Rwanda: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 16 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Rwanda.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Rwanda in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Rwanda may still be on a list.

Check a shipment to Rwanda →

On the sanctions lists

16 entries on the official lists name Rwanda — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	10	10	—	—
Switzerland SECO Consolidated Sanctions List	3	3	—	—
EU Consolidated Financial Sanctions List (FSF)	1	1	—	—
UN Security Council Consolidated List	1	1	—	—
UK Sanctions List (FCDO)	1	1	—	—

Latest changes

United States (OFAC) · DRCONGO: 2 new designations
28 Oct 2026 · New listings

All updates →

All sanctioned countries compared by regime

Logistics profile

Rwanda: logistics and trade

Landlocked country in the East African highlands; hub for the Great Lakes region with the Kigali air cargo hub and connections via the Northern and Central Corridors to the ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.

Rwanda (ISO code: RW) is a landlocked country in East Africa bordering Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a presidential republic with a centralized administration, known for political stability and strong governance reforms. The climate is equatorial highland with mild temperatures and two rainy seasons. The economy rests on agriculture (notably coffee and tea), mining (tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold), services and a fast-growing technology and conference sector. Foreign trade is dominated by agricultural and mineral exports, while energy, machinery, vehicles and consumer goods are largely imported. Because Rwanda is landlocked, logistics rely on the Kigali International Airport air hub and on road transport along the Northern Corridor to Mombasa and the Central Corridor to Dar es Salaam. Customs clearance is digitised through the Rwanda Electronic Single Window based on ASYCUDA World, and the Kigali Logistics Platform dry port in Masaka consolidates regional cargo. The national currency is the Rwandan Franc (RWF). Rwanda is a member of the East African Community, COMESA and the AfCFTA, positioning Kigali as a regional trade and aviation hub for the Great Lakes region.

Capital: Kigali
Population: 14,256,567
Area: 26,338 km²
Currency: Rwandan Franc (RWF)
Continent: Africa
Region: East Africa / EAC
Economic area: EAC / COMESA / AfCFTA
Religions: Christianity
Access to the sea: Landlocked

Transport modes Road · Air

Current situation: Status 2026: construction of Bugesera Airport (phase 1 planned from 2027); Kigali Logistics Platform in Masaka (DP World) active as a dry port. SGR rail link Isaka-Kigali in planning.
Seasonal conditions: Equatorial highland climate with two rainy seasons (approximately February-May and September-December). Heavy rainfall can affect roads and corridor sections.

Main cargo airports

Kigali International AirportKGL
Kigali International (KGL): RwandAir Cargo 737 freighter and Qatar Airways Cargo build Rwanda's air cargo hub. Road corridors to Mombasa and Dar.

Road corridors

Northern Corridor: Mombasa-Kampala-Kigali (approx. 1.700 km)
Central Corridor: Dar es Salaam-Kigali (approx. 1.300 km)
Kigali-Rusumo (Tanzania border)
Kigali-Gatuna/Katuna (Uganda border)

Rail corridors

Planned SGR line Isaka (Tanzania)-Kigali for connection to the Tanzanian rail network (in planning)

Inland ports

Kigali Logistics Platform / Masaka (dry port, DP World)
Kiyanzi Dry Port (near the Rusumo border post)

Main trade lanes

Rwanda-China
Rwanda-EU (Belgium/Germany)
Rwanda-UAE (Dubai)
Rwanda-EAC (Kenya/Uganda/Tanzania)

Customs and import

Customs authority Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA)Official website ↗

Import customs system: Electronic clearance via the Rwanda Electronic Single Window (ReSW) based on ASYCUDA World. Classification under the EAC Common External Tariff (0/10/25/35 percent) on the CIF value.
Export customs system: Export processing is also handled via the ReSW/ASYCUDA World at the RRA. EAC-origin goods are traded duty-free; minerals are subject to additional certification and inspection obligations.
Import VAT: Import VAT standard rate of 18 percent on the customs value; collected by the RRA. In addition, an environmental levy of 0,2 percent of the customs value applies to imports packed in plastic (since 2025).
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: Preferential proof of origin required: EAC certificate of origin within the customs union, COMESA certificate as well as AfCFTA proofs. Without a valid proof of origin, the EAC third-country duty applies.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Prohibitions and restrictions apply to, among others, weapons, hazardous waste and certain used goods; single-use plastic bags are prohibited. Medicines and foodstuffs are subject to licensing and conformity requirements.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Bill of lading / air waybill
Import declaration (ReSW)
Certificate of origin (EAC/COMESA)
Conformity/inspection certificates (RSB)

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Air waybill / bill of lading
Export declaration (ReSW)
Certificate of origin (EAC/COMESA/AfCFTA)
Mineral certificate (ICGLR)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium
Customs delays: Medium
Port congestion: Medium
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium
E-commerce relevance: Low to medium

Trade

Top import partners

China Kenya India Tanzania Uganda

Top export partners

China Uganda Kenya United Arab Emirates Belgium

Top import goods

Petroleum products
Machinery
Vehicles, food
Chemicals

Top export goods

Coffee
Tea
Gold
Tin
Tantalum

Typical cargo

Coffee
Tea
Cassiterite tin ore
Coltan/Tantalum
Tungsten
Gold
Petroleum products (import)
Machinery and vehicles (import)

Latest logistics news

Switzerland and 18 Partners Aim to Better Secure Supply Chains19 Jul 2026
Switzerland and 18 partner states aim to better coordinate trade and make supply chains for essential goods more resilient. New members include Peru, South Korea, and Thailand.

Logistics questions

Is Rwanda landlocked and how is freight transported?

Yes, Rwanda is landlocked. Overseas freight moves by truck via the Northern Corridor to the port of Mombasa (around 1,700 km) or the Central Corridor to Dar es Salaam (around 1,300 km); time-critical and high-value goods travel by air through Kigali.

What is the import VAT rate in Rwanda?

The standard VAT rate is 18 percent, collected by the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA). Since 2025 an environmental levy of 0.2 percent of customs value applies to imports packaged in plastic.

Which customs system does Rwanda use?

The RRA processes imports and exports electronically through the Rwanda Electronic Single Window (ReSW) based on ASYCUDA World. A single declaration covers multiple agencies, and clearance often takes under a day.

What import duties apply in Rwanda?

The EAC Common External Tariff applies with bands of 0, 10, 25 and 35 percent on the CIF value. Goods of EAC origin are traded duty-free; some products carry diverging stay-of-application rates.

Which seaports does Rwanda use for overseas trade?

As Rwanda has no seaport of its own, it uses Mombasa (Kenya) via the Northern Corridor and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) via the Central Corridor. The Kigali Logistics Platform in Masaka serves as a dry port for customs clearance and container handling.

What does Rwanda mainly export?

Key exports are coffee and tea as well as minerals such as tin ore (cassiterite), coltan/tantalum, tungsten and gold, complemented by re-exports. The main trading partner is China.

What role does Kigali airport play in logistics?

Kigali International Airport is the country's central air cargo hub and home base of RwandAir. To add capacity, the new Bugesera International Airport is being built, with its first phase planned to open from 2027.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗