As a result of the ongoing resurgence of relations between Rwanda and Burundi that had been strained since 2015, popular Rwandan products have been spotted on the market in Bujumbura- the capital city of Burundi, reports ‘Burundi Eco newspaper’.
The relationship between the two countries became ‘bitter’ in 2015 when Burundi accused Rwanda of ‘helping’ a coup that wanted to over throw President Pierre Nkurunziza who was running for a ‘third term’.
This saw trade between the two nations come to a standstill with different Rwandan products and companies like ‘Volcano Bus Company’ in Burundi destroyed.
Following the visit by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda to Burundi on 4th, February, 2023(since 2013) where he met his counterpart President Evariste Ndayishimye, there’s hope that trade between the two nations will continue to thrive.
Rwandan products like Inyange and SKOL which were popular in Burundi that some bars in the country were named after them have made re-appearance in large amounts in the same way ‘small fish’ and palm oil from Burundi are seen in Rwandan markets.
A report from NISR(National Institute of Statistics in Rwanda) in 2014 estimated trade between the two countries at 20million Dollars; the figures have however increased according to the the report form December, 2022 that estimates the trade at 290million Dollars from 180million in November that same year.
NISR further states that Burundi comes in sixth position among countries that Rwanda exports its goods.
