He revealed this yesterday as the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) presented the Growth Domestic Product (GDP) which grew by 8.6 percent compared to the previous year with Rwf 8,189 billion in 2018 up from Rwf 7,600 billion in 2017.
The beginning of the year 2018 was characterized by political turbulence between Rwanda, Uganda relations.
Following the worsening situation, Rwandans making a trade in and through Uganda have been killed, arrested, incarcerated without consular access and tortured.
Rwanda has recently requested Rwandans to suspend travels to Uganda until the situation comes back to normal. The decision is likely to bring side effects on inter-trade between the countries where Rwanda imported more than exports to Uganda.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana has told the media that Rwanda is ready to look for other options replacing imports from Uganda.
“There is nothing unusual concerning the trade between Rwanda and Burundi. However; the situation is new between Rwanda and Uganda. Imports from Uganda last year multiplied many times what we exported there. We imported goods worth USD 242 million while our exports were worth USD 27 million,” he said.
“If there is turbulence in reducing the trade, you understand that the big loss comes to the one who exported, who loses the market. The loss would be more inclined to Uganda than Rwanda. Because Uganda was a small market for our exports yet they had multiplied traded goods to us,” he added.
Minister Ndagijimana explained that commodities and cement were among many imports from Uganda and can be ordered from other places.
“It cannot subvert economy. It would be difficult if we are losing the market, being the one exporting more goods. It is not automated to get another market but it becomes easy to buy from wherever when you have money. This means, some goods can be provided locally and from other countries if there is a fall in imports (from Uganda),” he said.
Minister Ndagijimana revealed that trade with Burundi is not on good progress because Rwanda had exports worth USD 12 million and imports worth USD 3 million from and to Burundi last year.
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