regard to the development of 
this sector. The policy is available and is in the process of being adopted by the cabinet. Though the 
sector has a high potential for export, it is hamp ered by the following problems: inadequacy of 
vocational and entrepreneurial training of craftsmen, accessibility to finance, finding markets to their 
products, etc.  
20. The organisation of the craft industry aims par ticularly at implementing a co-ordination unit 
at the national level and support to basic initiatives  in districts (trade associations) and Provinces WT/TPR/G/129 Trade Policy Review 
Page 8 
 
 
(Regional Guild Chamber) in which craftsmen orga nise themselves. The unit will play a key role. It 
will be in charge of creation of certain conditions likely to lead the growth of the sector (entrepreneurial training, dissemination of informat ion, organisation of meetings, links between the 
sector and the government). The Government of Rwa nda has drafted a law on the organisation of the 
Craft sector in Rwanda and is being de bated on by the relevant stakeholders 
(iii) Mining and energy   
21. The mining industry employs just over 600 workers, and contributed 0.2 per cent of real GDP 
in 2001.  Cassiterite (tin oxide), colombo-tanta lite (coltan) and tungsten are the most extensively 
mined minerals, and their producti on in 2001 totalled 555, 395 and 162 tonnes respectively.  As in the 
case of other sectors, mining also suffered from the effects of the 1994 genocide; in 2001 mining 
production was down to 77 per cent of its 1990 level.   The mining industry exports all its production, 
which in 2002 amounted to 35.5 per cent of total go ods exports.  The Ministry in charge of mining 
issues various types of permit - concessions, speci al operating permits, and temporary authorization 
for mining surveys and operations.  A mining con cession is valid for 30 years and renewable for 15-
year periods. A new mining code is in the process of  being adopted and aims at facilitating investors 
in this sector. 
22. Special operating permits are reserved for sma ll-scale mining or limited production and for 
small-scale mining associations.  
23. The Government plans to extract methane gas in lake Kivu to solve the problem of power 
shortage.   It envisages the following alternatives to the traditional sources of energy production:  
establishment of micro-power plants, use of solar and wind energy (particularly in rural areas), 
geothermal energy, use of peat or methane g as from Lake Kivu, with an estimated 55 billion m
3 in 
reserves. As far as solar energy is concerned, a p ilot project to supply electricity to 30 villages is 
under review by the World Bank.   
(iv) Services 
24. Services accounted for more than 45 per cent of real GDP in 2002.The largest sub sectors 
were the wholesale and retail trade (between 9 and 10 per cent of GDP), public administration 
(7 per cent of GDP), and transport and communications services, whose share in GDP rose from 4.1 per cent in 1997 to 7.5 per cent in 2002.  Financial services ar e not highly developed and account 
for approximately 3 per cent of GDP. 
25. The finest tourist attractions in Rwanda are its natural sites: the Volcanoes National Park  (in 
the northwest), which is the most popular and is a habitat for mountain gorillas; the Akagera National 
Park (in the east); the Nyungwe National Park  (in the southwest) and Lake Kivu.  These tourist 
attractions are managed by Rwanda Office of Tour ism and National Parks. The promotion of eco-
tourism, cultural tourism and domestic to urism are special areas of priority. 
26. All tour operators wishing to set up a business in Rwanda must register with the Rwanda 
Investment Promotion Agency (RIPA). Licences and permits required to establish and manage hotels 
are issued free of charge.  The Government has prepared a framework law on tourism, which is 
supported by decrees governing the activities of trav el agencies, and establishing standards and 
ratings for restaurants and hotels.  Considerati on is also being given to the establishment of a 
Rwandan tourism development fund. 
27. The telecommunications sector is governed by Law No. 44/2001 of 30 November 2001 
regulating telecommunications.  A public utilities regulatory agency and its supreme body, the Rwanda WT/TPR/G/129 
 Page 9 
 
 
Regulatory Board, were established in 2001.  Standa rd licences are delivered in four weeks by the 
Board and individual licences in three months  by the competent authority, on the Board's 
recommendation . The Law makes it mandatory for networks to be interconnected, where requested by 
one of the public telecommunications operators. 
28. The Law requires public telecommunications operato rs to offer individuals and organizations 
connection to a public telephone service in the region  of Rwanda for which their individual licences 
have been issued.  It also establishes a "univer sal access fund", made up of contributions by the public 
telecommunications operators.  These contributions are set by the Regulatory Board (maximum of 
4 per cent of turnover).  The aim of the fund is to facilitate the broadest possible access to public 
telephony throughout Rwanda.  Pub lic network operators and provide rs of public telephone services 
themselves set and submit the tariffs to the Regul atory Board, which may ask them to reduce their 
rates to a level that reflects the cost of providi ng the service.  The rates of interconnection negotiated 
between operators must also observe the principle of approximating real costs. 
29. There are currently two operators providing fixed-line telephony – RwandaTel and Artel 
(rural telephone services).  RwandaTel is the owne r of the network system; interconnection is 
governed by agreements between operators.  Two licences were awarded in 2003 – one to Rwandacell 
for fixed telephony and the other to RwandaTel for mobile telephony.  The government of Rwanda 
envisages the privatisation of Rwandatel. 
30. The banking subsector in Rwanda consists of  the National Bank of Rwanda (NBR), Rwanda 
Commercial Bank (RCB), Banque à la Confiance (BANCOR), Compagnie Générale des Banques 
(COGEBANQUE), BACAR, Bank of Commerce, Deve lopment and Industry (BCDI), the Mortgage 
Bank of Rwanda ( Caisse hypothécaire du Rwanda) , the Rwandan Development Bank (RDB), the 
Union of People's Banks of Rwanda ( Union des banques populaires du Rwanda - UBPR), which 
groups savings and loans cooperatives, and Duterimber e, an institution specializing in micro-finance. 
The Government’s shares in RCB and BACAR are in the process of being sold to the public. 
31. Under the provisions of the 1999 law on banks an d other financial institutions, the NBR is 
responsible for regulating and supervising the ba nking system. NBR approval is required for the 
establishment of any financial institution or branch o ffice.  An application for such approval must be 
submitted to the NBR, stating the purpose of th e institution to be established, with detailed 
information on the share ownership, and must incl ude a feasibility study show ing financial projections 
over a five-year period and explaining the assumpti ons on which those projections are based.  A 
minimum capital endowment is required, together with a commission to be paid to the NBR; the 
amounts required vary depending on the nature and purpose of the institution.  Since 2001, the 
minimum capital requirement has been RF 1. 5 billion for commercial banks, RF 3 billion for 
investment or development banks, 500 million fo r merchant banks; 200 m illion for savings funds, 
300 million for financial credit institutions, 10 milli on for financial associations or cooperatives, 
commission agents or brokers, and foreign currenc y exchange bureaux, and 100 million for portfolio 
management firms.  This requirement extends equally to foreign and Rwandan establishments. 
32. Managers of banks or financial in stitutions are required to have resident status, that is, in the 
case of a natural person, to be domiciled in Rwanda, or, in the case of a legal person, to be registered 
in, or operate from, Rwanda.  Conditions for access to the banking profession in Rwanda are similar 
to those governing the exercise of management duties.  Access to the banking profession is not 
restricted to residents, and no specific requirements are imposed on foreigners. WT/TPR/G/129 Trade Policy Review 
Page 10 
 
 
33. The insurance subsector includes three commercial entities, SONARWA, COGEAR and 
SORAS, and the Rwandan Insurance and Re-insurance Company  (CORAR) offer a conventional 
range of insurance products (life, health, property).   
34. Under the 1982 law establishing conditions on th e insurance industry, the provision of 
insurance coverage is exclusively reserved for lega l persons incorporated under Rwandan law.  The 
1982 law also sets a minimum threshold of 30 per cent for Rwandan ownership in the equity of any insurance company. The National Insurance Contro l Commission, under the Ministry responsible for 
finance, was created in 2002 to review complianc e with the terms of approval. The Commission is 
also responsible for supervision of the subsector, ma inly in issues relating to solvency and Insurance 
premiums are currently set by the companies themselves. 
35. Rwanda's road network covers  approximately 14,000 kilometr es, 7.3 per cent of which is 
asphalted.  Despite a road density of 0.52 km per sq uare kilometre, one of the highest in Africa, the 
poor road conditions (particularly the unasphalte d roads) and interconnection network make it 
difficult to reach markets in the interior:  it is esti mated that close to 50 per cent of the mostly rural 
population live more than an hour away from the nearest market.  Because of the great distance 
separating Rwanda from shipping ports (over 1,500 km),  and the state of road transport infrastructure 
in the sub region. 
36.  The main priorities are to continue the reha bilitation of roads damaged by the 1994 conflict, 
raise the proportion of asphalted roads and ensure th e maintenance of existing road infrastructure. The 
Government has opened the market for road works to  private enterprises. Public transport services are 
open to private competition.   
III. TRADE POLICIES  
(1) TRADE POLICIES OBJECTIVES  
37. Rwanda considers trade to be an essential econo mic growth factor. In this regard, the main 
aim of its trade policy is to contribute to the country's social and econom ic development and to 
poverty reduction as stipulated in our Vision 2020. 
38. Consequently, Rwanda is in the process to in tegrate trade policy into a broader strategic 
framework after the implementation of the Integrated Framework. 
39. Rwanda’s Vision 2020 is aimed at raising Rwa nda to middle income status over a period of 
20 years. It also deals with sound political an d economic governance, transformation of rural 
economy, development of services (primarily tour ism, ICT), industry (mainly textiles) and human 
resources development and promotion of privat e sector, and regional and international economic 
integration.  
40. To attain these objectives, Rwanda plans to accel erate its economic growth, to stimulate its 
economy through programs geared towards disadvantag ed areas, to promote food security by using 
quality seeds and fertilizers and improving storage faciliti es, to diversify its exports, to encourage its 
small and medium-sized enterprises and to make more effective use of its natural and human resources. It recognizes that development of the priv ate sector calls for more extensive liberalization, 
privatization and strengthening of the partners hip between the public and private sectors.  Rwanda WT/TPR/G/129 
 Page 11 
 
 
(2) TRADE POLICY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION  
41. The government’s trade policy formulation and im plementation is carried out mainly by the 
Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Investment Prom otion, Tourism and Cooperatives in collaboration 
with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planni ng. Depending on matters involved, trade policy is 
coordinated by other relevant Ministries and institu tions involved in trade re lated matters. The private 
sector is also consulted in this process. 
(3) SECTORAL POLICIES  
42. Rwanda intends to do the following: 
(i) Agriculture and livestock 
− To develop the Coffee Sector such that it is  selected and of high quality in order to 
compete world wide. 
 
− To Privatise the Tea plantation and their cooperatives with the intention of increasing 
production. 
 
− To develop the pyrethrum sector  such that citizens can improve their living standards 
through exportation of this product with added value. 
 
− To encourage farmers to modernise their farming practices and make it professional. 
 
− To facilitate farmers to access finance at low rates of interest and to secure a 
guarantee fund. 
 
− To increase production and add value to agricu ltural and dairy products in order to 
reduce the importation of those products. 
 
− To increase the number of agro-industries and construction of granaries country wide. 
 
(ii) Trade, industry and crafts 
− To strengthen the economic partnership foru m between the public and private sector 
in order to defend the interest of consumers, business community and economic development.  
 
− The government will pursue the process of simplifying laws and regulations 
governing trade, industry and crafts. 
 
− Capacity building to those involved in business, Industry and Crafts. 
 
− To promote our industrial products and crafts on the international markets. 
− To sensitise the business community, industr ialists and craftsmen to improve the 
quality standards of their products. 
 
− To encourage the industrialists to create assemb ly plants in Rwanda such that there is 
added value in order to develop skills and increase our exports to reduce the 
importation of necessary equipments abroad. WT/TPR/G/129 Trade Policy Review 
Page 12 
 
 
(iii) Tourism 
43. The government will focus on identifying and de veloping all tourism sites including lakes, 
volcanoes, rivers, National parks and othe r attractive traditional sites in Rwanda. 
(iv) Investment  
44. The government in the Investment sector will focus on strengthening security and Macro 
economic stability in order to encourage investors in  Rwanda. Rwanda created an Investment Agency, 
the Rwanda Investment Promotion Agency (RIP A). The major objectives of the agency are: 
− To promote investment opportunities with local and foreign investors;  
 
− To facilitate the establishment and smooth operations of investment projects;  
 
− To facilitate business development and export-oriented production;  
 
− To advise the Government on additional policies and support investment in the 
country. 
 45. The agency serves as a one-stop-centre for inv estors in the country with responsibilities to: 
− Receive and process applications for the registration of projects; 
 
− Execute the functions of the one-stop-centre; 
 
− Provide any other support and assistance as investors may require when establishing 
and operating their projects. 
 
(v) Standardization  
46. As global trade emphasizes on standards, qua lity and safety of products and services,. 
Rwanda Bureau of Standards was created to promote conformity of  the products and services to the 
standards. This creates confidence in Rwandan pr oducts and services hence promoting trade. This 
uplifts standards of living of the people. 
47. Rwanda Bureau of Standards was establishe d by Rwanda government with the following 
objectives:  
− To improve Rwandan economy by enha ncing the competitiveness of Rwandan 
products and services in the local, re gional and international markets. 
 
− To protect health and safety of the people through implementation of standardization. 
 
− To provide information in area of sta ndardization to Rwandan citizens and in 
particular to business community. 
 
− To create an active National Enquiry Point (NEP) so as to be able to acquire and 
disseminate information regarding WTO and TBT. 
 
− To stop dumping and counterfeit in Rw anda hence promoting fair trade. Rwanda WT/TPR/G/129 
 Page 13 
 
 
48. Rwanda Bureau of Standards intends to fulfil the above objectives through its major 
functions. 
− Develop national standards. 
 
− Implement standards. 
 
− Establish proper testing laboratories for conformity assessment. 
 
− Establish metrology laboratories to offer calibration services. 
 
− Put in place product and service certification scheme. 
 
− Increase capacity building for industries and business community.  
 
49. Rwanda has undertaken various reforms to re build its economy.  It has made significant 
progress in economic liberalization and the revision of its tax system by reducing the rates of customs 
duties and taxes and introducing VAT in 2001.  To  make revenue collection more efficient, the 
Rwanda Revenue Authority was established in 1997. 
IV. EXTERNAL TRADE PERFORMANCE  
50. Rwanda's exports mainly include coffee, tea, pyrethrum, flowers, and marajuca.   
51. Rwanda faces different problems in entering foreign markets which include the following: 
− Declining of international commodity prices; 
 
− Limited  supply of export products (reliance on very few and traditional products); 
 
− Lack of information concerning foreign market; 
 
− Our export products are sent to foreign ma rkets in raw form (without added value); 
 
− Insufficient human and institutional capacities; 
 
− Non-tariff barriers that include technical barriers to trade and sanitary and 
phytosanitary measures worsens the situation. 
 
V. TRADE AGREEMENTS  
(1) OVERVIEW  
52. Rwanda’s external trade policies are designed to create an enabling environment for regional 
and international integration in or der to promote her products to international markets. In order to 
achieve that objective, Rwanda has entered into  multilateral and regional agreements with WTO, 
COMESA, Economic Community of Central Africa n States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of 
the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL), African Economic  Community (AEC). Rwanda applied to join 
SADC and East African Community. WT/TPR/G/129 Trade Policy Review 
Page 14 
 
 
53. Rwanda grants at least Most Favoured Nation (M FN) treatment to all of its trading partners. 
Rwanda recognizes the positive role that an equitabl e and rule-based multilateral trading system can 
play in promoting global economic growth and trade a nd in raising the living standards of our people.  
54. With regard to preferential trade agreemen ts, Rwanda benefits from African Growth 
Opportunity Act (AGOA), Everything But Arms (E BA) provided by the European Union and ACP-
EU Cotonou Agreement. 
55. Rwanda welcomes the USA decision to ex tend the AGOA to 2015. We call upon all WTO 
Members to support this decision which among other initiatives for Africa will enable the marginalized continent to have market access of our products. 
56. Rwanda appreciates all those countries like Cana da, Japan and Australia that decided to open 
their markets for products originating from LDCs  and encourages other Member countries to do the 
same. 
57. Rwanda has concluded bilateral trade agreem ents with Burundi, Democratic Republic of 
Congo, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. The process of concluding bilateral 
agreements with other countries is underway 
58. Rwanda, as an LDC, needs considerable technical assistance from the international 
community in order to be able to benefit fully from its  participation in the multilateral trading system.     
59. Rwanda has been accepted in the revised Inte grated Framework (IF) for Technical Assistance 
and Capacity Building and requests the Diagnostic Tr ade Integration Study (DTIS) to be speeded up 
in order to integrate fully trade in the Poverty Reduction Strategic Plan (PRSP).  
60. Rwanda is unable to make all the basic notifi cations as required by various agreements of the 
WTO simply because of lack of expertise in that field.    
61. Rwanda is in the process of setting up a Nati onal Committee on WTO issues whose the main 
functions will be: 
− To study and analyse the WTO  provisions and their likely effects on the country’s 
economy; 
 
− To monitor, on a continuous basis, the implementation of the WTO agreements in 
Rwanda in order to ensure maximum benefit to the country; 
 
− To provide the public and private sectors w ith the necessary analysis on new market 
access conditions to enable to identify immediate and potential trading opportunities created by Uruguay Round and Doha Deve lopment programme both in traditional 
and non traditional markets; 
 
− To provide the Government with adequate information pertaining to sectoral impact 
of the relevant agreements that will enable  it to review current and future policies 
with a view of adapting to the changing environment; 
 
− To assist the Government in identifying ob ligations which require new or changes in 
domestic legislation or administrative  practices for implementing the WTO 
Agreements; Rwanda WT/TPR/G/129 
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− To make recommendations for policy options  to be adopted by the Government. 
 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS  
62. Rwanda started implementing the WTO Customs Valuation agreement on 1st January 2004 
changing from Brussels’s definition of value (DBV) to WTO Customs Valuation Code.   
63. Rwanda is unable to implement the rates bound  before the Uruguay Round simply because 
these rates are below the COMESA rates and, as an  LDC, we depend on tax as source of revenue. 
Rwanda deserves a credit for having bound 100% of  her tariff lines. So, Rwanda requests the WTO 
members to support us, during the rebinding negotiati on process that we intend to enter into, for the 
successful outcome. In fact, these prior commitments were made during colonial period and they 
include Benelux Schedule II (Belgian Congo and Rw anda-Urundi section), the Torquay Protocol of 
21st April 1951 and sixth Protocol of Supplementary Concessions of 23rd May 1956.      
(3) TRADE -RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
64. Rwanda is concerned about the continued marg inalization of LDCs in the Multilateral   
Trading System.  
65. Rwanda needs to diversify its production and to a ddress the supply-side constraints in order to 
benefit fully from the preferential market access offe red by some developed countries and to improve 
its competitiveness in the world economy.  
66. Rwanda unlike other developing countries h as not much benefited from tangible WTO 
technical assistance before ap art from installation of WTO Refe rence Centre (June 2003) and the 
following seminars on the national level:  
− Trade Policy Review (June 2003); 
 
− Multilateral Trading System (October 2003); 
 
− Workshop on Customs Valuation (June 2004).  
 67. Rwanda’s trade-related technical assistance needs relate mainly on the following areas of 
interest: 
− Promotion of Rwandan products to external markets; 
 
− Development of institutional capacity; 
 
− Implementation of the Trade Agreements; 
 
− Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT);   
 
− Capacity building in the trade negotiations area.  
 
68. Rwanda welcomes the IF Working Group decision to integrate our country in the Integrated 
Framework technical assistance programme that will enable our country to integrate trade in PRSP, and address the supply-side constraints. We thank the World Bank for having done expeditiously the WT/TPR/G/129 Trade Policy Review 
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successful Technical Review of Rwanda and request  the Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) 
to be speeded up. 
69. Rwanda had requested the Joint Integrated T echnical Assistance Programme (JITAP) in the 
year 2002 and we still request all stakeholders to  facilitate Rwanda to enter this programme. The 
JITAP will help Rwanda to integrate into the Multilateral Trading System with the objectives of: 
− Building the national capacity to unde rstand the WTO Agreements and their 
implications;  
 
− Assist Rwanda to make its policy and regulatory framework conform to WTO 
agreements; 
 
− Enhance Rwanda’s capacity to take advant age of the agreements by improved export 
readiness. 
 70. Rwanda welcomes the memorandum of unde rstanding (MOU), signed in Cancun between 
United Nations Industrial Developm ent Organisation (UNIDO) and WTO, which formalises a closer 
relationship between both organizations. So, we ar e expecting the UNIDO to support Rwanda in our 
process of addressing our supply-side constraints thr ough diversification and by adding value to our 
exports.  
VI. CONCLUSION 
71. Rwanda will continue with its process of liberalizing trade within the overall strategic 
framework of enhancing economic growth and stru ctural transformation with the private sector 
playing a pivot role as an engine of growth a nd the government will provide a conducive environment 
for trade and investment.  
72. The strengthening of economic growth and tr ansformation is seen as a prerequisite for 
poverty reduction and has to be through identified stra tegic areas with high growth potential in which 
Rwanda could have a comparative advantage both at regional and international level.  
73. Rwanda will continue to support the WTO e fforts and recognises the positive role that an 
equitable and rule-based multilateral trading system  can play in promoting global economic growth 
and trade towards our development. 
74. Rwanda recognises that trade related technical c ooperation is a prerequisite for its integration 
and active participation in multilateral trading syst em in the process of poverty reduction. In this 
context, the Integrated Framework is a potentially vi able instrument to achieve that objective. Donors 
are therefore urged to contribute fully to the impl ementation of the Integrat ed Framework in Rwanda. 
 
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