The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) announced the development on August 20, 2026.
The forum aimed to explore ways of deepening cooperation between Rwanda and Brazil while showcasing opportunities available in the African market.
Rwanda’s Ambassador to Brazil, Lawrence Manzi, said Rwanda provides an ideal gateway for Brazilian companies seeking to expand into Africa.
“For Brazilian businesses looking to establish a presence in Africa, Rwanda is an undeniable gateway. Our business-friendly environment and strategic location make the country an ideal bridge to the continent,” he said.
Claver Tuyishimire, Permanent Secretary at Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, said that despite its small geographical size, Rwanda offers significant investment opportunities.
“Although Rwanda is small, its opportunities are vast. Its location at the heart of Africa, together with its membership in the African Continental Free Trade Area and regional markets, makes it a gateway to more than 1.3 billion consumers across the continent,” he said.
The forum comes as Rwanda continues to encourage international investors to take advantage of business opportunities in the country and use its strategic position as a gateway to different African markets.
In 2025, Rwanda registered $2.62 billion in investments across 799 projects, up from 612 projects registered in 2024.
The new investments were mainly concentrated in sectors including real estate, manufacturing and mining.
Under its national development targets, Rwanda aims to nearly double private investment to $4.6 billion by 2029.
Rwanda and Brazil established diplomatic relations in 1981 and have since signed several cooperation agreements.
In 2019, the two countries signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) to strengthen cooperation in air transport.
They also signed a cooperation agreement on food security in 2011.
Brazil is one of the world’s leading producers of coffee, soybeans, sugarcane and oranges. Since 2022, Rwanda has imported wheat from Brazil following disruptions to supplies previously sourced from Ukraine. Rwanda also imports products such as sugar from Brazil.
In February 2026, the governments of Rwanda and Brazil signed an agreement establishing a framework for cooperation in promoting trade, facilitating investment and strengthening partnerships in various sectors.
