Delegation visits Brasília, Santa Catarina and São Paulo in an agenda focused on agriculture, trade, investment, innovation and new partnerships
Rwanda has taken another step toward strengthening its economic relationship with Brazil through a business mission that brought government officials and private-sector representatives to different regions of the country.
Held from August 17 to 21, 2026, the mission was led by Chantal Tuyishimire, Permanent Secretary at Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, and accompanied by Rwanda’s Ambassador to Brazil, Lawrence Manzi. The delegation brought together government representatives and Rwandan business leaders interested in identifying opportunities in the Brazilian market and attracting new partnerships and investments to Rwanda.
The program covered Brasília, Santa Catarina and São Paulo, combining institutional meetings, technical visits and direct contacts between Brazilian and Rwandan companies.
Agriculture and technology open the agenda in Brasília
The mission began in the Federal District with a visit to Embrapa Cerrados, in Planaltina, where the delegation was introduced to Brazilian research and technologies developed for sustainable agricultural production in tropical conditions.
The visit provided an opportunity for the Rwandan representatives to learn more about Brazilian expertise in agricultural research and discuss possibilities for cooperation involving innovation, productivity and sustainable farming.
The agenda included presentations and visits to Embrapa’s experimental areas, bringing the delegation into direct contact with research conducted in the Cerrado, one of Brazil’s most important agricultural regions.
Agriculture is particularly relevant to the bilateral agenda as Rwanda seeks to expand productivity, agro-processing and technological development while Brazil has accumulated extensive knowledge in tropical agriculture.
ApexBrasil meetings focus on trade and investment
Still in Brasília, the Rwandan delegation held meetings with ApexBrasil, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, as part of the mission’s broader strategy to strengthen commercial relations between the two countries.
The discussions provided an opportunity to present Rwanda’s business environment and explore possibilities for Brazilian companies interested in the African market, while also identifying areas in which Rwandan and Brazilian businesses could establish partnerships.
The mission covered a broad range of sectors, including advanced agriculture and agribusiness, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, financial services, education, science, technology and innovation.
The Brasília meetings reinforced an increasingly important dimension of Rwanda-Brazil relations: connecting diplomatic engagement with practical opportunities for companies, investors and institutions.
Santa Catarina brings the delegation closer to Brazilian industry
The mission then moved to Santa Catarina, where the Rwandan delegation participated in an extensive program involving government representatives, business organizations and companies.
In Florianópolis, the delegation was officially received at Sapiens Parque. The program included business-to-business meetings designed to put Rwandan entrepreneurs directly in contact with their Brazilian counterparts.
The Rwandan group showed interest in several sectors in which Santa Catarina has a strong industrial presence, including agricultural machinery and mechanization, agro-processing, livestock and animal protein, textiles and apparel, construction, furniture, healthcare, information technology, renewable energy and mining.
The delegation also visited important industrial centers in the state. Part of the group visited WEG in Jaraguá do Sul and Hering’s facilities in Blumenau, while other activities provided further exposure to Santa Catarina’s industrial and agribusiness ecosystem.
The visit also produced an institutional result in professional education and skills development, with cooperation involving Rwanda Polytechnic and Fecomércio Santa Catarina. The initiative reflects Rwanda’s interest not only in attracting business but also in expanding technical knowledge, professional training, innovation and human-capital development.
São Paulo hosts Rwanda–Brazil Business Forum
The mission reached another important stage in São Paulo, Brazil’s largest economic and financial center.
On August 20, the Rwanda–Brazil Business Forum 2026 brought together business leaders, investors, authorities and institutions to discuss opportunities for trade, investment and cooperation.
The event created a platform for Rwandan representatives to present the country’s economic potential directly to the Brazilian private sector. The delegation represented a diverse range of activities, including agribusiness, industry, technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, energy, logistics, financial services, tourism, construction, education and mining.
Beyond institutional presentations, the São Paulo agenda emphasized direct business contacts, allowing companies from both countries to explore potential commercial partnerships, investment projects and opportunities for entering new markets.
The forum demonstrated Rwanda’s strategy of positioning itself as an increasingly attractive destination for international business while opening new channels for Brazilian companies interested in expanding their presence in Africa.
Economic diplomacy gains momentum
The mission also highlighted the role of Ambassador Lawrence Manzi in strengthening Rwanda’s presence in Brazil and promoting closer relations between institutions and the private sectors of both countries.
As Rwanda’s first resident ambassador in Brasília, Manzi has maintained an active agenda focused on expanding political, institutional and especially economic ties. The August business mission represented one of the most significant steps in that process, bringing a large Rwandan delegation into direct contact with Brazilian institutions and companies.
Rather than concentrating the program in the federal capital, the mission reached different economic centers, allowing the delegation to experience Brazil’s agricultural research capabilities, industrial production, innovation ecosystem and private-sector opportunities.
The leadership of Chantal Tuyishimire also underscored the Rwandan government’s commitment to transforming bilateral dialogue into concrete economic initiatives.
By the end of the five-day program, the mission had connected government agencies, research institutions, business organizations and companies across several sectors.
The meetings in Brasília, Santa Catarina and São Paulo showed that relations between Rwanda and Brazil are increasingly moving beyond traditional diplomacy toward a broader partnership based on trade, investment, technology, professional training and private-sector cooperation.
The challenge now is to transform the contacts established during the mission into long-term projects, investments and commercial partnerships — opening a new chapter in economic relations between Brazil and Rwanda.
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