32 Rwandan Industries to Receive Licenses for Pan-African Trade

For the first time, 32 Rwandan industries that have met common African standards will be granted trade licenses allowing them to export 72 product types to other African countries without additional requirements or obstacles. The licenses are scheduled to be issued on March 6, 2026. The announcement was made on March 3, 2026, during the three-day African Standards Organization (ARSO) meeting held in Kigali. The meeting, attended by 16 countries, focused on establishing 25 continental standards covering textiles, textile materials, and related products. The licenses will initially cover products in agriculture and value addition, with plans to extend certification to other sectors, including garments and footwear. Gatera Emmanuel, Director of Regulatory Affairs at the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), said the certifications will expand markets, accelerate collaboration with exporting countries, and promote the ‘Made in Rwanda’ brand. He added, “If a garment is sewn and tested in Rwanda, it will pass quality checks in the destination country without delays, speeding up shipments.” Gatera also highlighted the potential to boost intra-African trade, noting that current trade among African countries is only 15-18%, compared with over 60% on continents such as Asia and Europe. Milagrosa Ntombikasiye, representing the National Standards Institute of Eswatini, said that most of Eswatini’s exports currently go to the European Union due to trade challenges within Africa. She welcomed the new regulations, stating they will facilitate continental trade and economic growth. Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General of ARSO, explained that the initiative aims to harmonize regulations across Africa, reducing costs for inspections and compliance in different countries. At the conclusion of the meeting, Rwanda will sign cooperation agreements with Zimbabwe and Congo-Brazzaville to further promote trade and streamline export processes with these countries.