KIGALI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda marked a historic moment on Wednesday by flagging off its first consolidated consignment of agricultural exports to Ghana under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

The consignment, which included traditional exports like coffee and tea alongside honey and avocado products, reflected the growing diversity of Rwanda's export portfolio within the AfCFTA framework.

The flag-off ceremony, held at Kigali International Airport, was organized by Rwanda's Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with local trading companies. The event highlighted Rwanda's increasing engagement with the AfCFTA, a trade initiative aimed at fostering intra-African commerce and economic growth.

Speaking at the event, Prudence Sebahizi, Rwanda's minister of trade and industry, hailed the initiative as a key milestone.

"This first consignment of agricultural export products to Ghana will open doors for the private sector to access the AfCFTA market. This is a great initiative that will enable local businesses in Rwanda to trade across Africa," he said.

Sebahizi emphasized the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, particularly young entrepreneurs, encouraging them to seize the new opportunities presented by the AfCFTA to expand their export potential.

"This initiative will accelerate Rwanda's continental trade by enabling local businesses to combine their goods into a single consignment, optimizing logistics and reducing costs," he added.

The AfCFTA, one of the flagship projects of the African Union's Agenda 2063, is designed to boost intra-African trade and strengthen Africa's position in the global market. Launched in 2019, it became operational in January 2021. Rwanda has been a key advocate of the agreement, hosting the signing ceremony in March 2018. Enditem

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