‍How can we support Rwanda's economic development by streamlining cross-border trade?‍

Streamlining cross border trade (CBT) with neighboring countries has the potential to bolster Rwanda's economic development. However, inadequate market infrastructure creates significant wastage along the supply chain, increasing the cost of goods, affecting livelihoods and cross-border efforts. To resolve this, Athena undertook a trade flow analysis at HS Code 4 digit of agriculture and non-agricultural exports. It also shortlisted the products with export potential by analyzing their comparative and/or competitive advantage. It further assessed the potential of the shortlisted products for CBT with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Stakeholder consultations with informal exporters/manufacturers and official/government bodies helped to validate assumptions/hypotheses in order work towards streamlining CBT.