Rwanda’s trade deficit fell by 12.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, running from April to June, compared to the same period last year, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). ALSO READ: Rwanda’s trade deficit drops by 17% in July The Formal External Trade in Goods report released by NISR on September 15 shows that the total trade was valued at $1.73 billion (approx. Rwf2.49 trillion), a 13 per cent decrease from the first quarter of 2025. Compared to the first quarter of 2025, the value of total domestic exports in the second quarter decreased by 28.03 per cent to $346.04 million (approx. Rwf498.2 billion). On a year-on-year basis, domestic exports fell by 35.64 per cent compared to the same quarter of 2024. ALSO READ: What can Rwanda do to reduce its trade deficit? Major export destinations Rwanda’s key export destinations during the quarter were the United Arab Emirates ($97.94 million, 28.30 per cent share), DR Congo ($69.86 million, 20.19 per cent), China ($40.88 million, 11.81 per cent), Belgium ($14.40 million, 4.16 per cent) and Luxembourg ($13.64 million, 3.94 per cent). Collectively, these five countries accounted for $236.71 million, or 68.40 per cent of total domestic exports. Re-exports Rwanda’s re-exports were valued at $142.41 million (approx. Rwf205 billion) in the second quarter of 2025, representing a 13.17 per cent decline from the same quarter in 2024. The top three re-exported products were food and live animals ($51.59 million), mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials ($31.94 million), and beverages and tobacco ($13.34 million). Together, these accounted for 68.03 per cent of the total re-exports. ALSO READ: Made in Rwanda: Boosting local production vital to address trade deficit, experts say The main re-export destinations were DR Congo, Ethiopia, the UAE, Burundi, and Germany. DR Congo alone accounted for 94.5 per cent of the re-exports. Imports Total imports in the second quarter of 2025 were valued at $1.24 billion (about Rwf1.79 trillion), a decline of 20.50 per cent compared to the second quarter of 2024 ($1,568.97 million), and 9.55 per cent lower than in the first quarter of 2025. The top five import categories were machinery and transport equipment ($249.02 million), food and live animals ($224.67 million), manufactured goods classified chiefly by material ($172.23 million), mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials ($162.79 million) and chemicals and related products ($137.61 million). The top five countries of origin of imports contributed $711.02 million, or 57 per cent of the total value of imports. They were China ($275.63 million), Tanzania ($178.94 million), India ($107.83 million), Kenya ($78.17 million) and the United Arab Emirates ($70.45 million).
