Pakistan and Rwanda have agreed to explore new avenues for boosting bilateral trade by developing maritime-linked corridors between Karachi Port and key East African ports. The initiative seeks to reduce shipping costs, improve delivery times, and enhance access to regional markets across the East African Community (EAC).
The proposal came under discussion during a meeting between Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Rwandan Ambassador Harerimana Fatou, who called on the minister at his office, according to a press release issued Monday.
Outlining the plan, Junaid Chaudhry said Pakistan intends to establish direct maritime trade routes from Karachi to major logistics hubs such as Djibouti and Mombasa. “The initiative involves opening a direct shipping line from Karachi to Djibouti, substantially reducing transit times and shipping costs by bypassing intermediate ports while enabling smoother onward transport to neighboring ports such as Mombasa,” he stated.
The minister added that the government also aims to transform Gwadar Port into a specialized export hub for Africa-bound trade, especially targeting East Africa. With its location along the Arabian Sea, Gwadar’s strategic positioning is expected to boost Pakistan’s port capacity and connectivity to major Indian Ocean trade routes.
Chaudhry noted that Rwanda, being a landlocked country, could benefit from using East African ports as gateways for imports and exports, supported by established inland road and railway links connecting the ports to Rwanda and other EAC states.
On the trade front, Rwanda exports tea, coffee, avocados, pulses, and other horticultural products to Pakistan, while Pakistan exports pharmaceuticals, textiles, surgical instruments, electric bikes, tractors, mobile phones, and agricultural technologies to Rwanda.
According to the minister, establishing direct maritime corridors would not only lower logistics expenses and improve export competitiveness but also encourage business-to-business linkages through dedicated trade forums between Pakistan and EAC nations.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to broadening access to the EAC’s growing consumer market of nearly 500 million people, with a combined GDP surpassing $300 billion. Chaudhry emphasized that stronger connectivity between Pakistan’s maritime network and East Africa’s ports would serve as a catalyst for economic growth and deeper bilateral trade relations between Pakistan and Rwanda.
